10 TIPS 1 EXPAND BEYOND
As labor shortages intensify, warehouses must look beyond traditional hiring strategies. Expanding your potential talent pool and improving onboarding, communication, and workplace technology can help unlock productivity and retention gains. Building a Strong Workforce
employees understand performance expectations, minimize confusion, and reduce operational errors. Written, visual, and repeatable communication methods can be especially effective. 8 INVEST IN ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY Lift trucks with ergonomic designs, operator-assist solutions, and telemetry tools can support employees with varying abilities while improving safety, reducing training time, and increasing operational consistency. 9 BUILD ALIGNMENT AROUND CULTURE Long-term workforce initiatives require support across the entire organization. Employee referral programs and partnerships with community, workforce, and disability organizations can help warehouses expand recruiting reach and sustain momentum over time, in addition to potentially opening the door to securing available grant funding.
THE TRADITIONAL LABOR POOL Conventional candidate sources will not close the labor gap. Broaden your recruiting strategies to include overlooked populations. This broader lens shifts recruiting from reactive hiring to proactive workforce development, creating access to capable talent sources that many competitors might be missing.
2 TAP INTO THE A substantial segment of the population has invisible disabilities. Their employment rates remain DISABLED WORKFORCE disproportionately low despite many individuals being capable of succeeding in warehouse environments. In the right role, disabled workers can thrive in structured operational settings. Additionally, disabled individuals have proven to have as much as 20% higher retention rates than employees without disabilities. 3 RETHINK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Many warehouses narrow their hiring pool by requiring industry experience instead of focusing on transferable capabilities. Workers from retail, construction, landscaping, and manufacturing often possess skills critical to distribution operations, including reliability, physical stamina, adaptability, and safety awareness. Apprenticeship programs and hands-on
training can also help inexperienced workers build job-specific skills. 4 BUILD SYSTEMS THAT IMPROVE RETENTION Retention improves when employees feel supported, coached, and heard. Regular check-ins, supervision, and ongoing engagement help build trust and improve workforce stability across the organization. Expanding hiring practices may also encourage managers to adopt more coaching- oriented leadership styles that strengthen performance across the workforce. 5 CONSIDER FLEXIBLE STAFFING MODELS Alternative work arrangements, including flexible shifts, part-time,
seasonal, and gig roles, can significantly expand your hiring reach. These models appeal to individuals who cannot commit to full- time schedules. Tapping into these groups can help you scale labor to match fluctuating demand. 6 ONBOARD FOR LONG- TERM SUCCESS Gradual, hands-on training and visual demonstrations help familiarize employees with tasks, equipment, and workflows at a manageable pace, reducing early turnover and accelerating time to productivity. 7 SET CLEAR STANDARDS Detailed instructions, standardized processes, and direct feedback help
10 USE DATA TO CONTINUOUSLY REFINE WORKFORCE STRATEGY
Labor analytics, employee feedback, telemetry, and operational performance data can help warehouses identify training gaps and workflow inefficiencies before they become larger problems. Using data to refine recruiting, onboarding, and workforce planning enables operations to build a more resilient labor strategy over time.
SOURCE: JIM HESS, DIRECTOR, WAREHOUSE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, YALE LIFT TRUCK TECHNOLOGIES
8 Inbound Logistics • August 2026
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