Interview
Borgholzhausen, May 4th, 2021 – The job market is on the move. His constant companion is the explosive shortage of skilled workers. Innovations and new approaches are constantly changing the world of Human Resources (HR). At the ZP Nord der Zukunft Personal in Hamburg, 180 experts discussed opportunities and challenges. This year with a focus on logistics. Marcus Meyer, Head of Human Resources at B+S GmbH Logistik und dienstleistungen, was on site in the Hanseatic city. In this interview he gives thematic impetus for recruiting 2.0 in logistics.
Why does logistics have a bad image on the labor market and what can each individual employer company do about it?
The public perceives logistics in very stereotypical images. People see trucks, containers and warehouses. They got the impression that the work is hard and stressful, but the pay is bad. And then the actors would not even get the recognition they deserve from the employer, its customers and the end consumers. Unfortunately, the logistics sector here has almost the same image as the healthcare sector. We have also come into focus because we continue to grow as a separate branch, but also in our cross-sectional function in industry and trade, and our services have become of interest. Our service is based on performance: full shelves in the supermarket; Ordered online today, delivered by logistics in 48 hours. Change will only be possible when customers recognize this. As employers change core conditions and introduce measures to be able to act sustainably in the HR sense, the attractiveness of logistics companies as employers will increase.
How do you experience the discrepancy between “brand promise” and “brand experience” in relation to the employer brand? How do you make the employer brand promise come true at B+S and make it tangible?
It is no longer the case that in families the career path in a company is “inherited” from the grandparents via the parents to the offspring. Or that the name of the potential employer alone ensures extensive staff loyalty. Companies have to advertise themselves and do employer branding. Applicants want to know what service they stand for, what attitude the “company” has towards current social developments and what the individual work-life balance is like. At B+S, we only promise things that we can keep. Our services are subject to many defined processes that employees have to adapt to. Unfortunately, we are all in the “War of Talents” in a ring with all other employers – not just those from logistics. There are sectors here that can offer their employees more because they can practice their business in a different way. We shouldn’t make the mistake of trying to provide that and then failing. In the worst case, we don’t just lose a good new colleague. We also do not live up to the claim of being an honest employer. This rightly creates a negative image very quickly in the relevant milieus. To put it in a nutshell: “Tell the truth and find the talent that burns for logistics.”
Which top recruiting trends are you currently observing and how do they affect recruiting at B+S?
So-called performance recruiting via social media channels is a trend that we are currently seeing. Here you can search specifically for applicants for specific job profiles, because you can measure which social networks they use and, above all, communicate with other people. Word of mouth goes digital. Every company has to see to what extent this influencing has potential for its own recruiting goal. The entire recruiting market is changing. One of the reasons for this is that digitization has progressed very quickly as a result of COVID-19. The processes in the application procedure have been adjusted accordingly. A first meeting does not take place on site, but digitally via a tool. In addition, the applicant market is getting smaller and smaller. There is no single top trend. It will always be a mix of many possibilities. The classic formats such as advertisements or personal contact at events will also remain with us. It’s just important to recognize the changes and take advantage of them.
Please add: “What I always wanted to say to potential employees about working and career opportunities in logistics is …
… that they have every opportunity for development in logistics, can contribute their ideas and thus have a career. Logistics has the jobs already mentioned above, for which you literally need a hands-on mentality. Here we are looking for people who can lend a hand and keep the machine running. Logistics, for example, is also information technology with jobs for software specialists who make the supply chain digitally fit and build interfaces. Our business area also offers playing fields for business experts. “From order picker to site manager” is not a platitude in logistics, but a real career opportunity. In the end, it just depends on how much the interested parties want this advancement and are willing to leave their own “comfort zone”.