Increasing Warehouse Worker Performance Using Voice Technology that Provided Immediate Feedback: Personal Performance Productivity Prompt

ABSTRACT

This research report examined the use of a voice-directed warehouse management system (WMS) to increase worker performance in a large industrial setting. Order selectors in distribution centers that use voice-directed systems (listening to instructions via a headset and speaking into a microphone and receiving immediate audio feedback) were tracked for units per hour performance of products selected for store orders. The voice-directed application was enhanced with a personal performance productivity prompt so that each order selector now heard their units per hour performance after each completed store order assignment. Upon activation of the newly developed personal performance productivity prompt, selector performance increased to match and exceed the labor standards established for three warehouse zones (accessories, batteries, and tires). This is an example in which an Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) professional can play a vital role in helping large industrial settings adapt to new technologies for the workforce, in this case, for increased performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Voice-directed order selection
• labor standards
• performance monitoring
• personal performance productivity prompt

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).