Recruitment in logistics. How do you find a good candidate?

It's not easy. Recruitment in logistics is a tough nut to crack

The logistics industry faces considerable problems when it comes to human resources. There is a shortage of workers, and this applies to both physical workers and skilled professionals. Logistics was in high demand for a long time. Young people were eager to choose this field of study, and those who were already trying to find their place on the job market took transport companies as their target. However, something has changed, as as many as 75% of companies specializing in warehouse management are having difficulty recruiting employees, according to data published by Instawork. The shortage of logistics workers in Europe is huge at 1.1 million workers. Poland is in third place in the ranking of countries where these shortages are the largest.

Concrete in logistics recruitment. Coffee on the bench already at the start

It's hard to explain, but on the one hand we have a huge shortage of staff in logistics, and on the other hand we have recruitment problems for companies. The industry is growing, but it is still associated only with manual labor and doesn't have the best image. This definitely needs fixing.

You need to present all these expectations to potential candidates. This not only gives them concrete benchmarks to which they can match their competencies, but also gives them a chance to change their perception of the industry - aha, I don't have to move heavy goods, and I can sit behind a desk, analyze data and control delivery processes. Don't be afraid to write and talk about your high expectations. At the same time, if you are in a position to teach a new employee something, mention that too. Companies rely on experienced employees and verify this experience very carefully, thus avoiding the risk of hiring a person who does not have the skills and qualifications they declared. However, there are companies that show openness to employee development. They require commitment and knowledge of certain issues, but are willing to apprentice new employees. Sometimes this turns out to be a better solution than hiring an already targeted specialist with developed standards of his own.

Talk about what you expect and what you can offer a prospective employee at the start and don't beat around the bush. Don't forget about the salary. Fewer and fewer companies omit this aspect in their ads (fortunately). However, there are still some that consider it a secret knowledge. Then how is this candidate supposed to decide whether he wants to work for this company or not...?

Ok, while we're on the subject of honesty, recruitment in logistics should be as transparent as possible, and communicate everything you can to candidates right away. Why? Because they have a lot of doubts, and you simply need loyal employees who won't say goodbye to you or you to them even before the probationary period is over. Your goal is to fill the gaps in your staff, not to constantly check and vet people who want or need to work in logistics. Don't hide the fact that you are just in the process of changing the operating system and this has disrupted the company somewhat. Mention that business trips are your daily bread at your company. The company is large and targets premium customers, so services are more expensive than your competitors. Let candidates make informed decisions. Create your brand to be what it really is. Be sincere if that sincerity is what you expect, and be aware that recruiting in logistics is challenging.

Don't let this recruitment process take forever. In logistics, time is of the essence

Since companies in the logistics industry need employees, they are certainly actively recruiting. Some manage to get an employee right away, others toil for months. Competition is fierce, and those willing to apply are as good as gold. So there is no time for long recruitment processes that drag on for months. Then there is the risk that when you get back to the right person with an answer, he or she will already be sitting behind a desk in another company.