Logistics companies suffer massively from skills shortage
According to a recent survey by the Logistics Hall of Fame in cooperation with the SCHUNCK GROUP, the ongoing shortage of skilled workers ranks second in the global risk ranking behind cybercrime.
One in three companies in the logistics sector is already suffering massively from the ongoing shortage of skilled workers. This is the result of the latest Logistics Hall of Fame Trend Survey in cooperation with the SCHUNCK GROUP. Almost 35 percent of the companies surveyed stated that they had already suffered financial losses due to a lack of personnel. Around 26 percent of respondents rated the risk of suffering financial losses due to a shortage of suitable personnel as extremely high and scored nine to ten points on a scale of one to ten. 53 percent gave five, six or seven points.
When asked about the risks that currently pose the greatest threat to the logistics industry worldwide, the shortage of skilled workers (60 percent) took second place. Only cybercrime (68 percent) causes companies even more concern. Political risks, climate change, legal changes and supply chain disruptions followed in next position. Possible risk factors such as the outbreak of a pandemic or market changes, on the other hand, play a subordinate role in the risk ranking. The respondents on the panel had the option of selecting up to three risks for this question.
92 percent of those who took part in the survey named the creation of attractive working conditions as the most important means of combating the shortage of skilled workers. "It is directly in the hands of the companies to turn precisely this adjusting screw," emphasizes Thomas Wicke, Managing Director of the SCHUNCK GROUP. However, it is important to think outside the box and not just focus on good salaries. "Companies have numerous opportunities to position themselves as an attractive employer and offer more than other companies, even beyond appropriate pay. The Employee Benefits & Special Concepts Competence Center at SCHUNCK supports companies in identifying the right offers for their employees. Possible starting points are, for example, the offer of company-owned supplementary health insurance or the promotion of sports programs," he explains.
69 percent of respondents also named the promotion of employee training and personal development as a possible way of finding and retaining skilled workers. 46 percent highlighted the need to drive forward digitalization, while 38 percent also rated the development of a good employer brand as important.
The survey, in which an executive C-level panel of selected managing directors, board members and entrepreneurs from the Logistics Hall of Fame network and the SCHUNCK Group take part, is conducted several times a year on changing topics. The survey presents a current picture of the mood in the industry and does not aim to be representative.
(Photo: unsplash/Markus Spiske)
