What makes one a good warehouse worker? Everyone has their own way of doing their jobs and finding ways to excel at it. But there will always be some similar steps to achieve that level of excellence.
"I think it is very important to have communication skills." - says Sharron Randle, an Instawork Professional who has worked in warehousing and manufacturing for over a decade with more than 6 years of experience with Amazon. She feels one can easily work at a warehouse if one has proper communication skills and pays attention to their work and adapts to it as quickly as one can. She shares, "I think you need to pay attention to details, like in Amazon, it's all different kinds of department, like picking and packing, and sorting, shipping. Every department is different."
Dedication and hard work are the two most important aspects of becoming a top-rated professional, but there are more things one should keep in mind to stand out of the crowd and catch the eyes of higher officials while at work. We reached out to some of our professionals to see what they feel makes them good warehouse workers.
The following pointers delve into what makes a good warehouse worker.
A worker with a higher picking and packing rate is considered more efficient than other workers. When asked about the qualified warehouse worker, one Instawork Professional said, "Once you get the basics right, you should be able to go at an appropriate speed. Like 4 quarters an hour or six quarters an hour. It depends on what work you are filling, speed is definitely a big factor."
An ideal warehouse worker should be able to quickly and accurately pick up new instructions. Sharron feels, "You've got to be a fast-paced worker, be it in any warehouse. Catch instructions easily."
At times, one has to work for long periods, often standing, lifting weights, and carrying heavy items. So, one key to being a good warehouse worker is to be in good physical condition. A common tip Instawork Professionals give others is to wear good, comfortable shoes with insoles.
Keeping an eye on the parameters for each fulfillment process increases a warehouse associate's efficiency. Though in this case, speed is only as good as not making any errors or not doing work as carefully as you can. Sharron finds it an important quality and thus says, "I pay attention to the item screen while picking so that my speed or rate goes faster."
Essential in a warehouse environment. One must have strong communication skills to run a team-based workflow in a fulfillment process, thereby making the process easy and smooth for oneself and others. Leah, an Instawork Professional and one with over 3 decades of experience, says, "I am a people person. I know how to talk to people. I communicate very well, and I am a problem solver."
Working well with fellow workers by maintaining a positive attitude and accepting suggestions from upper management will help one become a better worker. This will also reduce the risk of the operation's health being compromised.
"You have to be open to learning.", expresses Trevon. One must have an open mind to try something new and have a willingness to work. As warehouse work changes very frequently, one must be adaptable to new situations and workflows.
One must get acquainted with common warehouse terminology. With the ongoing rise of automation in warehouses, new terms one might not have encountered before can leave them confused. Cross-docking, palletizing, and Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Handling are some of them.
Warehouses work like machines and to make a warehouse run smoothly, it must have workers who are familiar with structuring their part of the work and understanding the roles and responsibilities of a warehouse worker. This includes habits of maintaining decluttered aisle lanes and packing areas.
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