Logistics employers enter every new year with a familiar set of pressures: seasonal volume shifts, year-end turnover, elevated customer expectations, and the responsibility to maintain productivity without unnecessary labor spend. When these forces converge in Q1, operations leaders often find themselves reacting instead of staying ahead.
Workforce planning changes that dynamic. For logistics operations managers, HR teams, and warehouse leaders, early planning strengthens throughput, stabilizes teams, and gives organizations more control over service levels as the year begins.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the transportation and warehousing sector employed 6.6 million people in 2023, representing roughly 5 percent of private-sector jobs. Within that group, warehousing and storage roles accounted for around 27 percent of employment as of mid-2024.¹ These figures show how large and fluid the logistics talent market is, and why proactive workforce planning remains essential.
The Post-Holiday Labor Gap in Logistics
Q1 routinely exposes labor gaps that weren’t apparent during peak season. Temporary assignments typically wind down in late December, and many employees pursue new opportunities as the year turns. Both trends can shrink the available talent pool quickly.
Why This Matters for Logistics Employers
Even after holiday peaks, logistics rarely slows down. Instead, leaders face:
- High customer expectations for accurate and fast delivery
- Residual backlogs from peak season
- Contract renewals that require staffing consistency
- Ongoing compliance, scheduling, and safety requirements
When teams begin Q1 short-staffed, productivity suffers throughout the entire fulfillment cycle.
The Hidden Cost of Starting Behind
A labor shortage at the start of the year can create:
- More overtime to cover daily workload
- Higher error rates and quality concerns
- Slower fulfillment and missed SLAs
- Delayed initiatives because leaders are focused on immediate staffing needs
Workforce planning ensures logistics employers enter Q1 with realistic visibility into staffing needs and the capacity to get ahead of operational strain.
What Smart Workforce Planning Looks Like
Effective workforce planning in logistics has two sides: understanding workload patterns and preparing talent supply. The most successful organizations treat workforce planning as an ongoing operational discipline rather than a once-a-year process.
Workflow-Aligned Labor Models
Workload patterns become predictable when analyzed over time. Strong planning incorporates analysis of:
- Order volume forecasts
- Vendor and carrier schedules
- Storage and throughput requirements
- Expected hiring trends and turnover cycles
This alignment allows HR and operations teams to maintain staffing levels that match workflow needs. Recent research shows that 85 percent of U.S. freight and logistics companies operate near full capacity, highlight a major freight labor shortage and emphasizing how critical proactive staffing becomes during early-year shifts.²
Cross-Functional Alignment
Workforce planning only works when HR, warehouse management, and corporate leadership collaborate. That alignment supports:
- Consistent staffing models
- Accurate labor budgeting
- Faster decisions around shift structures
- Better preparation for inventory resets, seasonal promotions, or escalated shipment cycles
Flexible Labor Models
A rigid workforce structure makes it harder to respond to fluctuations that occur early in the year. Deloitte’s report shows how essential flexibility has become: 93 percent of organizations consider moving away from traditional job structures important to their success.³
For logistics employers, a resilient labor model blends:
- Core full-time employees
- Seasonal workers who return during predictable cycles
- Temporary workers who support new contracts or backlog periods
- Skilled talent for equipment operation, inventory control, and quality checks
Planning this mix in advance gives organizations the stability they need to maintain performance in Q1.
Avoiding Q1 Bottlenecks with Pre-Hiring Strategies
Pre-hiring is one of the most overlooked advantages in logistics. Instead of waiting for turnover to occur, organizations forecast talent needs and secure candidates ahead of time.
Pipeline Development Before January
Candidate pipelines built in December and early January help logistics employers:
- Reduce time-to-fill during the first weeks of the year
- Respond quickly when workloads shift
- Begin onboarding without interrupting productivity
Early Onboarding to Stabilize Throughput
Even partial onboarding, safety orientation, equipment introductions, or facility walkthroughs increase productivity when workloads rise in late January and February.
Read about our Risk and Safety Programs.
Forecast-Based Hiring Models
Forecasting helps logistics leaders understand when and how much additional labor will be needed. With this approach, hiring aligns with:
- Inventory resets
- Vendor contract changes
- Transportation schedules
- Anticipated overtime levels
When leaders plan these patterns, they prevent bottlenecks that commonly strain operations in the first quarter.
How Masis Supports Logistics Employers with Planning
Logistics employers benefit from a staffing partner who understands the operational demands unique to distribution centers, cross-dock settings, and last-mile delivery. Masis supports effective workforce planning through forecasting insight, tailored sourcing strategies, and consultative planning support.
Market-Driven Forecasting
Masis maps workforce needs to labor trends, market movement, and regional talent availability. Leaders gain realistic hiring timelines and clarity around what combination of full-time and temporary labor will sustain performance.
Sourcing Strategies Built for Logistics
From high-volume warehouse roles to specialized equipment operators, Masis builds talent pipelines aligned with each employer’s workflow and production cycle. This sourcing strength gives organizations confidence going into Q1.
Consultative Planning Support
Masis partners with HR teams and operations leaders to identify potential gaps, assess year-end turnover risks, and design staffing plans that protect throughput. The focus is always on maintaining service levels and preventing delays that could impact customer commitments.
Your Q1 advantage starts with Masis.
Q1 doesn’t wait for you to catch up. Workforce planning gives logistics employers the visibility to manage turnover, protect productivity, and start the year with stable teams instead of staffing crises.
Masis Staffing helps you forecast smarter, build talent pipelines faster, and scale operations confidently when Q1 demand hits. Ready to eliminate labor gaps before they impact your operation? Contact us today.
References
- Dorinda, Mary and Keller, Kennedy. “Employment in Transportation and Warehousing Industries.” BLS, July 2024.
https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2024/keeping-america-moving-employment-in-transportation-and-warehousing-industries/home.htm - Mayer, Marina. “Freight Surge Leaves 85% of U.S. Logistic Companies Operating Near Full Capacity.” Food Logistics, June 2025.
https://www.foodlogistics.com/transportation/trucking/news/22944588/techco-freight-surge-leaves-85-of-us-logistic-companies-operating-near-full-capacity - Cantrell, Sue et al. “From jobs to skills to outcomes: Rethinking how work gets done.” Deloitte, Oct. 2025.
https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/talent/future-of-workforce-planning/planning-work-outcomes.html
