The Fastest Way to Hire Short-Term Warehouse Staff

McKenna Janzen | May 01, 2020

Whether you’re a warehouse manager looking for extra help sorting inventory, or you are a warehouse supervisor in need of additional Workers to cover night shifts, as a Get Workers user you have access to over 30,000 skilled warehouse professionals who are ready to help. GigSmart can connect you with the right number of hourly, skilled Workers to meet your warehouse’s fluctuating demand.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to create your first free Gig post on the GigSmart’s Get Workers hiring app. Your Gig post on our platform will connect you with qualified hourly Workers who can complete one or more warehouse tasks as needed. Lastly, we’ll tell you how to manage your GigSmart Workers once you’ve hired them.
Warehouse worker using a forklift lifting pallets

COVID-19’s Impact on the Warehousing Industry

To begin, it’s important to recognize coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impacts. As COVID-19 continues to spread, many industries are facing tough obstacles. Fortunately, warehouse services are included in the Federal Guidance as an essential service. (The revised Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response Version 3.0 includes the Warehouse industry in the Transportation and Logistics Section.) Note that State and Local authorities still have jurisdiction in their areas. Check with your state to learn more about each state’s guidelines.

Because of this, we want to make sure we’re continuing to connect temporary Workers who are looking for work with the essential businesses that are still able to operate during these times. We know first-hand, many communities are suffering as the number of those unemployed continues to rise. We hope GigSmart can provide a solution by connecting the two parties (businesses and Workers), especially as it pertains to the essential businesses that are still operating at this time.

What is GigSmart?

If you’re new to GigSmart, welcome! GigSmart is a hiring platform that instantly matches businesses who need work done with individuals who are looking for work, all on an on-demand basis. With thousands of skilled warehouse Workers already active on our Get Workers app, you are only a few, easy steps away from finding someone who is ready to help you complete a variety of warehouse related tasks.

We’re a little biased, but we think GigSmart is the best way to find temporary labor to work warehouse Gigs. Here’s why:

  • You’re in charge. You set the hourly rate for your Workers, decide the number of people you need, and the date and time you need them. We match you with qualified professionals that align with the skills you list in your post. Once you accumulate a pool of applicants, you get to review potential Workers and select who you hire.
  • Before you hire, you can make sure applicants have the proper license or certification to operate any warehouse equipment or heavy machinery necessary to complete your Gig.
  • We can help you find temporary warehouse Workers right when you need them. You can schedule jobs up to 30 days in advance, or you can source ASAP Workers if you need help immediately.
  • As the person posting the Gig, you are able to add Worker background or motor vehicle records (MVR) checks as a prerequisite to your application.
  • Every eligible Worker you hire is automatically protected by GigSmart’s Occupational Accident Insurance (OAI) at no cost to you.
  • Starting at just 15% of the hourly rate you set, our sourcing fees help you save money compared to other temporary hiring agencies or staffing platforms.

To get started, you’ll need to create a Gig post, which is completely free.

Create Your Get Workers Account

If you haven’t already, you can create a Get Workers hiring account by visiting getworkers.gigsmart.com or downloading our mobile apps for iOS or Android phones. Follow the prompts to register for our platform.

Next, you’ll need to create your free warehouse Gig post. You can do that by selecting the “Create Gig” button.

GigSmart connects you to available Workers via skills matching. We know every warehouse Gig is a little different and may require different skill sets. You can get as broad or specific as you like with the types of skills you require your Workers to have, which could include: “Warehouse Labor,” “Warehouse Clerk,” “Inventory Control Clerk,” “Package Handler,” “Packer,” “Freight Shipping Agent,” “Forklift Operator,” “Laborer,” “Loader,” and more.

Read how one global beverage distribution company uses GigSmart to grow its warehousing team on an as-needed basis by clicking here.

GigSmart is here to find you the warehouse labor you need. Hire packers & shippers, sorters, forklift operators, or inventory data entry Workers . If you have a job that calls for background or motor vehicle records (MVR) checked Workers, especially if your temporary Worker will be operating large equipment or driving vehicles, you can add that requirement to your Gig.

Next, complete all of the prompts to fill in the details of your Gig. The more specific you can be, the better. At a minimum, we recommend including what equipment or tools to bring, what equipment or tools your Worker is expected to know how to use, what they should wear, and your customer service specifics. Everything you provide will be exactly what is shown to Workers, which helps them determine whether or not they would like to apply to work your Gig.

Wait For Applicants

While other solutions often use algorithms to find you Workers, GigSmart gives you complete control over who you hire. You will be notified as soon as qualified hourly Workers apply. You can review their profiles, their applicant questionnaires, and even use in-app messaging to confirm they meet the expectations for your Gig. Once you find one or more warehouse Workers you like, you can hire them. You can continue to use the in-app messaging and calling functionality to communicate with them until your warehouse Gig is completed.

Pack it, Ship it

Once the date of the Gig arrives, you can use the Get Workers app to manage each temporary warehouse Worker you hire. You’ll want to start their Gig clock when they arrive at your job site. You can pause your Worker at any time during the Gig, like if they need to take a break or eat a meal. Once the job is completed, you’ll end their Gig clock, which will take you to a Gig Summary screen. Here you can review all of the details of your Gig including the total time worked and other information. If they did a great job, you can even add additional payment in the form of a tip.

Lastly, we’ll ask you to provide a Worker rating (from 1-5 stars), and we’ll give you the option to leave additional comments about the Worker that will be visible to the GigSmart community. To keep it fair, we’ll also ask each Worker you hire to leave you a rating and review as well. These community ratings and reviews help people find the best Worker or Requester for future Gigs.

Now that you’re familiar with the easiest way to find and hire temporary warehouse Workers, are you ready to get started? You can create your free Get Workers hiring account to start sourcing temporary warehouse Workers right away. GigSmart makes it easy to find, hire, and manage Workers for all your warehouse and distributing needs.

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