Diversity and skills: be more inclusive to avoid missing out on talent
The talent shortage is already a reality in the logistics field. In 2020, 92% of transport and logistics employers surveyed by ManpowerGroup believed they would have difficulty recruiting.
With the rapid growth of e-commerce, more and more people are needed to manage, store and deliver goods. Some professions are particularly in demand, such as forklift operators who manage the flow of goods in warehouses, order pickers or logistics dispatch bay managers and inventory clerks who prepare orders for each customer. The pace is fast, with little change, which represents a challenge for employers looking to retain their workforce and remain attractive...
Putting skills first!
It's essential to focus on skills, leaving aside other considerations related to the identity of the applicants... Does this seem obvious to you?
In theory, everyone obviously wants to avoid discrimination. This is even a legal requirement in many countries. In the United States, the Civil Rights Act prohibits any differentiation based on skin color, gender, origin, or religion. The French labor code incorporates similar provisions.
But in practice, many often unconscious biases persist, often due to habit and convenience. Encouraging diversity within your teams is not always easy. It’s necessary to confront the legacy of established practices and one's own preconceived ideas and to look beyond them, by recruiting women in professions mainly occupied by men, for example. In the same way, we may hesitate to hire young professionals, who require more time to become fully operational. However, the younger generations see transport and logistics as sectors where the work is meaningful: the added value they bring to each delivery is undeniable, and youngsters understand the challenges and benefits of online sales and delivery.
The virtuous circle of inclusion
By recruiting the right person, in the right place, based on his or her skills and the meaningfulness of the work, companies can be sure of performance, but also of motivation. Indeed, we observe greater commitment from employees when they realize their full potential and fully appreciate the added value they bring through their work.
A study by the Boston Consulting Group found that an inclusive corporate culture results in a sense of inclusion and satisfaction, increased productivity, and commitment, which generates 19% more innovation and higher margins than other companies. "Those who say they are happy at work are 1.5 times more likely to state that they always want to do their best. On the other hand, dissatisfied employees are 4.6 times more likely to state that they are likely to leave their employer in the next six months", explains Les Echos.
The improvement to the overall collective intelligence of the organization will also benefit its clients, who will derive added value from inclusiveness, even more when this is envisaged in a sustainable, long-term manner. The term "sustainable value" illustrates this concept well.
In a book dedicated to this subject, author and professor Chris Laszlo believes that companies that "do things right" in terms of social justice, environment, and CSR in general, are those that do best. For him, inclusiveness is one of the factors that give companies competitive advantages in the long term.
These policies need to be successfully implemented in each organization. The example of gender equality in the recruitment process speaks for itself.
