What logistics and warehousing covers
Inbound logistics brings material from vendors and ports to the plant or warehouse. Warehousing receives goods against the purchase order or transfer note, checks quantity, puts stock away in racks, runs cycle counts, and picks and packs orders in the right sequence, usually first expiry first out for food and pharma. Outbound logistics plans loads, books trucks from transporters or runs the company's own fleet, generates e-way bills and delivery challans, and tracks each consignment until proof of delivery comes back. Reverse logistics handles returns and damaged goods. The department also manages freight costs, transporter contracts and claims for goods lost or damaged in transit.
Logistics at 50, 500 and 5,000 employees
At 50 employees there is usually a dispatch in-charge and a few helpers working from one godown, booking trucks by phone with local transporters and keeping registers by hand or in Tally. In a 500-person company a logistics manager runs one or two warehouses through warehouse managers and shift supervisors, with an inventory executive, a transport coordinator who manages transporter rates and bookings, and a team of pickers, packers and loaders working in two shifts.
At the 5,000 mark, especially in e-commerce, FMCG or third-party logistics, the head of logistics runs regional warehouses and mother hubs in places like Bhiwandi, Hosur or Gurugram, with site heads, shift managers and inventory teams at each. A central transport team negotiates contracts and watches every truck from a control tower, and a safety officer and a materials handling team look after forklifts and reach trucks. Many warehouses run three shifts, so rostering and overtime control become daily work.
How logistics works with sales, supply chain and finance
Supply chain decides what stock should be where; logistics moves and stores it. Sales and customer service need delivery dates that logistics can actually meet, and early warning when a truck is delayed. Purchase and stores coordinate inbound schedules so the dock is not jammed on the last day of the month. Finance verifies transporter bills against agreed rates and proof of delivery before payment. HR handles large volumes of shift workers: joining, attendance at the gate, overtime, and night shift arrangements for women, which need each woman's consent and must meet the government's safety conditions; companies commonly add secure transport home.
Dispatch approvals and reporting lines
Pickers, packers and loaders report to a shift supervisor, who reports to the warehouse manager, then the regional logistics manager and the head of logistics, who reports to the supply chain head or COO. Dispatches against orders are released by the dispatch in-charge once the invoice is generated, and dispatch to a credit-blocked customer needs sales and finance approval. Spot truck bookings above the contracted rate need the logistics manager's approval. Overtime is approved by the warehouse manager against the day's volume, and work beyond the ordinary eight-hour day is paid at twice the ordinary wage rate, with the worker's consent.
Typical logistics and warehousing team structure
Logistics and Warehousing designation hierarchy
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What does a logistics department do?
A logistics department moves and stores goods. It receives inbound material, runs warehouses, picks and packs orders, plans loads, books transport or runs the company's fleet, prepares e-way bills and delivery documents, tracks shipments until proof of delivery, and handles returns. It also negotiates freight rates and settles transit damage claims.
What is the hierarchy in a warehouse?
A typical warehouse hierarchy runs from pickers, packers, loaders and forklift operators to a shift supervisor or team leader, then an assistant warehouse manager, the warehouse manager and a regional warehousing or logistics manager. Inventory, quality and safety roles report to the warehouse manager alongside the operations line.
What is the difference between a logistics manager and a warehouse manager?
A warehouse manager runs one warehouse: receiving, storage, stock accuracy, picking, dispatch, people and safety inside that site. A logistics manager looks after the whole movement of goods across warehouses and transport, including carrier contracts, freight cost, delivery performance and network planning, and usually has warehouse managers reporting in.
How are shifts organized in a warehouse?
Warehouses with steady volume often run two shifts, such as 6 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 10 pm, and add a night shift for e-commerce, cold chain or port-linked work. Supervisors plan manpower by expected orders, rotate weekly offs, and approve overtime only when the day's volume needs it. Rotating teams through shifts keeps night work fair.