Top 5 Tips for Recruiting Warehouse Workers

It isn’t easy finding the right workers. Most quality warehouse workers already have jobs and aren’t looking for a change. There are some best practices that make the search for the right candidates a little easier.

1. Research the Appropriate Starting Rate

Hourly pay ranks higher than benefits and workplace culture for warehouse workers when deciding where to work. According to the ResourceMFG Manufacturing Employee Opinion Survey, explored further in these IndustryWeek articles, most workers are likely to leave their current jobs for more pay. They are also willing to make sacrifices, such as taking an undesirable shift, for as little as a $1 per hour raise. By doing your research and offering a competitive starting wage, you increase the number of qualified candidates applying to your open positions as well as increase your retention rate. Aim to be in the top quarter in terms of pay rate to get the best return.

Increase hourly pay to reflect current market rates and competitor wages. This will help you retain valuable workers and prevent you from facing a labor shortage.

2. Encourage Employee Referrals

One of the best ways to find quality candidates is by relying on the workers you already have. Employees tend to recommend their workplaces to past colleagues when they are happy at their jobs, their pay is competitive and they believe in their colleagues’ abilities. They also know what some positions entail and know who would be a good fit. Consider incentives for referrals that are interviewed or hired.

3. Create a Detailed Job Description

Writing a detailed job description will not only ensure you attract your ideal candidates but it will also help protect you from discrimination lawsuits. If employees will be lifting, standing for long hours or required to perform some other physical activity, mention that. Include specific job duties and candidate requirements. Job descriptions should be concise yet provide enough information to attract on-point candidates and weed out ones that don’t fit the role.

4. Use the Online Knock-Out Questions

Almost every online job board gives recruiters the opportunity to add a few short questions before a candidate can submit their application. If there is something that is absolutely essential to the job, use these questions to weed out unqualified applicants. Questions can cover anything from years of experience to physical abilities to criminal history. Use these questions effectively and save your HR department time.

5. Consider On-Demand Staffing

On-demand staffing platforms have a number of benefits. For example, most of their candidates are available within days as opposed to weeks. They’ve also already undergone a pre-screening process, allowing you to review ratings and feedback from previous employers. Workers on these platforms range from those only interested in temporary or part-time work to those looking for full-time opportunities.

Enact these tips and improve your recruiting process.