The logistics sector has been a candidate-driven recruitment market for several years now, and never more so than since the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdown permanently shifted the balance from employer to employee, with top talent now demanding greater flexibility and a long list of preferences that goes beyond the simple salary and benefits remuneration package.Our own Logistics Salary Guide 2023 found permanent roles are taking an average of 37 days to fill, while temporary positions are filled in 17 days - and the successful candidate's CV for a temporary vacancy is typically received on the day the position is posted.In this fast-moving hiring market, how can employers compensate for the skills shortage and put together an EVP that appeals to the most talented candidates? Green logistics is one way to do all that, while cutting costs, raising profits and improving sustainability across the board.What is green logistics?SAP define green logistics as "any business practice that minimises the environmental impact of the logistics network and delivery". The immediate benefits include a stronger bottom line, consistent customer satisfaction and the knowledge that you are helping to maintain the wellbeing of the planet as a whole.Green logistics can be achieved using business intelligence tools like SAP's own, to analyse operations and processes, drive previously unseen efficiencies, and to apply artificial intelligence capabilities and machine learning to logistics sustainability challenges.Benefits of aligning with green logisticsWe've touched briefly on some of the broad benefits of aligning with green logistics, but is it worth it? In logistics, where land, air and sea freight rely on the availability of fuel (and increasingly on greener alternatives to petroleum), the search for sustainability is particularly pressing, with government regulations bearing down on avoidable emissions.The UK logistics industry is already doing its part to respond to these challenges. Select report that logistics recruitment is adapting to this by targeting candidates with green experience, inviting innovation from personnel on climate issues, and investing in training to upskill the workforce from within.Key skills logistics businesses need for the sustainability agendaKey skills for green logistics range from the eco-focused to the info-driven. Seetec Outsource report the availability of training courses to address both elements of this:To identify ways to use energy and materials more efficientlyTo develop data resources to improve performance in logisticsThis echoes SAP's view of green logistics as a data-driven conundrum that can be solved using ERP and BI platforms, along with the innovation of information-conscious personnel.How to attract top talentSo, what does it take to attract and retain top talent in logistics - and where does green logistics fit into that hiring landscape?Michael Page surveyed 5,000 UK workers, including hundreds in logistics and manufacturing roles, to find out what matters most to them in 2023.We found pensions, bonuses and private medical insurance are all high on the agenda. Quality of life factors are also of above-average importance to logistics workers:Work-life balance is important to 66% of logistics personnel (64% across all sectors)28+ days' annual leave is important to 63% of logistics (52% across all sectors)Green logistics aligns neatly as an extension of this, showing candidates that you are committed to leaving a greener, cleaner world for them to enjoy on those hard-earned days off.Embracing diversity in green logisticsThe move towards green logistics is the perfect time to adjust recruitment campaigns to place more focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). A great starting place for this is the gender divide in logistics, which has traditionally been a very male-dominated sector.Laura Frost, Business Manager at Michael Page Logistics, recently noted that despite 25 years of significant change, female workers still constitute less than a quarter of the UK's 1.5 million logistics personnel.Yet she also pointed to research that shows how workforce diversity "fosters collaboration, diversity of thought, understanding and tolerance".On a practical note directly relevant to embracing green logistics, a more diverse hiring strategy increases the chance of finding the right candidate within the local area, reducing the number of carbon miles associated with their daily commute.More talent trends in logisticsLogistics talent is crying out for opportunity right now - our latest salary data shows one in five logistics candidates believe there is little opportunity in the jobs market, double the proportion seen in other sectors.But there is a mismatch between candidates seeking opportunities, and the skills in demand among employers. With this in mind, we expect the temp and interim market to supply many of the stop-gap skills needed to complete the transition to green logistics, until the permanent candidate pool can catch up.Learn more about what top talent want from employers, download our Talent Trends eBook today.
