WHAT ARE DISTRIBUTORS DOING TO SURVIVE THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND

LOGISTICS WORKFORCE CHALLENGE?

Finding suitable workers for logistics and supply chain operations is becoming increasingly challenging. So, what are companies doing about it? Research shows most organizations have made changes to their operations, technology, recruitment, and retention strategies to address workforce challenges. Those that succeed will recognize that the global war over talent is only just beginning.

AUTOMATING TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY

Companies are tackling logistics and supply chain workforce issues by boosting the productivity of their existing staff.

% % % are working to automate of companies that perform of organizations non-value-added activities above average financially are co-mingling and repetitive tasks. automate tasks (compared operations with to just 36% that are other divisions to below average). seek synergies.

European countries highest for automation:

% % %

Belgium
Netherlands
France

TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF LABOR SHORTAGE

Technology may help companies meet logistics and supply chain labor shortage challenges.

of companies are investing in route optimization % technology and

in driver mobile productivity solutions to mitigate % the labor workforce shortage.

% % % of German companies The UK had the highest of companies have fully deploy delivery route number of mobile driver employed full warehouse optimization, the highest productivity solutions of any automation, and a further of any country surveyed. nation surveyed at 49%. 26% have partially deployed.

% % % of companies have fully of companies have deployed of businesses are fully deployed warehouse robots driverless vehicles in their using drones to reduce as part of their operations, logistics business, while workforce requirements, with 22% partially 14% are partial deployers. while 13% are partially deploying them. leveraging them.

TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE SKILLS SHORTAGE

Technology is helping to address the shortage of skilled and highly talented workers in logistics and supply chain operations.

% % of organizations are of businesses surveyed partially or fully deploying in Belgium/Netherlands AI to reduce workloads. used real-time tracking, the highest among all surveyed countries.

% of organizations cite partially or fully deploying automated real-time shipment tracking to address the supply chain and logistics knowledge worker shortage.

% % of companies in Belgium/Netherlands are using advanced analytics to assist backroom operations, the highest in the sample, compared to only 47% across all countries.

35% of companies offer flexible working hours—the most-cited perk—to attract Millennial and Gen Z talent.

34% Only 23%

adopt the latest of surveyed technology to impress organizations offer potential younger childcare allowances. talent.

CONCLUSION

output per hour worked.

of Canadian companies use AI for back-office logistics automation.

APPROACHES TO ATTRACT NEW WORKERS

Companies can also boost worker numbers by attracting new talent:

The severe workforce shortage in supply chain and logistics is compelling organizations to prioritize productivity and talent acquisition above all else. Automation is a key stop-gap measure to replace labor and knowledge-based tasks while advancing technology is further improving real-time shopping tracking and route optimization, adding to existing staff’s