UK Warehouse Worker Demand Soars by 43%
The demand for warehouse jobs workers in the UK has soared by 43%. Job adverts in the North East have doubled when compared to pre-pandemic levels, showing a huge level of growth within the industry. In 2022 alone, Scotland saw a 60% rise in job advertisements. Indeed Flex, a platform that supports temporary workers, have released an analysis showing that many sectors are struggling to find qualified staff to fill positions.
Job Advertisements- 2019 vs 2022
Region | Job Advertisements Posted in 2019 | Job Advertisements Posted in 2022 | Percentage Increase |
North East | 530 | 1,050 | 98.1% |
Scotland | 1.205 | 1,930 | 60.2% |
East Midlands | 2,920 | 4.465 | 52.9% |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 2,065 | 3,110 | 50.6% |
South East | 4,580 | 6,875 | 50.1% |
West Midlands | 3,215 | 4,765 | 48.2% |
Wales | 765 | 1,100 | 43.8% |
North West | 3,185 | 4,550 | 42.9% |
South West | 2,810 | 3,895 | 38.6% |
East of England | 3,500 | 4,725 | 35% |
Northern Ireland | 345 | 460 | 33.3% |
London | 4,115 | 4.930 | 19.8% |
UK Average | 2,436 | 3.488 | 43.2% |
Overall, the South East saw the highest increase, with over 6,800 positions advertised. This is an increase of 50% when compared to before the pandemic.
So, what’s causing the sudden rise in the demand for warehouse workers? A lot of it comes down to the cost of living crisis, but there are other factors influencing the trend as well. This includes an increase in online shopping and rising wage demands. Supplier costs are also going up, which is why so many companies are now sourcing temporary workers to support their teams this year. 28% of professionals who work in HR say that they are going to start using temporary workers more this year as well, which shows that the trend goes far beyond the warehouse industry.
Novo Constare, the founder of Indeed Flex, has said that most sectors are facing issues like this. Throughout the pandemic, warehouse workers were classed as being essential. Many people turned to warehouse work to see them through the furlough period, or to support them during unemployment. As life began to get back to normal, a lot of people returned to their previous jobs, which left warehouse operatives with an exodus of staff. A lot of companies have yet to recover from this.
Hiring managers are viewing temporary staff as being vital to the survival of their company. Indeed Flex provides access to a pool of temporary workers, most of which will go on to work for the same company on a regular basis. This gives the business flexibility when it comes to scaling its staff, and it also provides workers with the opportunity to seek out new opportunities.
