Warehouse duties cover everything that happens between goods arriving and goods leaving: receiving, putaway, storage, picking, packing, dispatch and the stock counting that keeps the records honest. Job titles vary, but the underlying work does not.
This guide sets out warehouse duties and responsibilities across the roles that perform them. It sits in the General worker, warehouse and logistics duties cluster, part of the wider job duties guide.
What Does Warehouse Work Involve?
Warehouse work is the physical and administrative handling of stock. Goods are received and checked against the order, put away in a recorded location, picked against orders, packed, and dispatched with the correct documentation. Every one of those steps has a system entry attached to it.
The part that surprises people new to it is how much of the job is accuracy rather than lifting. A pick error sends the wrong item to a customer; a putaway in the wrong bin makes stock effectively disappear; an unscanned receipt puts the system out of step with the floor. Warehouses are measured on accuracy, and stock variances trace back to individual handling steps.
Safety is the other constant. Forklifts, racking, pallet jacks and manual handling account for most warehouse injuries, and the rules around them are not discretionary.
Warehouse job titles differ by employer: warehouse assistant, general worker, storeman, picker, receiving clerk and dispatch clerk all draw from the same set of duties. What separates them is which part of the flow the person owns and how much system responsibility comes with it.
Key Warehouse Duties and Responsibilities
- Receiving deliveries and checking quantities and condition against documents.
- Capturing receipts on the warehouse or ERP system.
- Putting stock away in the correct locations and recording them.
- Picking orders accurately against pick lists or scanners.
- Packing orders securely and labelling them correctly.
- Loading and dispatching vehicles with the correct documentation.
- Conducting cycle counts and participating in stock takes.
- Investigating and reporting stock variances and damages.
- Operating forklifts, pallet jacks and other equipment if licensed.
- Rotating stock on a first-in first-out basis and monitoring expiry dates.
- Keeping aisles, racking and loading areas clean, clear and safe.
- Following health and safety procedures and reporting hazards.
Daily Tasks in Warehouse Work
- Start of shift: collect the day’s orders, check equipment and inspect the work area.
- Morning: receive inbound deliveries, check them and put stock away.
- Midday: pick and pack outbound orders against the dispatch schedule.
- Afternoon: load vehicles, complete dispatch paperwork and run cycle counts.
- End of shift: clear the floor, charge equipment and hand over outstanding work.
Warehouse Skills and Competencies
- Accuracy: picking and capturing exactly what the document says.
- System literacy: scanners and warehouse management systems used properly.
- Physical fitness: lifting, walking and standing through a full shift.
- Safety discipline: pedestrian and forklift separation, correct lifting, no shortcuts.
- Numeracy: counting, unit conversions and reconciling variances.
- Honesty: reporting a damage or a miscount rather than hiding it.
Warehouse Duties by Workplace or Industry
Retail Distribution Centres
High-volume picking to store orders, cross-docking, tight dispatch windows and productivity measured per picker per hour.
Manufacturing and Industrial Stores
Duties centre on raw materials, components and spares issued against job cards, with bin accuracy critical to keeping production running.
Cold Chain and Food
Temperature control, expiry date management, strict rotation and traceability records are added to the standard handling duties.
E-Commerce Fulfilment
Single-item picking, packing for courier, returns processing and same-day dispatch cut-offs dominate, with accuracy tracked per order.
Whatever the facility, warehouse performance comes down to the same measures: stock accuracy against the system, orders picked correctly, dispatch on time and no injuries on the floor.
Warehouse Duties for a CV
Give volumes, systems used and any forklift licence. Use the duties for a CV guide for the method.
- Picked and packed up to 180 order lines per shift with 99.4% accuracy.
- Received and captured inbound deliveries on SAP, resolving variances same day.
- Licensed counterbalance forklift operator with no incidents in four years.
- Participated in monthly cycle counts and quarterly full stock takes.
Related Job Roles and Responsibilities
These guides cover the roles and next steps most closely related to this one.
- Warehouse Assistant duties and responsibilities
- Storeman duties and responsibilities
- Stock Controller duties and responsibilities
- Picker and Packer duties and responsibilities
- General worker, warehouse and logistics duties
Frequently Asked Questions About Warehouse Duties
What are warehouse duties?
Receiving deliveries and checking them against documents, capturing receipts on the system, putting stock away in recorded locations, picking and packing orders, loading and dispatching vehicles, conducting cycle counts and stock takes, reporting variances, operating equipment if licensed, rotating stock and following safety procedures.
What qualifications do you need for warehouse work?
Most entry-level positions ask for matric or a Grade 10 to 12 equivalent and basic numeracy. A forklift licence, scanner or warehouse management system experience and a clear criminal record materially improve your prospects.
Do you need a forklift licence to work in a warehouse?
Not for most warehouse roles, but you may only operate a forklift if trained and authorised. Operating one without a valid licence puts you and the employer in breach of health and safety requirements.
What is the difference between warehouse and logistics duties?
Warehouse duties concern handling and storing stock inside the facility. Logistics duties cover the movement of goods between points, including transport planning, routing and delivery. The two overlap at receiving and dispatch.
Duties vary by facility and by the specific job title. Check your job description for the scope, particularly which system entries and equipment you are responsible for.
Last reviewed: 2 September 2026