Job market boom predicted in supply chain sector as vacancies rise above pre-lockdown levels

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Job market boom predicted in supply chain sector as vacancies rise above pre-lockdown levels.

The supply chain sector will experience a job market boom over the coming months as over 60 percent of workers in warehouse, logistics and delivery spent time during lockdown searching for a new role, according to latest research.

All stages of the supply chain experienced a growing increase in vacancies during September 2020, with over 40,000 vacancies now open in the industry, according to latest figures revealed by Monster, the recruitment platform.

Derek Jenkins, General Manager for Monster in UK & Ireland, said: “The growing demand is due to two factors. Firstly, the changing landscape of labour supply and demand. Remote working has had a huge impact in how we live, work and shop, which has fuelled the need for more supply chain workers. Secondly, those already within the industry have reassessed their current roles and many are now looking to move as a result.”

According to the survey of over 2,600 UK employees and jobseekers, employee values and motivations have changed since the start of lockdown. Most workers in the warehouse, logistics and delivery sector (71 percent) would consider searching for a new role within the next 12 months.

Feeling that their career is meaningful and of value to the wider society and how their employer treated the workforce during the pandemic are among the new priorities for employees and jobseekers in the industry.  

A staggering 85 percent of workers want their work to have meaning, while 81 percent are currently on the lookout for a new position that gives them a greater sense of purpose, according to the research.

Behavioural scientist, Richard Shotton, believes the lockdown has encouraged workers to further reassess and prioritise non-intrinsic motivations, like job satisfaction, above external rewards, such as money, praise or awards.

Commenting on the research, Richard Shotton said: “The evidence shows that intrinsic motivations – such as the enjoyment of the role, sense of contributing to the wider society, or intellectual appeal of the job – are far more important than money.”

How businesses treated their employees during the pandemic is also now an important factor for those seeking new roles, with most individuals viewing this is a top priority for their next career move.

More than a third of logistics workers (39 percent) feel unhappy with how their current employer handled the pandemic, which may explain why so many are now looking to move. Over 70 percent say this is an important consideration when choosing their next role.

“The global pandemic has given workers a chance to reassess what’s important to them. This has undoubtedly changed since the start of lockdown and, as a result, we predict a hive of activity over the coming weeks as people look to move both within and outside the supply chain industry,” continues Jenkins.

“In many cases, people are looking to change careers entirely or to transfer their skillset over to another sector. There is a huge opportunity for employers, with the right message, to attract experienced staff. Now more than ever it’s important for them to understand exactly what their employees and potential candidates’ truly value if they want to attract, motivate and retain the very best talent.”

Over half of vacancies are for entry-level positions, revealing a need for companies to attract new workers from outside the industry to meet rising demand. The occupation with the highest demand by volume is HGV Drivers, while the most common entry-level role with no experience required is a warehouse operative or packer.

“There will be an influx of skilled and hard-working candidates into the marketplace, including those coming from businesses in hard-hit sectors like hospitality, tourism and retail. This will flip previous market conditions and mean recruiters need to change their behaviours. As a world-leader in connecting people, we are doing everything we can to support both companies and candidates ahead of the jobseeker market boom. This includes launching a multi-media campaign to help businesses in the sector attract the right candidates, an initiative that has already reached over 50,000 people nationwide,” concludes Jenkins.

Monster has released a report entitled: ‘Where do we go from here? Coming Out of Lockdown’ to support companies in the supply chain sector through the changing candidate landscape. The report provides valuable insights into the mindset of the industry’s workforce and advises businesses on how to reach and hire candidates, boost morale, increase productivity and reduce attrition as Britain gets back to work.

*Based on research carried out by Monster among 2,625 UK workers, July 2020.