Writing a Warehouse Associate Job Description in 2022

Download the Warehouse Associate’s Job Description Template With Salary Ranges in 2022 Below.

You need a good warehouse associate job description to attract quality talent. The caliber of warehouse associates you employ makes the difference between a warehouse that runs safely and smoothly and one with constant problems. 

Here’s what you need to know about how to write a great job description for a warehouse associate as well as a template to work from.

Decide What Qualities You Need When Writing a Warehouse Associate Job Description

Every warehouse is a little bit different, but there are some characteristics that are important for almost all warehouse workers. Here are a few warehouse associate skills that you may want to keep in mind as you’re deciding what qualities to look for in a worker:

1. Tidy. Messy warehouses lead to mistakes and safety hazards, so you want workers who tidy up as they work.
2. Organized. Warehouse associates are typically responsible for keeping track of inventory, so good organization skills are essential.
3. Physical fitness. Warehouse workers do physical work that requires the ability to lift (generally up to 50 pounds), be on their feet for long periods, and twist and bend often.
4. Attention to detail. Small mistakes can add up in big ways when it comes to safety and inventory control in a warehouse.
5. Typing/ experience with warehouse inventory software. You likely will want warehouse workers to keep track of inventory in software like excel or a proprietary program.
6. Problem-solving skills. Issues will come up with equipment, inventory, and other workers, so you want workers who can think on their feet and actively work to solve problems.
7. Works well with others. All warehouse workers are part of a team. Teams that get along well and work well together make for a more pleasant and productive working environment.
8. Capacity to work with machines like forklifts, hand trucks, etc. Most warehouses depend on machinery, so finding workers who already know how to use it can be a big plus.
9. Works quickly. Time is of the essence in warehouses. The ability to get the job done not only well, but quickly, is important. 
10. Arrives on time. Punctuality reduces strain on other workers and ensures that shipments go out on time
11. Dependable. A worker who can’t be trusted to show up for shifts is a serious problem.
12. Flexibility. Because some workers will inevitably show up late or not at all and because inventory may arrive or need to go out unexpectedly, workers who are willing to work when they hadn’t planned to are a life saver.

Building a Balanced Team

In a perfect world, every one of your workers would have all of the qualities you care about. However, in the real world, you will likely need to make compromises. This is especially true because turnover can be high for warehouse associates. You may be almost continuously adding to your team. 

Keep in mind that you may not need all of the desired traits in each employee as long as all the important qualifications are represented on the team on the floor. As you build your job description and consider the candidates that apply, keep your overall crew in mind. 

Perhaps you already have a crew built of good long-term workers with all the skills you are looking for, but the budget is tight and you really just need another pair of hands willing to work for relatively low pay. You may decide to compromise on what you’re looking for in an ideal worker to hire somebody at the rate you can afford. 

There are all kinds of places where you can make compromises to build a balanced team that can get the job done. 

Here are a few examples of where you might decide to make compromises as you build your team:

• Physical strength vs technical skills
• Experience vs willingness to learn
• Skills vs willingness to take lower pay
• Speed vs attention to detail
• Dependability vs flexibility

Training Builds Balance

A great training program makes all the difference in helping your team work well together and ensuring that workers do their job properly even if all associates don’t have all the qualities you prefer. 

how.fm’s training software enables warehouse workers to train independently and consult training for specific tasks whenever they need to. Training in over 30 languages allows workers to get the training they need even if they don’t speak the same language as supervisors or other workers.

How Do You Write a Warehouse Associate Job Description?

Here are a few things that your listing should be:

• Specific, but not too long
• Attracts people to your job without overpromising 
• Demands only what you really need to avoid scaring away applicants 

Make sure that you offer a description of what the job will be, not just a bullet point list of what the worker will need to do. Briefly explain your company’s values and what you have to offer a warehouse associate.

It’s a good idea to break up your warehouse worker qualifications into traits that are required and those that are preferred. That way, you can attract the applicants that you want without scaring away applicants that may feel they don’t have all of the listed qualifications. 

Should You List a Warehouse Associate Salary?

Whether or not to list pay can be a difficult decision. On the one hand, listing an attractive salary will draw more quality applicants. On the other hand, you may be able to hire an applicant for less if you don’t list the pay on the job description. 

One solution can be to list a pay range. That way, you’ll be able to attract highly qualified applicants who you may be willing to pay on the higher end as well as less qualified applicants who may be willing to work for lower pay. 

What Should a Warehouse Associate Salary Be?

What you pay warehouse associates will depend on a wide range of factors, including the type of work, working environment, location, and the skills and experience of the worker.

Download the Warehouse Associate’s Job Description Template With Salary Ranges in 2022

Now that you understand exactly what skills you need from a warehouse associate and have some tips for hiring the best warehouse associates for your business, download the job description template to get started. You can edit the template however you like depending on how your warehouse is operated and then post it on whatever hiring platform you like, including LinkedIn, Xing, etc.

Onboarding new workers and going through the same training again and again can make you feel like you’re caught on a hamster wheel. You may be frustrated with doing the same training over and over and feel like you don’t have any time left for your other responsibilities. 

how.fm can help. We provide standardized training so you can effortlessly onboard new hires. You’ll find your workers are better trained because they’re able to train themselves and learn at their own pace. Moreover, you’ll have more time to focus on more pressing tasks. Book a 15-minute product demo call now to start training workers quickly and with less effort.