Remote Webinar Mar 2024
Industry Insider: How transportation & logistics sector builds talent pools by collaborating with local universities

Industry Insider: How transportation & logistics sector builds talent pools by collaborating with local universities

In this brand-new section, we bring to you dedicated industry-specific interviews to solve the talent challenges that you're facing in your sector, as well as cross-pollinate ideas across sectors. Check out this week's interview:

Industry insider: Gregory Pantow, Head of Human Resources, DHL Global Forwarding Indonesia
Sector spotlight: Transportation & logistics
Based in: Indonesia

With the prevalence of technology and increasing customer expectations, this industry is turning towards digitalisation for its next wave of growth. This means it not only needs talent with the right skillsets, but it needs to develop the right culture internally.

The number one talent challenge this sector is facing

Given the complexity of the logistics industry, there are very specific requirements when it comes to talent acquisition. At DHL, we count employees as our greatest assets and have extremely stringent criteria to help us recruit the best talent who can help us meet our customers’ logistics needs. Finding the right candidates with a logistics background and that fits our customer-centric culture can often be a challenge.

Developments that are intensifying this challenge

With the prevalence of technology and increasing customer expectations, the industry is turning towards digitalisation for its next wave of growth. At Deutsche Post DHL Group, we are stepping up on our digital transformation as part of our Strategy 2025 to boost efficiency. This means that we not only need to find talent with the right skillsets, we need to develop the right culture internally to help our employees to adapt and stay ahead of changes in this dynamic industry.

"For HR, having a seat in the boardroom ultimately ensures that employees are always a priority in every decision making process instead of an afterthought."

Best practices: Strategies that have worked in tackling this challenge

Internally, our Certified International Forwarder programme plays a big role. We instill the right mindset in our employees and help them to understand our overall goals and values through a series of workshops. The programme covers basic skills and cross function topics like compliance, to more role-specific skills in customer service, sales, and product. We believe this provides our employees with the right mindset and knowledge to be experts in the industry so that they can better serve our customers.

To manage talent acquisition challenges and build our talent pool sources, we collaborate with local universities that have logistics programmes and tap employees’ networks. We also recently launched a scholarship programme for our employees to develop their current expertise by obtaining a higher degree in their area.

The next big priority for HR professionals in this sector

Looking at the current market, I personally believe that employee retention is more important than ever for an organisation’s long-term growth. That is why we are committed to implementing HR practices, which have garnered us a Top Employer 2020 certification, by fostering a positive work environment and encouraging our employees’ personal and professional development.

How CHROs are proactively preparing for the future workplace

The dynamic world of logistics industry requires us to constantly update our skillsets. As we move towards digitalisation, the demand for real-time information does not only come from our customers but also our employees. We ensure that our employees have direct access to information like workforce analytics, the latest updated policies to their compensation and benefits information. They are also kept updated on organisational news via the intranet and online communities on internal social media platforms.

To continue to develop leaders in the organisation, the management in DHL Global Forwarding Indonesia believes in keeping an open mind to ideas and an open door policy for all employees to voice any concerns. As employees increasingly seek fulfilment at work, it is important to engage them by seeking their feedback via informal and formal channels, and involving them in corporate responsibility programmes that give back to society.

For HR, having a seat in the boardroom ultimately ensures that employees are always a priority in every decision making process instead of an afterthought. I believe that that’s what sets employers of choice apart and helps us attract and retain the best talent.

Photo / Provided


This feature has been published exclusively in the Jan-Mar Q1 issue of Human Resources. Read this edition of Human Resources, Malaysia:

hrmy q120

Follow us on Telegram and on Instagram @humanresourcesonline for all the latest HR and manpower news from around the region!

Free newsletter

Get the daily lowdown on Asia's top Human Resources stories.

We break down the big and messy topics of the day so you're updated on the most important developments in Asia's Human Resources development – for free.

subscribe now open in new window