Remote & Hybrid Work in Warehousing | Minster WMS

When the historians of the future chronicle the 2020s, they'll surely include a chapter on the changes wrought on work by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Looking at the UK alone, the Office for National Statistics reports that "the proportion of hybrid workers has gradually risen since March 2022".

But the percentage of the population engaged in hybrid work is still far from the majority. The ONS puts the figure at 28% of working adults in Great Britain between January and March 2025.

And even within that 28%, it's noticeable that some sectors are much more represented than others. It's more common in the IT industry and also far more common among workers with higher qualifications.

So, how about warehousing? Surely this is one of those sectors that has to rely on workers being on-site?

The answer is yes and no. Sure, warehouses still need workers on-site to pick, pack and dispatch. But they also need IT staff, managers and other professionals who can work remotely, at least in part.

In this article, we take a closer look at the kinds of remote and hybrid roles that can exist in the warehousing sector. We also explore how cloud-based WMS software can facilitate some of these roles.

What types of remote and hybrid jobs are there in the warehousing sector?

There are three main categories of jobs in the warehousing sector: order processing, transport and management.

Order processing has to take place on-site. So, too, does transportation. And while more and more warehouses are using robots, these job roles remain essential to the fulfilment and transportation process.

But the rest? All job roles in warehousing that focus on coordination, data or management can be carried out in a hybrid fashion and, in some cases, entirely remotely. These include:

Warehouse operations coordinator. This job involves managing logistics, inventory and scheduling. Thanks to the advent of cloud-based warehouse management systems, the data needed to carry out this role can now often be accessed remotely.
Logistics analyst. This role is all about optimising inventory, use of warehouse space and shipping routes. It often overlaps with supply chain planning. As with a warehouse operations coordinator, this job can be executed remotely, provided the analyst has access to the relevant data via a WMS.
Warehouse management system support. This person provides remote tech support for crucial inventory software. Often, this person will be employed or contracted by the WMS vendor rather than the warehouse that uses the software.
Freight broker. This person negotiates rates and coordinates shipments between companies and carriers. To do this, they need visibility into warehouse inventory, transport data and other records. Increasingly, these can be accessed remotely via a cloud-based WMS.
Customer support. Once upon a time, customer support workers had to work on-site. Today, it's a job that can often be carried out from home via web forms, chatbots, email and other technologies. Sometimes, these roles are outsourced to other companies to cut costs.
Sales. Networking rarely, if ever, takes place in the warehouse itself. This provides opportunities for talented sales reps to work remotely, sometimes combining home working with visits to the warehouse or business premises.
Finance. Account managers and pricing managers have their own software solutions that can be accessed online. This means they don't have to be in the warehouse or other premises full-time – and in some cases, not at all.

As you can see, many key roles in the warehousing sector are now compatible with working from home, whether as remote work or hybrid work.

How can a cloud-based WMS facilitate remote and hybrid work?

The rise in remote and hybrid work is, as we've noted, in large part a legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What began as a mandated consequence of lockdown restrictions became an option. And it's an option that many feel has positive effects on productivity, staff well-being and even life outside work.

But COVID-19 doesn't tell the whole story. This dramatic pivot in the way we work is also partly down to the dramatic growth in cloud computing technologies.

Cloud computing refers to any kind of software that can be accessed online. This covers everything from streaming services like Netflix to company comms software like Slack. Essentially, if you can access it outside of the office on any device, it's a kind of cloud computing.

Looking at this description, it's easy to see why cloud computing has facilitated the rise and rise of remote and hybrid work. It enables staff to access the data, software and documents they need to carry out their roles without dragging them into the office.

Of course, not all warehouses use cloud software. Some still rely on physical, on-premise servers for warehouse management, finance software and more.

The trend, however, is undeniable. Whether you're a fledgling warehouse or a multinational chain, chances are you either use or have strongly considered using cloud management solutions.

A cloud-based WMS, for instance, can give all staff access to the information they need from any device, at any time and in any location.

But the benefits of a cloud-based WMS don't stop there. As well as providing accessibility to and visibility into data, they improve the accuracy of the data itself.

This is because a cloud-based WMS can be integrated with scanning technologies such as barcode scanners and RF tags to minimise data entry errors.

Similarly, a cloud-based WMS can be hooked up to a voice picking system. This ensures workers have their hands free and their eyes up, bringing picking accuracy up to near-perfect standards.

Are you looking for a cloud-based WMS to enable always-on global visibility of data and operations? At Minster WMS, our solutions can be up and running in as quickly as a single day. Book a demo with our UK experts to learn more.