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Mike agrees : “ Toyota is a very supplierfocused company that encourages strong working relationships and was founded upon the principle of respect for humanity . When it comes to navigating some of the issues we ’ ve outlined , as well as improving production capacity and throughput , collaboration is absolutely key .

“ This approach extends to our team members too , as our goal of respect means recognizing that everyone has individual value and that things are best accomplished as a team . For example , we quickly recognized that we couldn ’ t service post-pandemic demand with our existing warehouse shift schedules , which forced us to be creative and question our traditional paradigms . At our highest volume fulfilment center , for example , we worked with our team members to develop a schedule that not only suits their lifestyles but also allows the facility to open seven days a week .”

Technology transformation

One of the key ways Toyota is navigating change is through embracing technology and automation . “ We look at technology through a cautious and respectful lens , finding ways that technology can help , as opposed to replace , our team members ,” Mike says . “ The difference between automation and humans is that while automation can learn , people provide creativity , ingenuity , and can exploit Kaizen to grow their capabilities .

“ Technology can , of course , add value and efficiency when used in collaboration with our team , especially in areas that include difficult , manual work or require precision . There are two key technologies we ’ ve implemented that we ’ re already feeling the benefits of in terms of efficiency , capacity , and ergonomic considerations .

“ Firstly , we ’ ve incorporated person-togoods technology in our smaller warehouses

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