Let’s face it, Amazon pays more.
But you can offer something different:
- A workday that leaves employees whole in body and spirit
- Respect and trust
- A real chance that their lives improve because they joined your team
High morale multiplies. So does low morale. When the work environment is poor, workers ghost, applicants dwindle, and attitudes sour.
Many companies still assume warehouse staffing is inevitably chaotic, which leads to common mistakes:
- Recruiting from the same sources as competitors
- Neglecting what candidates actually want
- Writing bland job descriptions
- Onboarding unprepared employees
- Relying too heavily on temporary staffing agencies
To reverse this, managers must realize that motivated candidates exist, they just need to see trust, safety, and recognition.
4 Easy Steps to Improve How You Recruit Warehouse Employees
Tactically Use Warehouse Staffing Agencies
Temporary staffing agencies can be a powerful tool in your recruitment arsenal. They provide the flexibility to scale your workforce up or down as demand fluctuates, have pre-screened candidates ready for deployment, and can significantly reduce your recruitment time.
However, reliance on temporary staffing solutions can lead to a precarious situation. This setup can engender a revolving door culture, higher overall costs, and a loss of process familiarity, ultimately impacting the efficiency and productivity of your warehouse.
Despite these potential pitfalls, staffing agencies can be used strategically to benefit your warehouse. Here are a few ways to do so:
- Supplement, Don't Replace: Use agencies to supplement your workforce during peak seasons or to cover sudden demand spikes. However, the core of your workforce should still be full-time, directly employed staff.
- Trial Periods: Agencies can be useful for trying out potential new hires. If a temp worker shows promise, consider offering them a full-time role. This can reduce your hiring risk.
- Specialized Roles: For temporary specialized roles that your current workforce can't fill, an agency might be a good solution. It saves you from making a long-term commitment for short-term needs.
Advertise the Position in Less-Obvious Places
Warehouse work demands physical stamina and mental grit.
The right employees aren't always the ones scanning job sites. Sometimes, they're individuals who haven’t even considered warehouse work yet.
Here’s a few examples of unconventional places you might consider posting job ads:
- Veterans' Groups: Veterans understand discipline, hard work, and pressure. Offer them dependable work, honest pay, and a team that values their service and skills.
- Gyms: People who are used to pushing their physical limits might appreciate a job that helps them maintain their strength and fitness levels while earning a living.
- English as a second language schools: These students’ commitment to learning implies adaptability and a strong work ethic, and they’re likely to appreciate a stable income.
- Local Facebook groups: An excellent way to build trust in the community. People tag their friends and family members, and your job posts become a conversation.
Used in tandem with the traditional channels, these avenues can increase the variety, quality and quantity of applications.
Put More Thought Into the Job Description
When you're advertising for warehouse workers, cut the fluff. Keep it straight, keep it honest.
Start by acknowledging the challenges of the role. Warehouse work is tough – there’s no sugarcoating it. By openly recognizing this, you're showing that you value the effort it takes.
Experience is good, but don't make it a barrier to entry. A solid attitude often goes further. Encourage applicants who are willing to roll up their sleeves, learn the ropes and get their hands dirty.
Avoid hiding behind jargon or impersonal descriptions. Talk about the crew they'll be joining. Describe the warehouse - whether it's a high-tech environment with climate control, or an older facility. Be upfront about where they'll be spending their workday.
Being transparent about schedules is also a good idea. Day shift, early mornings, or unpredictable hours - whatever it is, make it clear. Acknowledge the impact these hours can have and highlight any balancing factors, like the possibility of overtime.
If your process includes pre-employment checks, go ahead and mention them. Just don't drop it like a warning at the end of the ad – integrate it organically in a neutral, matter-of-fact way.
If you have a great safety record, let that shine through in a personal, believable way. It shouldn't sound like a lawyer wrote it.
Finally, make sure you outline the steps in your recruitment process and assure applicants you won't leave them hanging for months. This helps set the tone for your relationship, one where clear communication and respect are the norm.
Take Steps to Make the Job More Attractive
Workers cite higher pay as the biggest reason for changing jobs.
They’re taking a risk when they choose a new employer over one they already know. Even if their workday is barely tolerable now, there’s a chance it could be even worse at the next place.
That is to say, higher pay is only really enticing when a worker is already pretty unhappy.
Higher pay feels like ‘a step in the right direction.’ It’s the clearest and most measurable component workers can use to compare different opportunities.
So if you can’t offer higher pay than other employers in your area, you have to do something better. You have to make a stronger case for being a step in the right direction.
What can you give them that other warehouses can’t?
- Coaching - Most warehouse managers report not having time to coach employees, especially since it’s unlikely many of them will stay. But how much time would you save with a self-sufficient team that does stick around because they’re learning leadership, process methodologies or technical skills?
- Security - Even if you can’t offer permanent positions with fixed hours, you can provide a decent level of stability by knowing your needs in advance and reducing your reliance on agencies.
- Getting home on time - The majority of workers prefer something like a 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Lots of warehouses can’t offer that because of fluctuating workloads or bottlenecks in shipping and receiving.
- Better equipment and ergonomics - For one thing, workers understand that less stress and physical strain means fewer medical bills. With good tools, they can get the work done and make the most of their time off.
- High trust - When workers feel like they’re constantly being watched, it can create a tense atmosphere. If you want to build mutual respect, you have to know what needs to get done and communicate that to your team in a fair and honest way. Give them a chance to take pride in their work.
These are the kind of factors you could investigate as part of a truly thorough warehouse performance audit.
Optimizing the Warehouse Hiring Process
There's pressure to rush through hiring. Pallets are piling up, orders are coming in, and you need more hands on the floor. But this hurry could be the reason why you're back to square one every couple of months.
It’s tempting to fast-track referrals. But relying too heavily on them might narrow your vision, and you could overlook the chance of sourcing standout candidates from further afield.
Experience is beneficial, but it's not the whole picture. A fresh candidate with a strong work ethic and positive attitude might offer more value in the long run.
If you haven't been conducting proper interviews as part of your hiring process, it might be time to rethink that. It doesn’t have to be formal, but a one-on-one meeting is your chance to set expectations and lay the foundations for a solid working relationship. You can gauge their character, find out what they’re hoping to get out of the job, and get an insight into how they prefer to be managed.
While it might demand more effort initially, adopting a more intentional approach to warehouse recruitment soon pays off: you get a more resilient team, lower turnover, and heightened productivity.
Quick Comparison: Traditional vs Intentional Recruiting
But How Do You Even Find Time for Hiring?
Every warehouse manager knows the feeling, too many tasks, not enough hours.
That’s where DataDocks helps.
Our dock-scheduling software streamlines shipping and receiving, incentivizing carriers to book appointments and adhere to them.
Reducing dock chaos frees management time for strategy, coaching, and recruitment.
Explore our Guide: Optimizing your Receiving Process.
These processes represent some of the most unpredictable elements in warehouse operations. With the loading dock under control, management time can be put towards process improvement, strategy, and of course, hiring and coaching.
Key Takeaways
- Hire for trust and attitude, not just experience.
- Use staffing agencies tactically, not permanently.
- Diversify recruiting channels to reach overlooked talent.
- Be honest in job descriptions, clarity builds loyalty.
- Automate dock operations to reclaim time for people management.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can warehouses attract employees without offering top pay?
Culture, coaching, and consistency matter more than raw wages. Emphasize a respectful environment, predictable schedules, and real opportunities for skill growth. Workers value stability and trust just as much as higher hourly rates.
Where should you post warehouse job openings?
Go beyond Indeed and ZipRecruiter. Post in veterans’ groups, gyms, ESL programs, and local Facebook communities to reach dependable candidates who may not be actively job hunting.
How should staffing agencies be used in warehouse hiring?
Use them strategically during seasonal peaks or short term demand spikes. Keep your main workforce full-time for better process familiarity and morale.
What should a strong warehouse job description include?
Be direct and transparent. Describe the work environment, shift expectations, safety record, and path for advancement. Clarity builds trust and better applicants.
How can you reduce turnover among warehouse staff?
Invest in training, fair management, and ergonomics. When employees feel capable, respected, and physically safe, they stay longer.
What’s the biggest mistake in warehouse recruiting?
Rushing the process. Skipping interviews or relying solely on referrals often leads to poor fits and higher churn.
