BEYOND THE BUILD: Updating the Next Gen Warehouse To reset operations effectively amidst ongoing labor constraints and market uncertainty, warehouse leaders are implementing technology and enhancing processes to develop operations that are streamlined, flexible, and intelligent. BY KAREN KROLL
L ike many sectors of the complexity, and ambiguity—VUCA for short. They face a tight labor market and generally high employee turnover, supply chain disruptions, uctuating tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and an uncertain economy. These challenges are occurring even as ecommerce has made speed-to-market even more critical. “Instead of batching orders for ef ciency, operations are often required to process and ship in near-real- time, which adds complexity to picking, economy, most warehouse operations are navigating volatility, uncertainty, packing, and outbound logistics,” says Anthony Jordan, executive vice president and chief operating of cer with GEODIS Americas. In addition, many warehouses were built for a workforce they no longer have. While turnover has always been part of the model, it generally hasn’t
occurred at the current pace. “You’re asking a less experienced workforce to do better work, faster, with less margin for error,” says Matt Wilson, a principal in the industrials practice with global consultancy SSA & Co. This makes it hard to build consistency and even harder to maintain productivity. “Optionality” has become key to operating effectively and with resilience in this environment, says James A. Tompkins, Ph.D., chair of Tompkins Solutions Inc. and Tompkins Ventures. Warehouses need to be intelligent, streamlined, and able to quickly pivot. Savvy warehouse operators successfully navigate today’s complex, volatile environment with thoughtful technology implementations and effective processes. They prioritize ways to simplify work ows and enhance employee engagement to build more resilient teams, Jordan says. Here are a few leading examples.
May 2026 • Inbound Logistics 33
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