A Day In The Life of Chris Byrne, Warehouse Supervisor

My Role
My day to day tasks involve issuing stock, organising deliveries and collections and supervising the Warehouse Team based in Darwen. As a Supervisor I need to demonstrate good leadership and be a team player. I also try to be well organised and have effective communication skills. My core deliverables include ensuring that all engineers have the correct stock to enable them to complete their tasks in a timely and efficient manner. I also ensure that accurate records are maintained for the reverse logistical aspect of the engineer’s role. As well as this I oversee the data logger triage process – this is a process which enables us to reuse assets pending quality and functionality tests.

Working at Energy Assets during a pandemic.
In the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Spring 2020, I was placed on furlough due to the Government restrictions. Returning to the shop floor in July, we had to ensure that we followed Energy Assets COVID-19 secure guidance including; wearing masks, social distancing and being extra cautious around hygiene measures.

Maintaining a work/life balance
I believe balancing work and home life is extremely important in order to succeed and enjoy both. I am a father to two young children who keep me very busy! The pandemic curtailed many plans we had, but we made the most of walks outdoors, park trips, and family orientated outings when they have been allowed outside during the various lockdowns.

The Team
At Darwen, there is a small team of hardworking and driven individuals with the knowledge of our electricity, gas and AMR stock as well as expertise in triage of various types of AMR equipment. There is a mix of employees with extensive warehousing background as well as former apprentices who’ve now qualified whilst working within the company. We are lucky to have a team with a variety of personalities and skill sets. Whilst each member of the Warehouse Team is experienced in, and can accomplish all basic tasks, by identifying their strong points we have been able to optimise workload effectively. I enjoy being part of a dynamic team and in turn interacting with different departments, from purchasing to operations to planning.

Motivations and Challenges
My team is what motivates me to go to work each day. Also, on a wider scale, how Energy Assets treats us as employees. It is an organisation that clearly cares for the wellbeing of their employees. This was exemplified throughout the pandemic with all the support and communication provided.

However there also challenges within the job. Due to the fluid nature of the industry, there are occasionally ‘fast balls’ which can shift the focus away from day to day tasks, however I take pleasure in seeing a difficult task completed. Some are more challenging than others but can add some variety to what would be a more typical day. Being surrounded by a great team makes all the difference when any challenges do arise as I can trust them to do everything possible to a high standard.

Evolution at Energy Assets
When I first joined EA on a temporary contract, my role was to triage data loggers with no prior knowledge of the industry or warehousing work. Since that time I have been appointed as a Supervisor and have learned how to lead a small team in a warehouse environment. Since then, I have also become a father of two, so have definitely grown and evolved as a person both at work and in my personal life!

Whilst the idea of more responsibility appeals to me, I am very happy with my current work-life balance as it enables me to spend time with my two young children. Although I am always happy to expand my knowledge of the industry and hope to progress in the company as this grows. I believe if you have the drive and motivation, you can achieve what you desire within Energy Assets.

Memorable moments
I really enjoyed supervising and training the apprentices we have had at Darwen. Watching them evolve is really rewarding. One of our company core values is empowerment, championing the talent from within and investing in them to support their continuous growth and development.

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