A Warehouse Worker is a professional who plays a vital role in managing and maintaining inventory, organizing shipments, and ensuring the smooth operation of a warehouse. These individuals are responsible for handling incoming and outgoing goods, maintaining inventory accuracy, and contributing to the overall efficiency of warehouse operations. In this blog post, we will describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Warehouse Workers.

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Main Responsibilities of a Warehouse Worker

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Warehouse Worker:

Add

Add containers to case packers.

Alert

Alert drivers to road closures and other delays.

Assemble

Assemble customer orders from stock and place on motorized conveyor belt.

Assist in

• Assist factory by delivering cartons of products as needed.

• Assist in cycle counting and periodic stock audits.

• Assist in identifying damage and safety hazards.

• Assist in loading and unloading trucks.

• Assist in the implementation of warehouse process improvements.

• Assist in the organization of warehouse layouts and storage systems.

• Assist in the training of new warehouse employees.

• Assist shipping and receiving unloading trucks.

• Assist with shipping and receiving tasks.

Assure

• Assure that all health and safety procedures are followed.

• Assure that work areas are kept safe, organized and clean.

Bright

Bright and clean warehouse.

Check

• Check and evaluate work against quality standards.

• Check filled orders prior to delivery or pick up to ensure accuracy and timeliness of order.

Clean

• Clean filling machine ad pumps after each production and at end of the day.

• Clean warehouse floor with tenant machine.

Clear

Clear product jams at stripper and in turners, chimneys and scales.

Collaborate with

• Collaborate with supervisors to resolve any inventory or shipping issues.

• Collaborate with team members to optimize workflow and productivity.

Collect

Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory testing.

Communicate with

• Communicate and coordinate with other departments, such as logistics and purchasing.

• Communicate with other departments in a professional manner.

• Communicate with the supervisor and customers to ensure access / deliveries / reception of the goods.

Compare

Compare and reconcile system inventory levels against physical count of stock.

Conduct

• Conduct quality checks to ensure product integrity and compliance.

• Conduct regular inventory counts and reconcile discrepancies.

Contribute to

• Contribute ideas on ways to improve or optimize warehousing procedures.

• Contribute to our industry-leading safety record.

Coordinate

Coordinate preparation and delivery to customers quickly.

Create

Create and maintain a safe work environment.

Determine

Determine upgrade path of device system software and hardware.

Detrash

Detrash and scan inventory into warehouse stock using software and handheld scanner.

Direct

Direct Deposit & Electronic payroll debits card that acts like a bank account.

Do

Do general repairs of furniture & assembly of stock.

Ensure

• Ensure accuracy of work and adherence to production and safety standards.

• Ensure all business systems match reality of all warehouse activity.

• Ensure all empty pallets are stacked neatly in staging area.

• Ensure all safety protocols and procedures are followed at all times.

• Ensure cleanliness of work area.

• Ensure daily selecting and invoicing are completed.

• Ensure facility is secure at end of shift.

• Ensure parts are stored to minimize safety hazards.

• Ensure production line has enough supplies to run efficiently.

• Ensure proper line clearance for the packing end.

• Ensure proper stock rotation and first-in-first-out (FIFO) principles.

• Ensure required personal protective equipment is worn at all times.

• Ensure safety practices and procedures are maintained and followed including ensuring hazardous.

• Ensure that all warehouse tools & equipment are in proper working condition.

• Ensure that product is rotated properly at all times to maintain quality and freshness.

Follow

• Follow all Location Safety and Security Guidelines.

• Follow policy and procedures as outlined by operations supervisor and lead hand.

• Follow safety protocols and use personal protective equipment.

Fulfill

Fulfill all assigned duties in all areas of the RSC.

Grab

Grab product for our Quality Assurance lab to test.

Handle

• Handle inquiries or customer concerns in a professional manner.

• Handle Materials around the warehouse.

Help

• Help create a healthier world through our volunteer and philanthropic programs.

• Help in organizing the storage in our warehouse.

• Help maintain cleanliness in the warehouse and Concord's premises.

• Help maintain shipping and receiving logs and files of shipping records.

• Help receiving electronic components.

Identify

• Identify and report any safety hazards or maintenance needs.

• Identify damaged, lost or missing merchandise and notify the supervisor immediately.

• Identify damage, loss, or surplus of goods and materials stored in the warehouse.

Implement

Implement measures to prevent loss, theft, or damage to inventory.

Input

Input data regarding stock and inventory into a computerized system.

Inspect

• Inspect product and paperwork to insure accuracy of customer shipments.

• Inspect cartons for flaws.

Investigate

Investigate any inventory discrepancies and report findings to manager.

Issue

Issue, receive and maintain stores inventories.

Keep

• Keep accurate stock records.

• Keep back area clean and organized at all times.

• Keep updated records of inventory and activity logs.

• Keep up to date on product changes, substitutions, and promotions.

• Keep work area clean and organized.

Lift

Lift and carry boxes weighing up to 50 lbs. without assistance for prolonged periods.

Load

• Load and unload material to and from trucks within a warehouse.

• Load and unload trucks in warehouse and customer sites.

• Load and unload trucks using appropriate handling techniques.

• Load and Unload Trucks, when deliveries and orders arrive.

• Load corrugate, labels, bottles / cans, glue, carriers etc. in appropriate machines.

• Load trucks for customer delivery.

• Load, unload, sort and move product manually and using material handling equipment.

Locate

• Locate and assemble outgoing merchandise to fulfill requests.

• Locate and identify the correct products for shipping orders.

Maintain

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of goods received and shipped.

• Maintain a clean and safe working environment.

• Maintain a clean, neat, and orderly work area.

• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment.

• Maintain a clean, organized work and traffic area according to safety policies and procedures.

• Maintain a clean work area.

• Maintain all safety standards.

• Maintain a professional and courteous demeanor when interacting with customers or suppliers.

• Maintain cleanliness and orderliness in the warehouse.

• Maintain delivery vehicles to ensure safe operation.

• Maintain detailed log of all inventory tagged and organized.

• Maintain in-process inventory at work centers by delivering and opening materials and supplies.

• Maintain inventory management, tracking and retrieval systems.

• Maintain merchandising and stock shelves.

• Maintain safe and clean work environment by keeping shelves, pallet area, and workstations neat.

• Maintain service quality by following organizations standards.

Make

Make deliveries with a company vehicle as assigned.

Manage

Manage inventory by identifying, cataloging, and recording the location of inventory.

Maneuver

Maneuver inventory into loading and unloading positions.

Manifest

Manifest and palletize product according to sort designation.

Mark

Mark materials with identifying information.

Meet

Meet specifics of customer orders in a timely manner.

Monitor

• Monitor and report any missing or lost inventory to management.

• Monitor daily, weekly, monthly and annual safety inspection requirements.

• Monitor machine for efficiency, quality, and minimal waste.

• Monitor product flow from strippers and silos to packaging machines.

Move

• Move ingredients from receiving dock to storage area.

• Move inventory within the warehouse using safe and efficient methods.

Observe

Observe material for any defects.

Operate

• Operate adequate merchandise management tools (for example, forklift).

• Operate barcode scanners and other inventory management systems.

• Operate coating, printing and embossing equipment.

• Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, and other warehouse equipment.

Order

Order picking / shipping accurately and efficiently.

Pack

• Pack fixtures with care and ensure proper hardware is with fixture.

• Pack the orders in preparation of shipments.

Participate in

• Participate in cubing compliance procedures.

• Participate in Lean Warehousing system on the floor.

Perform

• Perform consistent lifting of 33 lbs, stand, bend, walk for 8+ hour shifts.

• Perform periodic checks on equipment and escalate problems to the supervisor.

• Perform product changeovers and startups.

• Perform random inventory counts as directed and keep quality standards high for audits.

• Perform random tests to ensure accuracy Perform safety checks on every machine.

• Perform software upgrades, when required.

• Perform tasks in a manner consistent with the zero errors policy of the company.

Pick

• Pick and pack orders based on customer requirements.

• Pick customer orders for shipment.

• Pick Ecommerce items and bring to accurate line.

• Pick orders accurately, based off of pick list.

• Pick products in proper rotation first in, first out.

Plan

Plan, implement and update the warehouse layout with the Warehouse Coordinator.

Post

Post weights and shipping charges and prepare goods for final shipment.

Prepare

• Prepare items for shipment, including packaging and labeling.

• Prepare shipping containers in advance and create labels.

• Prepare shipping documents and arrange transportation.

Process

• Process packing slips or invoices and safely store items.

• Process returns and handle exchanges or refunds.

Produce

Produce a high quantity of product in the warehouse.

Pull

• Pull / Fill orders for shipment.

• Pull customer and salespersons' orders using warehouse equipment.

Read

• Read and interpret documents such as safety rules, instructions, and procedure manuals.

• Read orders to determine catalog numbers, sizes, colors and quantities of merchandise.

• Read work orders, shipping order, or follows verbal instructions.

Receive

• Receive incoming packages and inspect the material for quality control.

• Receive incoming shipments and verify their contents.

• Receive, package, and distribute material, tools, equipment, and products within the warehouse.

• Receive trucks and unload merchandise.

• Receive, unload and place incoming inventory items appropriately.

Report

Report unsafe incidents immediately.

Rotate

• Rotate product in racks before placing newer product into a slot.

• Rotate through tasks for specific production processes.

Seal

• Seal and label packaging for outgoing shipments.

• Seal containers or materials, using glues, fasteners, nails, and hand tools.

Send

Send completed bills of lading to customers within 24 hours of receipt or shipment.

Set

Set and maintain chemical processing equipment within operational parameters.

Shrink

Shrink wrapping, packaging and shipping orders.

Sort

• Sort and organize received items for storage or distribution.

• Sort incoming and outgoing freight.

• Sort, organize and build pallets.

• Sort and process outgoing and incoming shipments according to procedures and regulations.

• Sort through bins to ensure materials are in proper spot to help with inventory count.

Stack

Stack boxes and prepare pallets for wrapping.

Test

Test devices using computer-assisted testing software to meet or exceed predefined testing criteria.

Track

Track and document exact shipment arrival and departure times.

Transfer

Transfer the material to the correct staging area according to RDT.

Transport

Transport appliances with dolly from warehouse to tech room.

Understand

• Understand importance of meeting deadlines and commitments.

• Understand printing job requirements by the specifications.

Unload

• Unload and inspect goods for damages or defects.

• Unload and sort transfer trucks returning from stores and delivery pads which contain recyclables.

• Unload inbound and outbound containers and sort according to size of freight and destination.

• Unload materials and merchandise from incoming vehicles and stack them to assigned places.

Unpack

Unpack and count returns and reconcile to paperwork.

Update

Update inventory records and stock location information.

Use

• Use a hand-held radio frequency device.

• Use electronic system to record shipment arrival and departure times.

• Use manual and power equipment such as pallet jack, power jack and forklift (if certified).

• Use rolling ladders to retrieve items from the stockroom on hard to reach shelves.

• Use totes or cardborad boxes to pack product.

Verify

• Verify and note the part, count and condition of parts.

• Verify correct order quantities.

• Verify information shown on respective documents against information on merchandise or labels.

• Verify inventory is efficiently and accurately received and / or transferred from the Branch.

Work

• Work independently to pick, pack and ship orders.

• Work on assembly line to build desired products.

• Work to ensure high production levels with accuracy.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Warehouse Worker:

1. Proficiency in operating forklifts and other warehouse equipment.

2. Knowledge of inventory management systems and barcode scanning.

3. Familiarity with warehouse safety protocols and procedures.

4. Competence in using hand tools, such as box cutters and tape dispensers.

5. Understanding of shipping and receiving processes.

6. Skill in using warehouse management software or systems.

7. Ability to read and interpret packing slips, shipping labels, and product codes.

8. Knowledge of basic math for inventory counting and measurement calculations.

9. Competence in operating manual and electric pallet jacks.

10. Understanding of proper lifting and carrying techniques for heavy or bulky items.

11. Proficiency in operating shrink-wrap machines or stretch wrappers.

12. Knowledge of packing and labeling standards for different types of goods.

13. Ability to follow work orders and picking instructions accurately.

14. Competence in using inventory management tools and software.

15. Understanding of customs and import/export regulations, if applicable.

16. Knowledge of hazardous materials handling and storage, if applicable.

17. Proficiency in operating automated conveyor systems, if applicable.

18. Skill in operating handheld scanners or mobile devices for inventory tracking.

19. Understanding of quality control procedures for incoming and outgoing goods.

20. Knowledge of proper loading and unloading techniques for trucks and containers.

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Warehouse Worker:

1. Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

2. Excellent organizational and time management skills.

3. Effective communication and interpersonal abilities.

4. Ability to work well in a team and collaborate with colleagues.

5. Physical stamina and the ability to perform tasks that require prolonged standing, bending, or lifting.

6. Flexibility and adaptability to changing work demands.

7. Problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.

8. Positive attitude and willingness to learn and improve.

9. Integrity and a sense of responsibility.

10. Customer service orientation and the ability to handle inquiries or issues professionally.

Conclusion

A Warehouse Worker plays a crucial role in managing inventory, organizing shipments, and ensuring the efficient operation of a warehouse. Their main responsibilities include receiving and inspecting goods, maintaining accurate inventory records, picking and packing orders, and coordinating with other departments. Alongside technical skills in inventory management, equipment operation, and shipping processes, soft skills such as attention to detail, organization, and effective communication are essential for success in this role.