What should I ask about a warehouse’s peak season staffing?

The busiest weeks reveal how a warehouse really runs. Ask for the schedule and headcount from the last peak, split between permanent staff, temporary workers and overtime. Compare against volumes handled, so you can see how many hands each surge needed.

Ask where seasonal workers come from. Agencies, returning workers and referrals all behave differently. Find out how fast people were trained, what mistakes rose during the rush and whether there were injuries or near misses. Error and damage reports for the period tell the story.

Look at the cost. Overtime, agency fees and extra supervision all reduce margin, and your accountant can help you see them clearly in the books. Finally, ask who plans for the peak. Is there a written plan, early recruiting and a clear point person? If the owner does it all from memory, expect to spend your first season learning fast. Ask clients if service held up. Ask a few long-serving employees how the last peak felt, since they will tell you plainly whether the plan was calm or chaotic and who carried the load. Find out whether temporary workers ever return, since returning staff mean the plan builds experience year after year. Ask also how pay and schedules were explained to them.

Key takeaways

• Get last peak’s headcount by permanent, temporary and overtime hours, against volumes handled.
• Review errors, damage and near misses from the rush.
• Ask who plans the peak and whether it is written down.