The 10 Best Strategies to Attract Warehouse Workers

The e-commerce boom has led to incredible growth for many companies. Unfortunately, many companies are struggling to keep up with customers’ demands due to staffing challenges. With an ongoing labor shortage and high competition for staff in many parts of the logistics sector, it can be hard to attract warehouse workers when you need them.

Here are some strategies your company can use to attract and retain warehouse workers this year.

1. OFFER WAREHOUSE WORKERS GREAT PAY

Not everything is about money, but for most warehouse workers today, wages are the most important factor in deciding between jobs. With the rapid inflation we’ve been seeing, it’s a rough economy for many people who need to provide for themselves and their families.

If your company can offer competitive wages or salaries, you will be far more likely to attract the warehouse workers you need. You may need to raise wages significantly over what you were offering last year. The more you can pay, the better.

2. OFFER BENEFITS WAREHOUSE WORKERS WANT

Salary isn’t the only financial factor affecting warehouse workers’ job acceptance decisions: benefits are also important. In the post-pandemic era, good health insurance is a top priority for many workers.

Retirement savings plans can also help you attract warehouse workers, especially if your local competitors are offering similar wages.

3. CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WAREHOUSE WORKERS TO MOVE UP THE LADDER

In recent decades, it has become harder for lower-level employees to move up to managerial and higher-level positions. Some companies prefer to hire recent graduates with prestigious credentials for these roles over uncredentialed workers who know the business.

Your company may already have employees on the ground with the right mindset and skills for higher-level roles. Creating opportunities for upward mobility will benefit your company and also help you improve employee retention. According to SHRM, employees who are promoted within three years have a 70% chance of staying, while those who stay in the same role only have a 45% chance of staying.

Any kind of opportunity to move, including lateral moves, will help keep employees happy. However, upward moves are best for retaining employees and creating a positive company culture. Higher retention means you are less likely to have to hire new people and more likely to get referrals for open positions.

4. BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT SCHEDULING

Employees today often have a lot on their plate, especially if they have families. They may need to plan around childcare and other priorities. If a job causes too many conflicts with their other priorities and responsibilities, they will be more likely to leave (and often less likely to apply in the first place).

By being flexible about scheduling and giving employees notice of their schedules well in advance, you can attract and retain far more warehouse workers. Employees are far less likely to abandon an employer that understands and adapts to their scheduling needs.

5. ADD ON-SITE AMENITIES

We understand that this won’t always be feasible, but if you have the space, you can make your workplace more attractive to potential warehouse workers by adding on-site amenities. That might mean on-site childcare, a gym, a relaxing outdoor space with picnic tables and good trucks, or even just a nicer break area with comfy furniture and wifi access.

You can engage top warehouse workers with a more comfortable and convenient workplace. Some amenities, like on-site childcare, could be an enormous draw for time-strapped employees who want to cut down on driving time and avoid extra spending on gas.

6. CONNECT WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

Potential workers tend to be extra interested in a role when they recognize the company, especially if they have a position association with the brand. The more your company connects with the local community, the more you will appeal to the local workforce.

Student work productions, nonprofit sponsorships, volunteer efforts, and community groups are all great ways to connect, but they aren’t the only ones. Feel free to think outside the box about how to build a presence in your local area. As a minimum, you may want to maintain a presence at school and community job fairs. 

7. PRIORITIZE DIVERSITY

Workplace diversity is often more important to applicants and employees than employers think. Many new employees feel most comfortable in diverse environments or find a diverse group of coworkers more engaging. At best, workplaces with less diversity may feel a bit duller, and at worst, they may feel hostile or unaccepting.

A diverse staff might encourage a few more workers to apply, but more than that, it will help you retain more employees. We’d also like to note diverse teams have been shown to solve problems faster, most likely because they bring more perspectives and ideas to the table. 

8. WRITE SPECIFIC JOB LISTINGS

You might think vague or open-ended job descriptions will attract more workers, but this often isn’t the case. Many applicants are more likely to ignore nonspecific job listings because they assume the position won’t be what they want, dislike vague employer expectations, or simply feel uneasy when they don’t have much information. 

The more specific your job listing is, the more likely you are to attract the kinds of warehouse workers you need. Jobseekers will know what you need and expect, and they will be able to tell you where they exceed or fall short of what you are requesting.

9. CREATE AN EMPLOYEE REFERRAL PROGRAM

Like all employees, warehouse workers love rewards. If you offer a bonus, extra time off, or another incentive for employee referrals, they will be happy to help you find talent. 

Referrals also make it more likely that your warehouse employees will be working with people they know and like. They are more likely to feel comfortable and happy at your workplace, and less likely to leave.

NEED HELP HIRING WAREHOUSE WORKERS?

 

LG Resources provides high-caliber warehouse staffing solutions to employers across the U.S., as well as workers’ comp mitigation services, assistance with qualifying for tax credits, and more. We can help you find and attract the best warehouse workers in your area.

If you’re ready to hire, get in touch with our team today.

 

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