Warehouse Operative (FTC until November 2025)
Howdens
£14.94/hour
Runcorn
Full time, permanent
The Breakroom Take
- People enjoy this job
- Respectful managers
About Howdens
Howdens is a trade kitchen supplier.
Job description from Howdens
Howdens are recruiting Warehouse Operatives to join the team at our manufacturing and distribution site in Runcorn on a fixed-term contract, to conclude on 22nd November 2025.
This is an essential role in the warehouse where you will be working as part of a team to support the sale of trade-only kitchen products through the receipt, storage, and despatching of customer orders.
Pay rate as a Warehouse Operative:
- £14.94 per hour + bonus + shift premium (£4,169.36)
Shift Pattern:
- 14:00 – 22:00 Monday to Friday, with flex up during peak periods
The Warehouse Operative role includes:
- Receipt of palletised products from manufacturing into the warehouse
- Locating pallets into designated storage positions
- Picking and building customer orders accurately
- Loading pallets safely onto trailers for despatch to our stores
- Achieving individual and team targets
Our Warehouse Operatives need to:
- Have great attention to detail and the ability to work within timescales
- Handle stock both physically and with Manual Handling Equipment (MHE)
- Have a high regard for both their personal and team health and safety, reporting hazards and near misses, and taking reasonable steps to ensure safety where needed
- Be able to use their initiative and undertake their responsibilities often without direct supervision to complete their designated work allocation
- Have previous warehouse or logistics experience ideally in a FMCG environment
- FLT experience is desirable however not essential
About Howdens:
Howdens Joinery is the UK’s number one trade kitchen supplier providing thousands of products across kitchens, joinery, and hardware. We have over 900 depots throughout the UK and Europe – making us the first choice for more than 460,000 loyal trade professionals. Our sales reached circa 2.3bn, and we have an ambitious growth agenda.
Despite our scale, Howdens remains a local business with traditional values. As a British manufacturer, we were founded on the principle that the business should be worthwhile for all concerned. That includes our customers, the homeowners they serve, the local communities we operate in, local and national charities, our large network of suppliers, our investors, and of course our people.
How to apply
When you apply for this role, you will need to activate your account. Please check your email carefully to ensure that you have completed this step. We are unable to view your application if you have not activated your account.
Please don’t delay in submitting your application as the advert may close early if we receive a high volume of applications
Job insights from Breakroom
Warehouse operative
Warehouse operatives take delivery of goods, and pick, pack and dispatch products
What you’ll do as a warehouse operative:
- Take delivery of goods and raw materials
- Pack and wrap goods
- Check for damaged or missing items
- Make sure stock is stored correctly and safely
- Load goods ready for dispatch
Is it right for you?
This job may involve:
- Standing
- Heavy lifting
- Night work
- Cleaning
- Physical activities
Map
Runcorn
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What employees say
Pay
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Needs improving
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Most people aren’t paid a living wage
Do Howdens pay warehouse operatives enough to live on?
Most people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
72% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Needs improving
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Most people are paid below market rates
Do Howdens pay warehouse operatives market rates?
Most people are paid less than average for their job.
How we know this
73% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Good
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Everyone is paid the same, whatever their age
Do warehouse operatives at Howdens get paid the same regardless of age?
Yes, people under the age of 21 get paid the same as those above 21.
See what Howdens pays different age groupsHow we know this
The average pay of under 21s is the same as those above 21.Based on data from 63 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2023 and April 2025.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get paid breaks
Do warehouse operatives at Howdens get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
69% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Good
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Most people get sick pay
Do Howdens pay warehouse operatives sick pay?
Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
70% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Good
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Most people don’t do unpaid extra work
Do warehouse operatives at Howdens do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
73% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Needs improving
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Most people don’t get any choice of shifts
Do warehouse operatives at Howdens get to choose the shifts they work?
Most people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
79% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between July 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it for warehouse operatives to book a holiday at Howdens?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
78% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Good
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Shifts don’t get changed at short notice
Do Howdens managers change warehouse operatives shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
100% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between September 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Okay
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Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it for warehouse operatives to take sick leave at Howdens?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
36% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Good
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Most parents say it’s good
Is working as warehouse operatives at Howdens good if you have caring responsibilities?
Most parents and carers say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
73% of people who care for a child or other relative report this is a good place to work.Based on data from 15 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Whether it’s looking after children or caring for a relative, a good job should support your responsibilities outside of work.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do warehouse operatives at Howdens feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
73% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Okay
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Only some people get proper breaks
Do warehouse operatives at Howdens get proper breaks?
Some people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
35% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Okay
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Some people are stressed
Is it stressful for warehouse operatives to work at Howdens?
Some people feel stressed here.
How we know this
65% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 31 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Okay
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do warehouse operatives at Howdens enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
40% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 30 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do warehouse operatives at Howdens recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
54% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 37 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Good
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Most people get enough training
Do warehouse operatives get enough training when they start at Howdens?
Most people got enough training when they started.
How we know this
67% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Okay
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Only some people get support to progress
Are warehouse operatives given support to progress at Howdens?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 55% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do warehouse operatives think Howdens head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
91% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 32 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Okay
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do warehouse operatives feel well informed about how Howdens is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
50% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What Howdens employees say about their job
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Best thing
Conversation with builders, getting the sale on kitchens and joinery products
Worst thing
Cold calling, bitchy managers
Trade counter sales at Howdens, February 2025
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Best thing
Been in charge when the boss is off
Worst thing
Doing the jobs the boss don’t want do
Assistant manager at Howdens, December 2024
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