Picking Performance (Picks per  Hour)

What is Picking Performance?

The picking performance describes the number of items or order lines that an employee picks within a certain period of time (usually per hour). It is one of the most important productivity KPIs in warehouse management, as order picking accounts for the largest share of operational costs in many warehouses.

How is Picking Performance calculated?

Formula:

Number of picks ÷ working time (in hours)

Example:

An employee picks 480 order lines in 8 hours.

→ Picking performance = 60 picks per hour

What is a good Value?

Benchmarks depend heavily on the level of automation and warehouse structure:

Manual warehouses: 60–120 picks/hour
Partially automated: 120–200 picks/hour
Automated: 200–350+ picks/hour

👉 Important: Comparisons are only meaningful within similar processes and layouts.

Why is Picking Performance so important?

Order picking often accounts for over 50% of warehouse costs. Even small improvements therefore have a major impact on:

• Labor costs
• Lead times
• Fulfillment scalability

Typical Causes of low Performance

• Long walking distances in the warehouse
• Unstructured storage locations
• Repeated picking of the same item
• Lack of system support
• Unclear work instructions

How can Picking Performance be improved?

1. Route optimization

Optimized picking routes significantly reduce travel time.

2. Batch or multi-order picking

Pick multiple orders at the same time.

3. Use of picking technologies

• Pick-by-Voice
• Pick-by-Light
• Mobile scanners

4. ABC warehouse structure

Place fast-moving items closer to shipping.

5. Automation

e.g. conveyor technology or autonomous systems

Typical Mistakes in Interpretation

👉 High picking performance does not automatically mean high quality.

Example:

If speed increases, the error rate may also rise.

→ Therefore always evaluate in relation to:

• Order accuracy
• Picking error rate

.

Relation to other KPIs

• Lead time → direct dependency
• Order accuracy → quality vs. speed
• Throughput → overall system performance
  
  
  

Practical Example

A fulfillment service provider optimizes its warehouse layout:

• before: 75 picks/hour
• after optimization: 110 picks/hour

Result:

• 30% higher productivity
• lower staffing requirements at the same volume

❓ FAQ – Frequently asked Questions about Picking Performance

Conclusion

Picking performance is the key lever for efficiency in the warehouse. Companies that systematically optimize this KPI can significantly reduce costs while increasing delivery speed.

👉 However, the decisive factor is the balance between speed and quality.