Hiring forklift operators before the peak season

To have forklift operators ready when the peak hits, start hiring six to eight weeks before, check driving certificates at first contact, target operators already working near the warehouse and keep a pool active between peaks. Hiring during the peak leaves too little time to screen candidates and secure start dates.

Why the peak needs early preparation

Logistics follows the commercial seasons. In France Travail's labour needs survey (BMO), low-skilled warehouse workers and order pickers account for 28,600 hiring plans, 34% of them seasonal. Warehouses in the same area often hire over the same period. Experienced operators are booked by the first employers who call them, and by temp agencies.

Hiring in five stages

1. Quantify the need by role. How many operators, which licence categories, which shifts (morning, afternoon, night), for how many weeks. A vague need produces a vague ad.
2. Start six to eight weeks before. This leaves time to advertise, screen, run a driving test and, if needed, fund licence training for a motivated candidate.
3. Target the commuting area. An operator rarely accepts more than thirty to forty minutes of travel, especially on shifts. Advertise within that radius, and mention public transport access and parking.
4. Reach operators who are already working. Many are finishing an assignment or a short contract. Advertising targeted by trade and area, on social networks and apps, reaches them before they go back through an agency.
5. Keep in touch after the peak. The good operators of one season are the first to call for the next. Keep a record, and offer an extension or a permanent contract to the best ones.

What the ad must include

• The forklift licence categories expected (in France, CACES R489 categories such as 1A, 3 or 5) and whether you can fund it.
• Exact hours and shift or night bonuses.
• The type of goods and loads handled.
• The length of the assignment and what comes after the peak.

Screening fast and well

Three checks save a lot of time:

• Valid licence: category, expiry date, driving authorisation to be issued by the employer.
• Real experience: type of truck, racking height, expected pace.
• Availability: start date, shifts accepted, how they get to work.

A fifteen-minute driving test on site before hiring avoids bad surprises mid-season.

A typical reverse schedule

• Two months out: needs quantified by shift and licence category, ads ready.
• Six weeks out: advertising live, first calls to last season's operators.
• One month out: driving tests done and contracts signed for most roles.
• Two weeks out: a reserve of two or three approved candidates, induction and driving authorisations prepared.
• During the peak: a weekly check on absences and extra staffing needs.

Common mistakes

• Starting to hire the week the volumes arrive.
• Writing "licence required" without the category, and receiving unsuitable profiles.
• Advertising across the whole region for a warehouse with no public transport at night.
• Keeping no record of last season's operators.

What road transport shows

Supply chain roles are easier to fill when the message matches the day-to-day reality of the job. For Transport Besson, across HGV drivers, operations managers and operations assistants, the average qualification rate of applications reached 61.7%. See the Transport Besson case study.

Our page on hiring forklift operators and pickers in logistics details targeting by trade and area. To retain warehouse teams from day one, read the article on order picker turnover.

Frequently asked questions

Which licence does a warehouse forklift operator need in France?

The CACES R489, in the category matching the truck used: 1A for ride-on pallet trucks, 1B for ride-on stackers, 3 for counterbalance trucks, 5 for reach trucks.

Can you hire an operator without a licence?

Yes, if the company pays for the training and the test. It is a good way to keep a motivated picker, provided you plan it before the peak.