A June 7 Logistics Management story says organizations “are sharpening their skills and getting more creative about finding, recruiting and training new employees.”
It’s no secret that companies face challenges in finding qualified job applicants across a wide swath of industries. Earlier in June, various media outlets, including CNN Money, reported, “for the first time in at least 20 years, there are now more job openings than there are people looking for work.” That results in a smaller pool of workers available in general, reducing the number of suitable logistics and supply chain candidates.
Logistics Management pointed to other factors influencing the situation, including the following:
• Supply chain and logistics is changing from a manual job to more of a “white collar” environment
• Logistics has long been a male-dominated industry
• Professionals are being asked to perform more functions
The article says that the lack of talent is causing an uptick in salaries, which should make logistics and supply chain careers more attractive. Additionally, the story points out that the industry is now targeting potential candidates at a younger age. The story interview’s Ajilon VP Tisha Danehl, who provides “nine ways to attract and retain employees in 2018.”
Advancing technology
Logistics and supply chain functions are experiencing technological advances, which can complicate the hiring process, yet potentially help attract talent. Either way, there’s a need for companies to provide training as needed.
One example of advancing technology is in the use of robotics for logistics functions, where robot implementation is becoming a driving factor across multiple industries, including pharmaceuticals.
Technology-driven advances are also moving to the trucking industry, as reported during the March Distribution Management Conference and Expo, where driver shortages were anticipated to soon reach crisis levels, with more than 175,000 job openings by 2024.
