It’s a busy time for employers in the warehousing sector. The boom in online commerce has led to a spike in consumer demand and an increased need for more agile supply chains. With demand at an all-time high for warehousing, transport and logistics services, finding and keeping good employees is essential – and more challenging than ever.

Increased competition means more hiring, so warehouse workers now have a greater selection of jobs to choose from and more negotiation power. In these conditions, employers need to become more strategic about attracting new workers and retaining their best employees.

If you’re wondering how to step up your recruitment efforts and improve your staff retention, look no further. These six tips outline all the key areas to consider and the practical steps you can take to hire and keep excellent workers.

1. Offer Competitive Pay and Benefits

In a talent-short market where the best candidates will have multiple opportunities, offering a competitive pay packet is a must. Consider an attractive hourly rate or salary as a critical for reeling in workers with the right skills and warehouse experience.

Don’t forget to consider the other perks you can offer besides wages. Additional benefits can include pension plans, paid holidays, vehicle allowances (fuel, parking or on-road costs), discounted gym memberships or health insurance, as some examples.

2. Give Workers A Career Path

People will want to work for you and continue working for you in the long-term if they know they will be valued and recognised for their hard work.

Ensure a pathway to promotion is available to your employees, for example the ability to become a supervisor or manager. You can also offer timely pay rises or bonuses to good performers. Another approach is to provide training that allows workers to gain useful qualifications and skills within the industry.

Remember to also give your warehouse employees regular reviews. Scheduling regular catch-ups with workers will help ensure everyone is meeting their potential. Catch-ups are also a great way to gather important feedback from employees about their career goals.

3. Provide Flexibility

Warehouse work schedules can be tough for some employees, especially for those who have caregiver responsibilities. Flexibility is one of the most attractive aspects of a role for warehouse workers and is up there with salary as a top consideration.

Although schedules like night shifts tend to be rigid for logistical reasons, your organisation may still find room to negotiate with workers about how many shifts they do per week and when.

Giving employees an option to work flexible shifts where possible can make a big impact on your ability to hire and retain workers. Tailoring rosters to individual workers can also add a major boost to staff morale and productivity, and reduce the risks of exhaustion and burnout.

4. Use More Detail in Job Listings

Detailed job listings are an overlooked but useful tool for recruitment of warehouse staff. Think of the job listing as a snapshot of what life with the company looks like – job applicants will give more attention to job listings that can help them visualise what is involved. Be as specific as possible about what the job involves, the attributes you’re looking for in a candidate, along with the salary and/or benefits available to employees.

Not only can detailed job listings increase the interest in the position and company, they can also reduce the amount of time wasted in reviewing unsuitable job applications. With a more accurate picture of a job’s duties, some people will realise the job won’t suit them. Do avoid overselling the role, however. If your job listings aren’t as accurate as they could be, an employee might later feel misled about what the role involves – and be more likely to quit!

Writing job ads is a skill in itself, so it can be worth engaging specialists such as a recruitment agency to help. Not only do they understand the language and selling points that appeal to jobseekers, they can also provide you with insight into the job market in your area and connect you with quality candidates on their existing databases.

5. Look for Soft Skills, Not Just Experience

In a competitive talent market, it’s likely you’ll encounter candidates who have good potential but don’t tick all of the boxes.

With roles that don’t involve operating machinery, such as Picker Packers and Recycling Operatives, you should look for reliability, attention to detail and ability to perform repetitive tasks with consistency – in other words, ‘soft skills’. These skills may have been gained outside a warehouse environment, but with a bit of training these employees will likely adapt quickly.

For technical roles such as Forklift Drivers and Loaders, keep in mind that many applicants can be trained on the job if they show aptitude but don’t necessarily have direct experience. For example, a worker who has driven Reach forklifts before but not Counterbalance forklifts.

6. Promote Your Company Locally

Promoting your organisation in the nearby community is another way you can encourage more locals to apply for roles. Some organisations face recruitment challenges simply because not enough people are aware that they’re hiring!

Get involved with local charities or find community events to sponsor – these activities can also promote a positive image of your company overall. By collaborating with trade schools and colleges in your region, you can also tap into up-and-coming talent. A bonus is that you’ll also gain recognition as a great place to work among the local community.

Summary

In a competitive hiring market, finding and holding onto good workers is essential for meeting business demands and driving future growth. But for any organisation, there is a cost is attached to hiring and training of every worker, so losing and replacing employees can quickly make an impact on the bottom line. Using some targeted strategies like the ones described above can help improve both hiring and retention of staff and reduce some of the headaches.

Of course, speaking to a Warehouse & Manufacturing recruitment specialist can also take lots of the guesswork out of hiring. Do you need more advice on recruitment of warehouse employees? QS Recruitment services a range of businesses throughout the Midlands and South Yorkshire to help them find skilled warehouse staff. Get in touch with our team of Warehouse & Manufacturing recruitment specialists to find out how we can assist with finding the right people.