Beyond the Rush: Practical Warehouse Strategies for a Sustainable Peak Season
Sustainability and safety are not seasonal—they’re foundational. But during peak season, warehouse operators must elevate their efforts. Here’s how.
As we get deeper into the holiday rush and ecommerce volumes surge, we’re in the thick of one of the most critical operational periods: peak season. With higher throughput demands, increased staffing and extended operating hours, the pressure on warehouses—and the commitment to sustainability and safety—only intensifies.
Peak season is viewed not only as a logistical challenge but also as an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in energy efficiency and employee well-being. Facility managers can implement several practical tips for sustainability and safety that are also part of long-term initiatives.
Lights Are Always Shining – But Not Inside
Peak season often means 24/7 operations, making lighting one of the most consistent energy draws. Retrofitting with high-efficiency LED lighting can reduce energy consumption by up to 70% per facility compared to traditional lighting and also offer better brightness and clarity that supports productivity, fatigue management, and safety.
Similarly, smart lighting systems with motion detectors ensure that lights are only on when an area is in use. In lower-traffic zones, sensors automatically dim or switch off lights to conserve energy. The use of smart controls and motion sensors together can result in an average of a 30% energy savings related to lighting.
It’s also important for facility managers to weigh the ROI of these steps related to current lease agreements: How much time do you have to transition to smart lighting and LEDs, or can this be negotiated into a new lease that’s coming up soon?
Your Equipment Needs a Schedule, Too
Beyond using energy-efficient models and preventive maintenance to extend equipment life and performance, strategic scheduling is vital. Optimized battery charging for forklifts and other material handling equipment means scheduling charging periods during off-peak utility hours to reduce demand charges. Not letting batteries go below a 20% charge helps with overheating, faster charging, and longer-lasting batteries, per manufacturer standards. It’s also beneficial to stagger the charging of a forklift fleet to allow surface continuity and avoid overloading the system. These steps can achieve a 20% average energy savings, according to findings from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Making HVAC Your Sustainability Friend
With increased headcount during peak season, maintaining air quality and temperature is critical. Ensuring that HVAC systems are regularly maintained, filters are replaced, and programmable thermostats are adjusted based on shift patterns saves energy while keeping employees comfortable.
Two of the key HVAC-related questions to consider are the type of product being stored (especially food-grade facilities) and the general climate. Programmable thermostats help managers adjust the temperature ranges to prevent overheating or overcooling, which ultimately saves energy costs.
Help Employees, and They’ll Help You
Attention to lighting and temperature are key factors, but safety must be the top operational priority.
Crucially, facilities must standardize onboarding for all team members. This should include comprehensive safety training that centers on empowering teammates to take responsibility for theirs and others safety. For example, GEODIS’ training centers around the tagline: “Health and safety with heart.” Furthermore, specific roles like forklift operators require certifications before they start and receive additional testing and training upon joining, such as pedestrian industrial training.
Utilizing performance boards and digital signage that track output provides real-time indicators to avoid excessive overtime and encourage regular breaks, hydration, and proper ergonomic practices to reduce fatigue-related risks.
Additionally, leveraging technology such as wearables and mobile reporting apps enhance safety awareness in real time, from reminding staff of PPE compliance to flagging near-miss incidents for review and training. These tools make gear less cumbersome and put less strain on teammates–essential in achieving a safer, more efficient, and sustainable work environment.
Sustainability and safety are not seasonal—they’re foundational. But during peak season, organizations must elevate their efforts to ensure that increased demand doesn’t come at the cost of the environment or their people.
Through smart energy management and a proactive safety culture, companies like GEODIS are proving that it’s possible to scale up operations while staying true to their values.
Let’s make this peak season efficient, safe, and sustainable—together.