Why x 3

Hello all! Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I’m Marty, and I’m glad you’ve chosen to spend a few minutes with us today. 

Now, I was sitting down the other day thinking about a simple question: Why do we work? Of course we work for a paycheck. But when you dig in a little deeper, there’s more to it. A lot more, actually. 

So today, I want to share some thoughts on three things. Why we work, why the light industrial industries, or warehousing and transportation, are such great places to build a career, and why attitude is one of the most important tools you’ll ever carry with you. I swung that at you from left field didn't I!  

We’re kind of pulling from the hip today, I’m working off of some bullet points I jotted down out on the patio over the last week or so!  

Ok, Now, sure, we all work to pay the bills, rent, mortgages, car notes, groceries, keeping the lights on. That’s the easy part to figure out. 

Back when I first started, I was unloading trailers. Hard, sweaty work. And sure, that paycheck mattered, but at the end of the day, there was this pride I felt. I could look back at those empty trailers and think, “I did that. Those deliveries are going to get made.”  

And I’ll share with you, I’ve seen it happen for others too. I once worked with a young man who started out just sweeping floors in the warehouse. That was his whole shift, broom in hand, keeping the aisles clear. He could’ve looked at that job as meaningless. Instead, he took pride in it. He made sure every aisle was spotless, every shift. The equipment operators appreciated and respected him. He made their jobs easier. Within a year, he was on a forklift himself. Within three years, he was a lead. Last I checked, he was running the inbound department. Why? Because he didn’t just see a broom, he saw a task.  

I feel work gives us more than money. For me it gives us identity. When someone asks, “What do you do?” your answer becomes part of who you are. And in our line of work, when you can say, “I’m in warehousing” or “I’m in transportation,” you’re saying, “I help move the products that keep life going.” I take pride in that. 

And finally, we work for growth. Every shift teaches you something. Maybe it’s how to wrap a pallet tighter, maybe it’s how to work better with your teammates, maybe it’s how to handle frustration when things go wrong. Over time, all those lessons add up. In my opinion that’s what turns a job into a career. 

Now, let’s talk about our industries, warehousing, logistics, and transportation. 

You know I feel that we’re the backbone of the economy. Everything, and I mean everything, passes through a warehouse and a truck before it gets to the shelf or the doorstep. 

I’ve been in this field for over 40 years, and here’s one thing I love about it, the opportunity is always there. I’ve seen so many people walk in as temps, nervous, unsure if they’d even last the week, and within a couple of years they’re supervisors or managers. Or some love what they do so much you can just see the passion in their faces. 

I thought of this one guy that had come in through a staffing agency. First day, he’s unloading freight by hand. He didn’t complain, he just worked. Week after week, he kept showing up, kept learning, kept volunteering for cross-training. Within 18 months, he was operating three different types of equipment. Four years later, he was promoted to a lead. And here’s the kicker, he eventually got his CDL, moved into transportation, and last I heard, he has his own route and is top in his region.  

And it’s not just the upward mobility, it’s the variety that hooked me. Not everyone wants the same thing. Some people love operating equipment. Some like the fast pace of order selecting. Others find their niche in inventory control or dispatch, maybe a clerk, or auditing. Our industry has a path for everyone. 

And let’s not forget stability. The world doesn’t stop needing food, medicine, and home goods. Even in tough economic times, the supply chain keeps moving. I remember the 2008 downturn, while a lot of industries were cutting back, warehouses and transportation kept hiring. And more recently with the pandemic, we’ve all seen how critical these industries are when things get tough. We don’t shut down, we step up.  

So yeah, when people say, “It’s just warehouse work,” they don’t get it. I laugh at them, It’s not just a job. It’s an essential part of life.  If I’m interviewing you, please don’t say I’m looking for just a warehouse job! 

And that brings me to attitude. This was my original thought out on the patio! 

If I could pass along just one piece of advice to anyone starting in this field, it’d be this, your attitude will carry you further than any skill you have on day one. 

Years ago, I had two order selectors starting at the same time. Both learned the equipment fast, the electric rider double pallet jack. Both could move product safely and efficiently, and both had adequate or average productivity. But one of them always complained, about the workload, about the heat on the dry side or the cold in the cooler, and about the supervisors. The other one? He stayed positive, even on the rough days. He volunteered to help new hires, he asked questions, he kept pushing forward. 

Guess which one I promoted? That second operator is now a warehouse manager, and I think he's on his way to being a director. The first one, he bounced around jobs, working at most all the competitors. I’m not sure what he’s doing today.  

That’s the power of attitude. 

It affects safety too. A positive worker may pay closer attention. They follow the rules, they look out for their team. Maybe staying a little more focused. A negative worker? They may cut corners. And cutting corners in a warehouse or behind the wheel of a truck is how accidents can happen. 

It affects teamwork. We’ve all worked shifts where one or two people bring down the whole group. But I’ve also seen one upbeat person completely change the tone of a shift. Attitude is contagious. 

And it affects longevity too. Our work isn’t easy. The hours are long, the pace can be unbelievable. But I’ve noticed that the people who last, the ones with 10, 20, 30 years in, are the ones who show up each day with that positive mindset. They focus on the opportunities, not the obstacles. 

Now I’m not saying all that is in stone, but more times than not a positive attitude will be a winning attitude, in our professional careers and our personal lives. 

So think about it.  Why do you work? Sure, for the paycheck. But also for pride, identity, growth, and to contribute to something bigger than yourself I bet. 

And tell yourself why you’re in the light industrial fields. I bet, at least in part, it's because they offer opportunity, variety, stability, and the chance to be part of the backbone of our economy. 

And why is attitude everything? Because it impacts your safety, your teamwork, your advancement and opportunities offered, and whether this field becomes just a job or that rewarding career. 

I’ll leave you with this thought, your career is what you make of it. I’ve seen people build incredible futures starting with a broom in hand or unloading cases in a trailer. And I’ve seen people with all the skill in the world stall out because they didn’t carry the right attitude. 

So, wherever you’re at in your journey, whether you’re on the floor, on the dock, behind the wheel, or in the office, remember your own “why,” and take pride in this industry, and bring the best attitude you can. I feel it's not our bosses, managers, or companies that hold us back or advances us. We can change those things. It’s us, ourselves, that determine and control our careers, just like we control and are responsible for them.  

And there's a couple of opinions for ya. Thanks for spending this time with us today. If you will, please share the podcast with a friend, and shoot us a short message to warehouseandoperationsasacareer.com with any comments or topic suggestions. I’ll get you an answer or find someone that can! Stay safe, stay positive, and I’ll see you next week.