STRATEGIES FOR FINDING & KEEPING YOUNG TALENT
Insights into the Best Ways to Recruit and Retain the Next Generation of the Workforce
C
onsider this demographic fact: Gen Z and Millennials will be 75% of the workforce by 2025. As carriers and logistics companies struggle to find
the talent they need to prosper and grow, the younger generation is playing a larger and more dominant role.
This point was brought home by Dr. Christopher Boone, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Logistics at Mississippi State University when he spoke at one of the breakout sessions at the McLeod User Conference in Phoenix last fall. Boone was introduced at that session by Alan Washburn, Vice President of Operations at Universal Logistics. Thanks to a coordinated effort by Universal Logistics and McLeod Software, MSU is now using the McLeod system to support an experiential learning component in its newly established stand-alone major in supply chain logistics.
Recently Boone and Washburn sat down with Ahmed Ebrahim, McLeod’s Vice President of Integrations and Partnerships, to have a conversation about steps carriers and logistics companies can take to attract and succeed with the next generation of talent. Here are some of the highlights of that discussion:
Recognize the distinct profile of the younger generation
Gen Z and Millennials have grown up in a world where technology was always there. From an early age they can become veterans with using screens on electronic devices of all sorts. They expect to use technology in sophisticated ways and do not understand when other people are slow to adopt new technologies. They also have grown up with more rapid change and the ability to get feedback quickly. Everyone benefits from knowing how they are performing at work assignments, but the younger generation has a heightened hunger for management that provides more feedback on performance success.
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The younger generation is approaching work differently than previous generations. They have a stronger emphasis on knowing that the work that they’re doing matters in a larger sense. They want more flexibility in their work lives. They want more opportunity to find where they fit into a company and they want to be able to see how their work is helping the company progress in the right direction.”
— Dr. Christopher Boone, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Logistics at Mississippi State University
Create workplace strategies that fit the younger generation
Given the expectation of change, it helps to give new young employees opportunities to do different tasks. This helps them find the right fit within the company. When possible, make use of their tech savvy and let them help the older generation learn some of the new technology. Make sure you give them a view of the entire business so that they can see how they fit into the bigger picture. Try to be flexible and give them the chance to learn new things.
Stay up to speed with new technology
The younger generation can help you move into new technology, such as AI. Some logistics companies are already using AI to support business process automation. The older generation often views AI with apprehension, thinking it might be too hard to learn and understand, but it can be a way to help people do their jobs more efficiently. There is a talent and skills gap currently, so technology may be needed to fill that gap.
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