Retaining and keeping qualified workers is the greatest challenge for supply chain leaders, with 56% struggling with ongoing talent shortages. This particularly pertains to entry-level positions, as testified by the UK Government renewing its commitment to Generation Logistics, a campaign to encourage more young people to take up a career in the logistics industry. However, as automated trucking and warehouse robotics are hot topics, is it any wonder that Generation Z and younger are reluctant to train for positions that seem as if they may not exist in 20 years?
It lies with distribution and logistics leaders to reassure their staff and potential workforce that though the human role in the supply chain may evolve over the years, the expertise gained will always be invaluable and a great career in distribution and logistics is for life. With a solid progression planning strategy, enabled by Performance and Talent software, leaders can build a team confident of their future in the sector.
Clear pathways to personal success
The most cited reason for leaving a job is better career prospects, with this accounting for 60 per cent of those looking to resign according to a recent survey. With 81 per cent of employees having no written career plan, it seems that many workers are struggling to see how they can progress in their current role. It is vital therefore that employers demonstrate how career dreams can be realised whilst staying in the same company, joining the dots between a bright future and an employee’s current position.
Team members must be able to set both short and long-term goals, with clear links made between how achieving the former can unlock the latter. As 85 per cent of frontline supply chain workers say that it is important for the organisation to see them as a person, not just an employee, leaders must demonstrate that they respect their workers as individuals on their own personal journey. Bosses should map out how accomplishing agile, specific goals will result in success not just for the company, but for each worker themselves as they progress on their career path.
Empowering through software
Performance and Talent software collates all career progression information, including targets, feedback, measurement and analytics, in one easy-to-use system. Employees can set goals for approval by their team leader and access these and continuous assessment on their own personal dashboard. They can also request feedback from anyone in the organisation, providing a wide-reaching picture of their performance to team leads. In the distribution and logistics industry, where workers like drivers are more likely to interact daily with other people working in the supply chain frontline, like warehouse staff, rather than their direct people lead, this offers an opportunity to build a well-rounded view of performance and reward strong relationships between different functional units.
By being able to monitor progress and provide evidence of how they meet their targets, distribution and logistics workers using Performance and Talent are more likely to feel supported by the company and treated as a learning, growing person rather than a cog in the machine.
Upskilling
Leaders must also counter worries about technology automating away distribution and logistics roles. It is naive to insist that the work will stay the same – and unlikely to reassure employees, as the news cycle drums home the message that AI and robotics are here to disrupt the world of employment forever. Instead, leaders can focus on upskilling workers so their roles evolve in line with the technological revolution. At DHL Parcel UK, for example, every team member goes through a Certified eCommerce Specialist programme as part of their own personal development. Investing in training like this demonstrates a commitment to your workforce, for the long haul. It also boosts the career prospects of each person in the new technological world, making a career in distribution and logistics more enticing.
Performance and Talent software allows users to log training targets, and mark them as achieved in a single system, giving an overview of the personal development undertaken over the course of a career. It also facilitates learning conversations between leaders and team members, where soft and leadership skills can be discussed and, saved on your own online dashboard, remembered and referred to. Rather than letting learning and development opportunities get forgotten, link them to the bigger picture of personal development with a solution that integrates all the different aspects of career progression.
By investing in employee performance and talent management, distribution and logistics managers can achieve significant benefits for their staff and for the business as a whole. Increased retention rates, improved job satisfaction, greater alignment with company goals, increased productivity, and enhanced team morale are among the many advantages of supporting employee growth and progression planning. So, don't hesitate – start investing in your staff's personal and professional growth today. Your business and your employees will thank you for it.
Investigate Performance & Talent – Continuous Performance Management Software