Peak season can be extremely challenging, but it certainly does not have to bring chaos or burnout. You can help your team sail through high-pressure periods with clarity and confidence and keep it all working together.
In a recent conversation, Allison (supply chain leader who worked at Outer, Hydrow, Wayfair) talked about four surefire ways to keep your team sane and productive at the busiest times of the year.
1. Be transparent
Transparency is an effective tool for reducing stress and building trust, especially during periods of intense activity. Knowing what's going on and having a sense of involvement help teams feel more in control even under extreme pressure.
- Regular updates: This will keep the team informed of changing priorities and operational issues and successes. It leaves unnecessary guesswork behind and enables everyone to focus on their role and responsibilities. For instance, in case there is a potential delay, informing your team in advance means they won't have any late surprises.
- Set clear expectations: Unclear expectations overwhelm employees. Clear designation of individual goals and team goals and clear outlining of each person's responsibility is necessary. This step also helps identify potential overlaps or gaps in workflow, allowing you to correct them proactively.
- Promote openness: Establish an environment where asking questions or raising concerns is easy. Such a culture builds trust in addition to revealing issues in their early stages rather than letting them boil over.
2. Lead with empathy
Empathetic leadership is of utmost importance to maintain morale and productivity under stress. The empathy not only makes the team feel valued, but it will bring loyalty, teamwork, and a sense of a good work environment.
- Appreciate the efforts: Take time to appreciate all the hard work and dedication put in by your team. A simple "thank you" goes a long way in showing that you value their input. Don't forget to celebrate small milestones or achievements that keep spirits high.
- Be approachable: Make your team comfortable around you. Be accessible to listen and to support your team in problems, whether at work or in personal stress. Being approachable makes your team feel cared for.
- Flexibility matters: The peak seasons are often unpredictable. Thus, providing some flexibility can make a big difference. For instance, adjusted schedules or even the possibility of remote work, if possible, reduces stress without a compromise on productivity.
3. Simplify metrics
Simplification is an antidote for being overwhelmed. When business gets really busy, too many metrics make it difficult to focus and slows down decision-making. With clear yet achievable goals, your team will remain productive and not get overwhelmed.
- Identify priorities: Identify the most vital metrics to track. These might include order accuracy, fulfillment rates, or customer satisfaction scores. These key performance indicators directly relate to the objectives of your team and guide their actions.
- Cut the clutter: You should not drown your team in data. Rather than tracking hundreds of performance indicators, you track a few KPIs that aggregate up to success. That is easier for your team to focus on.
- Review progress regularly: Periodically check-in to review the performance, including where there may be roadblocks or areas to be adjusted. This keeps the team aligned and ensures that they are working towards the right objectives.
4. Be ready for problems
Even the best-managed operations face some problems during peak times. Preparing contingency plans ahead of time ensures that your team can respond appropriately and effectively without damaging customer trust. This enables your team to concentrate on solutions rather than frantically trying to react to problems when they occur.
- Anticipate common issues: Consider the usual challenges that normally occur in previous peak seasons, such as shipping delays, inventory shortages, or large volumes of customer inquiries. Plan ahead to mitigate them by developing strategies.
- Develop contingency plans: Make backup plans for when critical situations are likely to arise. For example, ensure to have secondary suppliers when stockouts occur or ensure to arrange additional shipping capacity in case the carrier faces delays.
- Communicate early: Transparency with your team and customers about potential delays or challenges helps manage expectations. For example, when you foresee running out of stock on a certain product, convey it to the customers ahead of time to maintain their trust.
Wrapping up
It's not just hitting the target during peak season, but it's supporting the people who make these results possible. Being clear, leading with empathy, simplifying metrics, and planning ahead will ensure that your team works well, even on the busiest days.
Peak season might have its tribulations, but by the right approach, it can also be a season of learning, synergy, and success. As such, never forget that to deliver outstanding results means always having a calm and well-supported team.
