In short: Staff your warehouse by role and by shift: determine how many pickers, packers, forklift operators and loaders are needed each shift to run smoothly at average and peak volume, maintain a core group of reliable staff and schedule extra trained temporary workers to cover volume spikes, and ensure all new employees receive site-specific safety training before their first shift. Hire warehouse associates to work in Michigan on any shift through RHO Hiring. Call (248) 843-0000.
Warehouses operate at high speeds, keep long hours and live by carrier deadlines. When a shift is short-staffed, orders fall through the cracks. Overtime climbs and your best employees burn out filling holes. The solution begins with knowing precisely who you need and when you need them.
Warehouse roles, and what each one needs
Order pickers
Great attention to detail with scanners and pick lists, and the ability to do a lot of walking.
Packers
Packing to spec, making sure the right label goes on the right box, and identifying the wrong item before it ships.
Forklift operators
Trained and evaluated on your trucks before they drive them, with the paperwork to prove it.
Loading teams
Loading and unloading trailers safely and in sequence, on time for the carrier's schedule.
Staging
Moving finished orders to the right door, in the right sequence.
Receiving and inventory
Receiving shipments and checking them against the PO, putting them away, and tallying them.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hand laborers and material movers, who manually move freight, stock and other materials, typically receive their training on the job, and it may last a month or less. Their work may be scheduled on nights and weekends. They also have some of the highest injury and illness rates among all occupations. Easy to learn, in other words, but never a job to take lightly.
How do you cover every shift?
| Shift | Often busy with | Staffing tip |
|---|---|---|
| Day | Receiving, replenishment and supervisor office hours | Start new people here when you can: more support is around |
| Second | Picking and packing for next-day shipping | Watch attendance closely and keep a bench of backups |
| Night | Picking, loading, replenishment and cleaning | Have a lead on site: with fewer people, each person counts more. |
| Weekend | Catch-up and peak overflow | A recurring weekend crew beats last-minute calls |
No matter the shift, this remains true: employees don't walk away when the schedule promised is the schedule they receive. Communicate schedules in advance, and if there is a change to a shift, provide as much notice as possible.
Peak season without the panic
OSHA's temporary worker bulletin on warehousing discusses how the U.S. warehousing industry has experienced explosive growth in recent years, fueled primarily by e-commerce, creating jobs for many people, including temporary workers. For most warehouses, this growth comes in bursts: the holiday season, promotions, or a new customer.
Forecast by week and shift
Turn expected volume into hours, then into people, for every shift.
Book early
Brief your agency 8 to 12 weeks out from rush season on the tasks and equipment.
Train before volume
New people trained a week or two before the surge, not on the busiest day.
Keep them through it
Named trainers, early check-ins, and schedules posted ahead.
Warehouses that fear peak season are typically those that schedule for peak in October. Begin your forecast in late summer. Make your A players from last year your first call this year: they remember your aisles, scanners and dock doors. Our peak season staffing plan includes a calendar you can copy.
Safety on a fast floor
Hazards OSHA has identified in warehousing include forklifts, ergonomics, material handling equipment, hazardous chemicals, slips, trips and falls, and robotics. The most common injuries in warehouse environments are musculoskeletal disorders, mostly caused by overexertion while lifting and lowering, and struck-by incidents with forklifts and other material handling equipment. OSHA's page further states that inspections under its updated National Emphasis Program focused on warehousing and distribution center operations began July 31, 2026.
OSHA's bulletin on warehousing safety for temporary workers makes it very clear who's responsible for what. Training is the responsibility of both the staffing agency and the host employer, and should be completed prior to the worker starting work. Training should be in a vocabulary and language the worker understands. Typically the host provides site-specific training, while the agency provides general safety and health training. And the agency should take a walk through your warehouse to see the tasks and hazards its people will be facing. If workers will be driving a forklift, they also need training and an evaluation in your workplace before they drive, under OSHA's powered industrial truck standard.
Michigan has a state plan, so most private-sector workplaces there are covered by MIOSHA, Michigan's version of OSHA. Michigan has incorporated many of the federal standards by reference, but some rules are different, so look for Michigan's version of any rule you intend to follow.
Gaps new people fall into
- Pedestrian routes that aren't marked, right next to forklift traffic
- Exit routes blocked by pallets or stored materials
- New people sent onto the floor without a walk-through
- Someone untrained "just moving one pallet" on a forklift
- Lifting heavy boxes from floor level all shift with no rotation
How do you build a team that stays?
The warehouses that consistently have the most stable crews do the same few things over and over: they give an honest job description, train before they need the person to show up, give every new worker someone to ask, and treat temps like everyone else. None of this is complex. All of it requires a plan.
Questions about staffing a Michigan warehouse
What roles can a staffing agency fill in a warehouse?
Order pickers, packers, forklift drivers, loading crews, staging, and receiving and inventory assistance, on day, night and weekend shifts.
How fast can a new warehouse worker get up to speed?
According to the BLS, hand laborers and material movers usually receive on-the-job training, which typically lasts a month or less. A competent trainer and a first week where they're shown the ropes will shorten that.
Who trains temporary warehouse workers on safety?
Both the host employer and the agency. According to OSHA's warehousing bulletin, typically the host employer provides site-specific training while the agency provides general safety and health training. Training should be completed prior to beginning work.
Can temp workers drive our forklifts?
Only after they've been trained and evaluated in your workplace on the specific type of truck they will operate, as required by OSHA's standard.
How many extra people do we need for peak?
Start with volume: last year's weekly orders, adjusted for this year's forecast, translated into labor hours by task, then into people by shift, plus a cushion for absences and new people not yet proficient.
Who should a Metro Detroit warehouse call for temporary workers?
A staffing agency that fills roles on every shift and learns your floor before placing anyone. RHO Hiring provides order pickers, packers, forklift drivers, loading crews and staging crews. A manager will typically respond within a couple of hours: (248) 843-0000.
How RHO Hiring staffs Michigan warehouses
RHO Hiring staffs warehouses and distribution centers throughout Michigan with order pickers, packers, forklift drivers, loaders and stagers, for day shifts, night shifts, weekends and high-volume shifts, plus recurring plans for peak season. We understand your operation before we send anyone. We learn about your flow, shifts and volume. Our labor pool is screened for dependability and attention to detail. They are trained on safety prior to arriving at your facility. You'll have a dedicated management team that stays on your account. We are locally owned and operated, not a franchise. The owners work directly with our customers.
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Next guide
A peak season staffing plan can start weeks ahead, because peak season isn't unexpected; it just seems that way. Plan, ramp up, train and retain your staff through the rush with RHO Hiring's calendar, which is easy to duplicate.
