You would never believe that Linda George has been awake since 3.30am.
Judging by the efficiency with which he moves between the towering pallet racks at SPAR Eastern Cape’s distribution warehouse in Gqeberha he looks as fresh as a daisy.
In George’s world, operating like greased lightning as he responds to the orders crackling through his headset is an art form.
He may spend his days in a warehouse but he is driven by a passion for serving the broader community – a role he performed with aplomb as an essential worker ensuring an uninterrupted supply of food during the pandemic.
The 32-year-old joined the distribution centre as part of a work-experience programme at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and proved so effective that he gained permanent employment as a picker 12 months later.
As he races to collect his next load it is plain to see why he is considered one of the assembly department’s finest.
The father-of-two knows the picking phases like the back of his hand and his mastery of the pallet truck is second to none.
Strangers to a warehouse environment may have heard the word “picker” but few know what the job entails.
In George’s own words, “it can be hectic”.
He is collected from home by the company shuttle at around 5am and starts his shift with a bit of “housekeeping” to make sure the floor is clean and free of obstacles.
The action begins in earnest at 6am when the pickers take direction from Talkman, a voice-enabled computer system.
This tells them where to go, what quantities of product to load and which stores will be receiving the goods.
“For example, it will say, ‘Go to aisle BA, slot 03A’,” George explains.
“Once you have picked the pallet, you take it to the bays in the dispatch department. As soon as you are finished with one job, you call for the next.”
This goes on for three straight hours before morning tea is called. It is only a 15-minute break, however, and he is soon back on his steed charging down the lanes.
His next chance for some respite comes at the 11.30am lunchbreak. Once that is over, it’s full throttle until his day ends at 2pm.
The expectations are the same for the night shift.
“It’s tiring but you must do it,” George, still proud of the responsibility that landed on his shoulders during Covid, says.
Fatigue is sometimes a challenge in terms of striking the right balance between home life and his job but he makes it work by going to bed early.
His colleagues are quick to tell you that he has a very good head on his shoulders.
In fact, it was only a lack of funds that prevented him from continuing his public administration studies at the University of Fort Hare. He still dreams of one day resuming his tertiary education.
He would also like to eventually move into a management position at the distribution centre, whether in his current or another department.
To this end, he is gaining experience by running shifts in assembly from time to time. He has also learnt the ins and outs of retail inventory as part of an internal training programme.
Cool, calm and collected, George is just waiting to pick the right moment for launch.