Download the Picker and Packer Job Description Template With Salary Ranges in 2022
Warehouse picker packers are typically the backbone of any warehouse. These are the people who actually get orders filled and send them out. This is also one of the positions with the highest turnover, so you may find that you’re posting picker and packer jobs for your warehouse and hiring almost all of the time.
Here’s what you need to know about how to write a job description that will attract the best picker packers to your job as well as a warehouse picker and packer job description template for you to follow.
What Does a Warehouse Picker Packer Do and What Skills Are Important?
Picker packers fill orders that come in and generally assist with inventory control in the warehouse. They process orders as quickly and efficiently as possible so that customers can receive their products promptly.
It’s important for picker packers to document the inventory they use as they fill the orders so that there is always a good record of what is available in the warehouse and what has been sent off. Here are a few essential skills that help picker packers to do their jobs effectively:
- Navigation. Picker packers need to be extremely familiar with the layout of the warehouse. The better they understand the way the warehouse is organized and where inventory is at any given time, the faster they’ll be able to fill orders.
- Organized. Picker packers must continuously document inventory as they find and pack it. They must pack the item, scan the barcode, and put the package in the right place to be sent off. Failure to do any of these steps can lead to confusion, delays, and poor customer service.
- Attention to detail. It’s essential for picker packers to be able to quickly and effectively check all merchandise as they pack it to make sure they’re packing the right thing and that nothing is damaged or missing.
- Physical fitness. Picker packers spend their days walking, standing, bending, twisting, and lifting, so it’s important that they are in good physical condition, although they may not be required to lift up to 50 pounds or more regularly like standard warehouse workers.
- Careful. You want picker packers who are careful people for a couple of reasons: you don’t want them to drop or damage merchandise as they’re packing it, you need them to pack inventory well, and picker packers that injure themselves because they’re not working carefully result in lost time and the company having to pay worker’s compensation.
- Punctual and reliable. As a warehouse manager, you have a delicate balance to strike between the number of picker packers you need to have on the floor to get orders out on time while not overstaffing and paying more than necessary. Picker packers that can’t be trusted to show up on time or at all can upset this balance and put extra work on other picker packers or cause orders to go out late.
- Flexible. In a position in which there is often high turnover, such as with picker packers, there will inevitably be workers that show up late or not at all or who quit without warning. Having picker packers who are willing to pick up extra shifts, come in early or stay late, and generally be flexible can be a huge advantage to make up for these inevitable disturbances to workflow.
- Fast fine motor skills. Picker packers need to work with smaller items often, including small inventory and labels which must be placed correctly on packaging, so the ability to work with little objects efficiently is important.
Considerations in Picker and Packer Jobs for Your Warehouse
Are Temporary Picker Packers Good for Your Warehouse?
Picker packer is one of the most transient positions within a warehouse, so you’ll likely be advertising for picker packers often, if not continuously. Potential employees may be searching for temporary work.
By accepting workers who only plan to be available for a limited time, you’ll increase the number of applicants you can choose from. Furthermore, opening up the position to temporary workers may reduce the number of workers who might not be completely truthful in saying that they will be around for the long term when they know they won’t be, which can help you to predict workflow more easily.
If you’re going to have transient picker packers, independent training is absolutely essential. how.fm offers a training program that allows workers to take care of most aspects of training themselves.
Training offered in over 30 languages means that workers can self-train regardless of what language they speak. A training program like this will allow you to hire temporary workers without experience and turn them into efficient picker packers quickly, without a lot of investment from your upper-level employees.
Is Previous Experience Necessary for Picker Packers?
While it may be convenient to have picker packers on the team that have done this kind of work in the past, it isn’t necessary. Limiting hires to workers who have previously done picking and packing will dramatically limit your options and increase the salary you’ll have to offer.
With how.fm, picker packers can self-train and be effective on the floor with little or no previous experience. Hiring picker packers without experience can help you find workers within your budget, attract applicants who see training as a valuable asset of the job, and make it more likely that you’ll attract longer-term employees.
Do Picker Packers Need To Use Forklifts or Other Machinery?
Depending on your warehouse, you may want picker packers that can also operate forklifts, pallet jacks, and other equipment. However, most larger warehouses separate the job of a picker packer from that of a forklift operator.
It isn’t usually necessary for a picker packer to operate a forklift in the process of their typical work, so forklift skills can be seen as an extra benefit. Workers who can both function as picker packers and forklift and other machinery operators are versatile employees, enabling you to make up for gaps on the floor when employees are late or don’t show.
If you do encounter a picker packer who is also able to operate machinery, it may be worth offering a higher salary or other incentives in order to keep them with your company. You can also cross-train your best picker packers to be forklift operators as well.
What Should the Salary Be for Picker Packer Jobs?
The salary that you pay for picker packer jobs will vary depending on what prior experience the picker packer has and whether they can perform other tasks in your warehouse such as operating a forklift. It can be a challenge to decide whether or not to list the salary on your job listing.
If you don’t list the salary, you may be less likely to get as many qualified applicants. However, listing a salary means you’ll be locked into paying that salary even to someone with less experience.
A good option is to list a range with the lower end for people with very little prior experience, particularly people who can only work on a temporary basis, and the higher end for people with experience in forklifts and other machinery who will stay with your company for the long term. Here are some averages to help you pick an appropriate range:
Average Picker Packer Salary in Germany
- €17.12 / hour according to salaryexpert.com
- €12.00 / hour according to erieri.com
- €11.00 / hour according to glassdoor.com
- €10.60 / hour according to payscale.com
Average Picker Packer Salary in the US
- $16.29 / hour according to indeed.com
- $16.00 / hour according to salary.com
- $16.75 / hour according to talent.com
- $14.71 / hour according to zippia.com
Picker and Packer Jobs for Your Warehouse Description Template With Salary Ranges in 2022
Now that you’ve informed yourself of the job skills necessary to hire pickers and packers in your warehouse, download the job description template to get started. Simply edit the template as per your shop floor’s needs and post it on hiring platforms such as LinkedIn, Xing, etc.
We know that onboarding new workers and going through the same training over and over again can be overwhelming. You are stuck doing the same repetitive tasks without any time left to do your actual job. That’s where how.fm can help. We help you deliver standardized training and onboard your new hires with no effort. Book a 15-minute product demo call now and save yourself time and effort in the future.