Distribution and logistics businesses face staffing issues across a variety of roles, with a recent survey finding 13% are struggling with severe warehouse shortages, and 24.5% are unable to find van drivers. The labour market has been impacted by Brexit, the ageing population, high customer expectations and a lack of awareness around working in logistics.
The UK government’s solution is the Generation Logistics Initiative. Renewed in June 2023 with £300,000 of funding, it is a broad 33-point plan to engage younger audiences and encourage them to work in the sector. This will largely concentrate on Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) and the emerging Generation Alpha (those born between the early 2010s and 2025), with these combined demographics predicted to make up a quarter of the UK workforce by the end of this decade.
Logistics and distribution leaders can futureproof their talent pipelines by learning from Generation Logistics’ initiatives, working to secure the supply and retention of Gen Z and Alpha employees.
Reach your future staff
Operations and people leaders in the sector will be well acquainted with employer brand: differentiating yourself in the labour market to inspire more job applications, of a better quality. Innovative logistics and distribution firms are now marketing their employer brand via youth-focused channels, with Amazon, Maersk, Asda and Tesco spending £30,000 each on a Generation Logistics TikTok campaign.
Employers will benefit from a strong social media recruitment strategy, leveraging the latest platforms and creating authentic, honest content, including day in the life videos and myth-busters. It is also important that brand campaigning is linked to a mobile-friendly hiring process, allowing digital native younger generations to move from attraction to application quickly and easily.
Image revamp
The logistics and distribution industry also suffers from its complexity and “behind-the-scenes" nature, with Generation Logistics’ initial research showing that young people were unlikely to pursue a career in the sector due to not understanding what this would involve. Sub-sectors of the industry like trucking and warehouse packing also face a reputation of being male-dominated, repetitive and low paid.
With digitisation expanding the distribution and logistics job spectrum, individual businesses can follow in Generation Logisitics’ footsteps and demonstrate the wide range of experiences the sector has to offer. Marketing and People teams must work together closely to demonstrate the variety of roles available, what they entail and the career paths these will unlock.
This will involve considering innovative ways to bring the industry to life. For example, the American Trucking Association have created a new app, TMC SuperTech, to educate middle and high school students about the real tasks of the trucking industry through a 15-level game. To attract new talent, try fresh new approaches.
Values-based attraction
Gen Z are more environmentally, socially and ethically focused than the generations that came before, with 39% turning down job opportunities when employers do not align with their values. Therefore, businesses wishing to stay ahead must ensure that their mission statement is carefully considered and claims are backed by demonstrable evidence. Sustainability, diversity and social impact are all high on the agenda for new generations. Initiatives such as developing local labour, donating to charitable funds and prioritising road safety should be encouraged as part of the shift towards a more morally conscious incoming labour force.
The logistics and distribution sector encompasses abundant career opportunities that are still undiscovered by Gen Z and Alpha. By thinking outside the box and striving for constant evolution, companies can make themselves more attractive to prospective employees.