Survey Sees Skilled Labor Shortage in Logistics as Self-Made

Europe is suffering from a skilled labor shortage, and logistics is particularly affected. The situation for driving personnel looks dramatic. But what is the cause? Are political mistakes responsible? Is there too little being done? Or is the skilled labor shortage self-made? At least 59 percent of respondents in a survey by Loginfo24 on LinkedIn saw it this way.

(Basel) The skilled labor shortage is a buzzword that is increasingly concerning logistics. The greatest worries arise from filling open positions for driving personnel. Some logistics companies have to park vehicles in the yard and refuse orders.

Not as dramatic, but still challenging, is the situation in other areas of logistics. There is a particular shortage of qualified warehouse personnel. In this area, logistics service providers, retailers, retail chains, and industrial companies are all competing for staff. The significant increase in online trade has further heightened the demand for employees in this sector, even though e-commerce has recently stagnated, albeit at a high level.

There is also a lack of skilled workers in the commercial sector and other areas of logistics and transport.

What is the cause of unfilled positions?

A survey by Loginfo24 on LinkedIn involved 174 participants, all professionals and executives from the logistics sector. Among them, 59 percent (102 votes) of the participants believed that the problems were self-made. The position “Too little training” aligns with this view (13 percent or 23 votes).

Logistics service providers or logistics departments in trade and industry must therefore ask themselves the following questions:

• Are we taking the right approach in recruitment? Are all possibilities, including social media, being utilized to advertise open positions?
• Is the potential of existing employees fully utilized in recruitment? Under the motto: “Who knows someone (who knows someone who knows someone…)”
• Does the environment meet market conditions?
  • Attractiveness
  • Infrastructure
  • Work climate
  • Development opportunities
  • Further education
• Are the requirements for an open position set too high?
• Is there an overemphasis on “academization”?
• Are resumes, school and work certificates, or application documents generally overvalued?
• Are we attracting enough young talent or offering enough training positions?

Are application documents overvalued?

Still, 18 percent (31 votes) of respondents saw the problem with politics, and 10 percent (18 votes) attributed the cause to demographic circumstances.

What can politics really do about the skilled labor shortage? It can influence the environment in education and the economy. It can facilitate access for people from abroad. It can also ensure that the financial framework (taxes) and legal conditions for the overall economy are appropriate, but then the possibilities are quite exhausted.

It cannot pave the way for individual sectors. Also, in terms of demographics, politics can only intervene to a limited extent. The fact that many older employees will retire in the coming years and significantly fewer newcomers will enter the labor market is only partially controllable. Certainly not in the short term.

The participants in the survey predominantly come from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. However, the issue of the skilled labor shortage does not only concern these three countries but is a topic throughout Europe and even worldwide.

What can be done to attract more skilled workers?

The possibilities begin with questioning the points mentioned above. Furthermore, one can work on one’s own image. Is one known in the area where one operates (this also applies to branches)? Is one perceived as an employer or possibly as a training company? Supporting local events and associations costs relatively little but has a significant impact.

Table football tables in companies have somehow become a symbol of a good working atmosphere. But is that enough to solve the skilled labor shortage?

Many logistics companies are now participating in recruitment events. This is certainly worth emulating, even for smaller companies. Some companies are also active on social media and showcase scenes from everyday life there. In particular, Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat, where many young people gather, should, alongside LinkedIn, XING, or Facebook, also be considered. All three are free but must be regularly and properly “played.”

Overall, industry associations are also very active and show significant efforts to make the industry known and popular. Specifically for the image of logistics, organizations such as “Die Wirtschaftsmacher” in Germany and the umbrella organization of logistics associations “Swiss Supply” in Switzerland create awareness through image campaigns.

https://die-wirtschaftsmacher.de/berufsprofile

https://swiss-supply.ch/aktivitaeten/swiss-supply-life

A Good Example from Belgium

A good example of how to address the skilled labor shortage comes from Belgium. There, the logistics provider H. Essers has launched the campaign “A Red Solution for All.” They give everyone who applies a chance.

“We want to give everyone the chance to work,” explains Gert Bervoets, CEO of H. Essers, adding: “That’s why we do more than just write job advertisements.” Specifically, the logistics company invests in the training and development of people. With the H. Essers Academy, the company has its own training center with a broad portfolio of offerings: from obtaining a driver’s license to language courses for migrants to a personal talent development path that prepares employees for the next career step. In cooperation with social institutions and administrations, inclusion is to be ensured to give people with disabilities the opportunity to contribute their talents to gainful employment.

This has even caught the attention of the Belgian King Philippe, who personally visited the site.

The Full Report:

https://loginfo24.com/belgischer-koenig-philippe-zu-gast-beim-logistikdienstleister-h-essers/

Belgian King Philippe (left) and Gert Bervoets, CEO of H. Essers (2nd from left), in conversation with Essers employees

Creativity and activity can thus lead logistics companies to address or at least alleviate the shortage of qualified personnel.

Photos: © Loginfo24/Adobe Stock