In one distribution operation, a safety leader described a pattern they were seeing with new hires.
If an employee made it through the first six months, they were likely to stay.
But many didn’t.
Some left. Others reported injuries.
In both cases, the underlying issue was often the same: the physical demands of the job were exceeding what the worker could sustain early on.
During those first months, employees would mention soreness—but rarely report an injury. They weren’t sure whether what they were feeling was normal or something more serious.
By the time an injury was reported, the strain had often been building for weeks or a month.
The risk wasn’t invisible.
It was just misunderstood.
In warehousing environments, the early months of employment are often the most physically demanding period for a worker.
New employees are adapting to repetitive tasks, learning movement patterns, and building the endurance required to sustain the pace of the job. At the same time, they are trying to meet productivity expectations and prove they can do the work.
That combination matters.
Workers are pushing themselves physically while still learning what “normal” feels like. Soreness is common—but it is often unclear whether that soreness is part of adaptation to the job demands, or the beginning of something more serious.
Research consistently shows that both injury risk and turnover are highest early in employment, particularly in physically demanding roles where workers are acclimating to the new physical demands.
In warehousing, those two issues are often connected.
In many cases, risk begins before the first shift.
When job demands are not clearly defined—or when a worker’s physical capacity is not aligned with those demands—strain can begin early in employment. Tasks that require repetitive lifting, sustained reaching, or awkward postures can quickly exceed what a new worker is equipped to handle.
Organizations that clearly define physical job demands through functional job analysis and align hiring with post offer employment testing often significantly reduce early-stage strain.
The goal is not to screen people out. It is to ensure the workers understand the physical expectations of the job—and are prepared to meet them safely.
Once work begins, strain develops through the normal rhythm of the operation.
Repetitive picking, pace expectations, shift length, and production variability all contribute to the accumulation of strain across a shift and over time. In some environments, climate conditions or tight workspaces further increase physical demands.
These factors rarely create immediate injury, but rather, they create exposure.
Over days and weeks, that exposure builds—especially for new employees who are still adapting to the work.
This is where industrial ergonomics plays a critical role. Small improvements in task design, workstation setup, and movement efficiency can significantly reduce unnecessary strain.
One of the biggest challenges in warehousing is that early signals of strain are often misinterpreted.
Workers may feel soreness but assume it is part of learning the job. They may not want to report discomfort for fear of falling behind or appearing unable to meet expectations. Supervisors, focused on throughput, may not see anything that looks like a problem.
So the signals are there—but they are not acted on.
By the time an injury is reported, the difference between “normal soreness” and “developing injury” has already played out.
Organizations that are improving workplace injury prevention in warehousing are not simply reacting faster when injuries occur. They are focusing more intentionally on the early stages of employment—where risk is highest.
That often includes:
aligning job demands and hiring practices so workers are prepared for the role
improving workstation and task design through industrial ergonomics
providing early access to onsite MSK or physical therapy support when soreness first appears
engaging new employees early to understand how their bodies are responding to the work
These approaches do not eliminate physical demands—but they make those demands more manageable and reduce the likelihood that strain will accumulate unchecked.
Between a new hire’s first day and their first reported injury—or decision to leave—there is a window.
In that window, workers are learning, adapting, and often pushing themselves to meet expectations. It is also the point at which small adjustments can have the greatest impact.
Once an injury is reported—or an employee exits—that window closes quickly.
Organizations that focus on this early period often see very different outcomes—not because they manage injuries better, but because they recognize and address risk sooner.
This article is part of WorkWell’s series on managing musculoskeletal risk across the workforce.
In the next article, we’ll explore how mismatches between job demands and worker capability create risk from day one—and what organizations can do to address it.