Ecommerce is booming, which has given a healthy boost to warehouse jobs in Basingstoke and the surrounding areas. 

In August 2020 the Financial Times published an article entitled ‘Investors ‘back with a vengeance’ as warehouse demand surges’. It said: “A decade ago, ecommerce accounted for 6.7 per cent of all retail sales in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics. By February, the month before the outbreak, the figure was 19 per cent. By May it had hit 33 per cent.”

At a time when jobs in hard-hit sectors such as ’high street’ retail and travel are still hard to come by, there are still good job opportunities to be found working for companies looking to fill warehouse jobs in Basingstoke and the surrounding areas.

Of course, not all roles in the distribution and supply chain sector are actually based in warehouses: many companies have sizable back offices with commercial roles including finance, HR and general management. 

But if you haven’t worked in a warehouse, or for a company involved in warehousing and logistics before, how do you know if this type of work is right for you?

What Types of Warehouse Jobs Are There?

Here’s a brief summary of the sort of jobs that are often available in the supply chain and logistics sectors - both in warehousing and in support offices.

Warehouse Pickers / Packers

If you have experience in the logistics area of retail, can work quickly and are handy with a scanner, this could be a great job for you. 

Many employers offer additional incentives for accuracy and speed, and with common shift patterns of 6.00am - 2.00pm, 2.00pm - 10.00pm or nights, picking and packing roles can fit in well with giving time for caring responsibilities, fitness or hobbies. 

Warehouse Loaders

Have you got a keen eye for detail and are you fit? If so, working as a Warehouse Loader offers plenty of potential. Once you are experienced, these jobs are fast-paced and usually involve standing for all or most of your shift, so are ideal if you have a low boredom threshold!

Many roles start as temporary positions, but some of our long-term clients offer temp to perm opportunities.

Fork Lift Truck Drivers

Fork Lift drivers are in huge demand, so if you enjoy working in a team and are methodical, this could be the perfect role for you. If you don’t yet have a license, it will take up to five days - or less time if you have an existing HGV or other commercial driving license.

If you worked as a Fork Lift Truck or Counterbalance driver before lockdown, you may need to undertake refresher training before you can go back to work.

You will need to wear protective footwear, and in some roles this will be provided. For temporary assignments, you may be asked to provide PPE yourself. 

These roles can be permanent, temp to perm or temporary and qualified drivers are in high demand. 

Warehouse Shift Managers or Supervisors

If you are used to managing teams of people working shifts, this type of role could be ideal for you. It is a job where no two days are the same and where the safety of your team is of prime importance. 

These tend to be permanent roles and only come up when someone moves on, changes department or is promoted, so you may need to be patient if you are looking for this type of role. 

Business Support Roles

Of course, not every job in logistics, supply chain or manufacturing businesses is within the warehouse itself.

Most businesses that have large warehouses and logistics functions have active finance, HR, marketing and admin departments which can offer fantastic opportunities for qualified or part-qualified finance professionals who are looking for an interesting and challenging role.

These are just a few examples of warehouse jobs in Basingstoke to give you an idea of the varied opportunities that local logistics and distribution businesses have to offer. 

To find out if we have roles suitable for your skills, please get in touch by calling us on 01256 334575 or emailing our friendly team on office@priorityappointments.co.uk