Start a warehouse-to-driver transition program. Because federal regulations prevent people younger than 21 from obtaining a commercial driver’s license (CDL) that would allow them to drive trucks across state lines, many high school graduates who may have considered a trucking career pursue jobs in other fields.

Companies can break down this barrier and establish a hiring pipeline by creating transition programs that give young people the opportunity to work in a warehouse before attending truck driving school and eventually becoming a professional driver.

Implement a thorough onboarding process. Truck driving schools teach the skills and knowledge needed to pass the CDL exam. They do not provide all the tools drivers need to succeed at the companies that hire them.

Ensure employees have consistent and meaningful contact with managers and supervisors. Consider assigning new drivers to an experienced mentor or having them spend time with a partner who can show them the ropes.

Offer CDL tuition reimbursement. Financial limitations can be an obstacle when beginning a career. Paying all or part of the cost to attend CDL school is another way to entice younger drivers to join your company. Many organizations that provide tuition reimbursement pay drivers in increments over time, which can also boost retention.

Begin an employee referral program. According to a recent American Transportation Research Institute study, 73% of surveyed drivers between the ages of 18 and 25 were introduced to trucking by an adult relative. Giving referral bonuses to current employees can inspire them to not only advocate for trucking as a career choice, but also promote your company’s open jobs to the younger drivers they know. Often seen as a perk, these bonuses can help you retain drivers after you hire them, too.

Provide recognition and incentives. Younger employees want more frequent recognition compared to older generations. Acknowledge your drivers’ outstanding work with Driver of the Month and Driver of the Year awards, tout their accomplishments in company newsletters and social media pages, and host appreciation activities like cookouts and outings. And incentives for safe driving and additional training show your drivers that hard work pays off.

Create clear paths for advancement. Many drivers in the early stages of their careers are motivated by the prospect of earning better opportunities down the road. While it is important to offer higher pay or more flexible schedules, companies must also establish a viable path from the truck to the office.

Give drivers the chance to become trainers, team leads, dispatchers or members of operations and management teams. The best fleet leaders are often former drivers due to their firsthand experience behind the wheel.

Support work-life balance. When it comes to factors influencing job satisfaction, drivers of all ages consider home time to be the most important. When possible, companies should create more regional and local jobs that allow drivers to be home every night.

Also accommodate for those who desire part-time or flexible work. This can help combat the industry’s reputation for long hours that has kept younger generations away.

Companies that can connect with young drivers—a largely untapped source of talent—will be well-positioned for success in the face of the ongoing driver shortage.

The Impact of Diverse Leadership

Diversity at the C-level is not merely a buzzword; it is a game-changer. While the transportation tech industry often sees male executives at the helm, there is a wealth of talented women who are subject matter experts at various levels.

According to the McKinsey & Company Women in the Workplace 2023 study, the transportation, logistics, and infrastructure industry does not struggle as much as other sectors with attracting women to entry-level positions (48% of the workforce), but the talent pipeline decreases with each next career step. It clearly demonstrates the infamous “broken rung,” the greatest obstacle women face in progressing their careers to the C-suite—women are represented in only 37% of the first-tier managerial positions, a whopping 11% drop from the entry-level positions.

Not surprisingly, with the talent pipeline drying up through the next career levels, only 28% of women advance to the senior vice president level, and only 25% reach the C-suite.

It is without any doubt that there needs to be more women in this industry sector. However, the statistics from the 2023 study reviewed in isolation paint only part of the picture.

If we analyze the Women in the Workplace study data over the past seven years, we encounter some fascinating findings. In my current company, women in leadership positions represent 43%, and we always strive to hire and promote from within. We value open communications and diverse opinions that demonstrate direct results on the company’s productivity and continual growth.

Next Steps

The 2019 Attracting and Retaining Women in Transportation study, published by Mineta Transportation Institute, zeroes in on 11 initiatives that can improve women’s representation in the industry. There are three focus areas:

1. Attract suitable candidates, expanding the talent pool.

2. Retain talent by fostering an inclusive work environment, providing mentorship, educational support, a flexible work environment, and promoting without conscious or unconscious bias.

3. Nurture a diverse workforce, enabling them to evangelize on the organization’s behalf to attract new candidates, including younger generations, to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Girls who witness women thriving in this field are more likely to pursue careers in STEM themselves.

Gender diversity in the transportation technology sector is not just about optics; it is about achieving lasting change and innovation. By breaking down barriers, we can shape a landscape that serves all communities and sets the standard for global innovation.

1. Humanizes complex processes. Empathetic communication ensures that decisions consider both the emotional and practical facets of supply chain stakeholders, from vendors, carriers, and brokerages, to shippers and end users.

2. Builds trust. Supply chain mishaps are par for the course as they always will be. Customers value transparency and acknowledgment of their emotions. When they feel genuinely understood, they’re more forgiving and trusting.

3. Boosts morale and productivity. Empathetic leaders foster environments where employees feel valued. In sectors like SCM, where teamwork is vital, this boosts problem-solving and operational fluidity.

4. Enhances customer loyalty. Loyalty is built on emotional connections. An empathetic approach can transform a one-time customer into a loyal advocate.

Consider a business that couldn’t deliver essential automotive parts on time due to a port strike or truck accident. A straightforward notification—“we will be late to this delivery”—might relay the delay.

But an empathetic approach would say, “We recognize the potential impact this delay might have on your production line. We’re exploring alternative routes and will keep you updated. We apologize and will keep in contact every 30 minutes with updates.” This recognizes the client’s potential challenge and offers assurance.

Turning Customers into Advocates

Ecommerce order fulfillment glitches are inevitable. Consider a customer, Mark, who experiences a delivery delay.

Instead of a standard apology, a company representative, Sarah, reaches out with empathy. She acknowledges Mark’s frustration and empathizes with his anticipation.

Sarah not only apologizes but offers Mark a discount on his next purchase as a goodwill gesture. She explains the challenges the company faced and its commitment to prevent such delays in the future. Mark, initially upset, feels valued and understood as a customer.

This empathetic communication doesn’t just resolve the immediate issue; it turns Mark into a loyal advocate. He shares his positive experience, demonstrating how empathetic communication can transform a potential detractor into a long-term brand promoter.

Fostering a Sense of Trust

The test of true leadership lies in its ability to significantly enhance employee engagement and retention. When leaders genuinely understand and acknowledge their team’s challenges, concerns, and aspirations, employees feel valued and heard.

Empathetic communication fosters a sense of belonging and trust, creating a work environment where employees are more motivated and committed to their roles. In the often stressful world of supply chain management, this emotional support is invaluable.

Empathy doesn’t mean sacrificing operational efficacy. It means recognizing emotions, genuinely addressing concerns, and fostering robust, trust-based relationships. In a digital SCM world, placing importance on the power of empathy isn’t just recommended; it’s essential.

Second, skill requirements continuously evolve due to technology and automation advancements. This dynamic landscape requires workers who quickly adapt to new tools and processes.

The diverse roles within logistics demand specific skill sets that are only sometimes transferable from other industries. For example, supply chain analysts must possess strong analytical abilities and a deep understanding of data-driven decision-making. Warehouse managers must excel in organizational skills, team leadership, and operational efficiency, while freight coordinators require excellent communication and coordination capabilities to manage transportation complexities.

Recognizing and addressing these unique skill requirements is crucial in attracting and retaining the right talent.

Generational shifts also play a role in the talent shortage. As baby boomers retire, the industry needs more experienced workers. Meanwhile, younger generations entering the workforce may not consider logistics an attractive career option due to misconceptions or lack of awareness about the opportunities it offers.

The pandemic exacerbated the problem by disrupting global supply chains, creating additional workforce challenges.

These combined obstacles call for innovative solutions to attract and retain the right talent. Here are some tips for finding skilled workers.

1. Leverage data and technology for efficient recruitment. Embrace data-driven platforms to identify and target potential candidates efficiently. Utilizing analytics and AI can help streamline recruitment by matching job requirements with relevant skill sets.

2. Build strong employer branding to attract talent. Showcase your company’s positive culture, growth opportunities, and attractive benefits to appeal to skilled workers. A strong employer brand can significantly impact your company’s perception as a desirable workplace.

3. Collaborate with education and training institutions. Partner with educational institutions and invest in training programs focused on bridging the logistics skills gap. Proactively supporting and engaging with these institutions can shape the future talent pool according to your industry’s needs.

Here are some tips for retaining skilled workers.

1. Create an inclusive workplace culture. Foster diversity and inclusion initiatives to establish a positive work environment. Working in an inclusive culture contributes to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates.

2. Offer competitive compensation and benefits. Market-aligned pay and attractive benefits are crucial to incentivizing talent retention. Competitive compensation ensures employees feel valued and acknowledged for their hard work.

3. Emphasize career development and growth opportunities. Design clear career paths and invest in ongoing training and upskilling programs to support professional growth. Employees who see a future with your company are more likely to stay committed and dedicated to their roles.

As logistics continues to evolve, it is vital to adapt recruitment and retention strategies to ensure a thriving and competent workforce for the future.

Get off on the right foot.

No supply chain leader considers their team “cogs in a machine.” But it’s understandable how, if not onboarded properly, employees could get that impression—sent immediately into a massive facility to complete repetitive tasks over long hours. Warehouses must dispel that notion from the minute new team members walk in the door.

Kenco launched the “First Year Experience” to immediately connect employees to their purpose within the warehouse. This comprehensive onboarding process fosters a sense of purpose among new employees, helping them understand how their job is critical to keeping our warehouses operating. By engaging employees early, warehouse managers can prevent employee feelings of being alone on an island.

Recognize the whole person.

Sometimes it seem as if the boundaries between our work life and personal life blur. Warehouses must not only recognize these boundaries, but also support their employees outside the facility.

Shift flexibility can be a good place to start a benefits initiative. Just because established shifts work well for your warehouse doesn’t mean your employees’ calendars fit neatly into those 8-hour windows. Leaving some wiggle room in the calendar can open up recruitment to a whole range of potential employees.

Potential employees also want an employer who will further their professional development. Tuition assistance or reimbursement have become popular options in the past decade, with many companies now offering students support. A tuition program is ultimately a win-win—the employee feels valued, while the knowledge they gain can help drive process improvement, and even prepare the employee for a management role.

Lend a helping hand.

For those who aren’t deeply familiar with warehouse operations, stories of repetitive stress injuries and harsh work environments can be a turnoff. But automation has made picking and packing tasks safer and far less strenuous.

Take telematics and location-tracking tools. Telematics devices allow fleet managers to monitor how material handling equipment is operated throughout the warehouse—ensuring unlicensed employees can’t drive vehicles, or malfunctioning vehicles are detected and kept off the warehouse floor. Real-time location services can set virtual “perimeters” to ensure no heavy equipment ends up in employees’ paths.

Bottom line: an investment in automation is an investment in labor recruitment and retention efforts.

Become the warehouse employees flock to.

By introducing benefits that support employees’ lives outside the warehouse, and technology that simplifies their job inside the warehouse, you’ll find that your employees are far more satisfied and, in turn, your hiring efforts are far more sustainable.

Technologies continue to evolve, but the concern of job replacement has not. I’ll never forget being onsite for a technology install and being escorted by security guards into the warehouses because workers were concerned about losing their jobs.

Enhancement, Not Replacement

Worker concerns are understandable. But it all boils down to the same issue: Technology shouldn’t be about replacement. It’s about enhancement.

Multimodal productivity is not only the future of the work landscape, but it’s already here. And smart businesses will get on board fast.

Multimodal productivity is not an either/or proposition. It’s a yes/and, designed to use the smartest resources—human or technology—for each stage of a workflow. The key is learning to work with technology, not put forth a futile effort to stave it off.

My company recently integrated autonomous mobile robots into our supply chain business unit. People were nervous. I get it. But I couldn’t be more excited to see the true impact.

With this advancement, warehouse workers are still responsible for ensuring the right items get to the right place at the right time. But now they get a robot helper to, literally, do the heavy lifting for them. Using voice direction, they can order around robots to handle repetitive and heavy-lifting tasks, reducing manual material handling by as much as 50%.

The ripple effect is significant: improved worker safety, fewer injuries, and increased productivity. And when your autonomous mobile robots are integrated seamlessly into your workflows, everything becomes streamlined.

This advancement also mitigates physical barriers that may have prevented people from taking a warehouse job in the past. With the tight supply chain labor market, the shift from constant physical demands to more strategic workflows opens the industry to a whole new talent pool.

It also gives existing warehouse workers a chance to hone technical skills for which they may otherwise not have had exposure.

Embracing Change

Change can be uncomfortable—especially when you’ve done something the same way for years or decades. I don’t expect that every person who is offered the chance to try these robots will be immediately thrilled. (But they might be when they see productivity increase, and their back hurts less at the end of the day.)

If they can learn to let technology get them partway to the end goal and use their talents to accelerate what technology can do, they’ll be light years ahead of the competition.

Multimodal productivity means looking at the entire workflow and leveraging technology where it makes sense. That will look different for every industry, and even every warehouse. The customization capabilities of current automation technologies make that easier than ever—and it will keep getting better.

The world would be in shambles without hardworking warehouse associates. The point of multimodal productivity is not for technology to do the job better than people; it’s for technology to help people do their jobs better than ever before.

But by adopting strategies to optimize the supply chain and workforce efficiency, manufacturers can stand tall in the face of these challenges and come out the other side even stronger.

The importance of Lean management in the manufacturing sector

Workplaces that hope to be efficient in the post-COVID environment should strive to adopt what is known as a lean management strategy. Lean management was pioneered by Toyota and involves eliminating waste at every step of the supply chain—including the workforce.

Not only does eliminating waste help reduce the pressure manufacturers face due to current social and economic conditions, but it also makes the process more efficient and saves companies money in the long term.

One easy way for companies to minimize waste is to emphasize quality control throughout the entire manufacturing process. Too often, manufacturers only perform a quality control check at the end of production, meaning entire defective product lines—and the labor used to produce them—go to waste. By investing in quality control in the earlier stages of manufacturing, companies can catch rejected products before too much is invested in them in terms of labor and raw materials.

Another important strategy for manufacturers to adopt is called Hoisin Kanri. This Japanese business strategy, which was also developed by Toyota, involves aligning a company under a unified, “true north” vision across departments and teams.

Since Hoisin Kanri entails the creation of a company-wide strategy, dramatic changes can be implemented relatively quickly throughout the entire organization.

Implementing a 5S workplace organization strategy in a manufacturing workforce

Adopting a 5S workplace organization strategy can also be the key to a successful post-COVID workforce. In this strategy, business leaders work to identify value-added and non-value-added activities in the workplace and devise practical solutions to help implement lean logistics principles.

Each “S” in the 5S organization strategy represents a different Japanese principle whose application helps make the supply chain more efficient.

• Sort (Seiri): By eliminating unnecessary items and materials from the supply chain, production employees can easily access the materials they need to complete their jobs. Employers should also strive to remove as many physical and non-physical barriers as possible that prevent their employees from reaching maximum productivity.
• Set in Order (Seiton): The organizational structure of the business is key to its efficiency. An ineffectively organized business wastes time between two links in the supply chain. If each part of the supply chain—from the warehouse to the front office—is precisely and expertly organized, businesses can much more easily navigate the complexities and unique challenges of their supply chain.
• Shine (Seiso): Studies have long discussed that clean workspaces lead to better efficiency in the workplace. However, cleaning should go far beyond the type of cosmetic cleaning used to keep up appearances. Thorough inspections and cleanings of resources and equipment allow businesses to identify any inefficiencies early in the process and respond to them with any potentially necessary repairs.
• Standardize (Seiketsu): To effectively manage these three steps, organizations must implement standardized policies and procedures for their enforcement. This standardization ensures consistency in initiatives across the entire organization.
• Sustain (Shitsuke): Finally, after developing the procedures and standardizing them in a way that can be efficiently implemented, workers must be trained and educated in these policies to ensure they know how to effectively implement them in their day-to-day operations.

By implementing these policies, manufacturers will be able to optimize their supply chains and workforces in a way that will allow them to overcome the challenges they have faced since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution to every business’s struggles, these policies can help improve performance and boost the overall bottom line.

Mentors help provide training, support, and guidance and helps the new employee to acclimate to their job environment while also getting them acquainted with the organization as a whole more efficiently. This process allows new hires to not feel like a stranger, creating a sense of fellowship and comfort. Connecting a mentor with a new employee creates a strong and positive workplace foundation.

Investing quality time on a mentoring program has many benefits such as increased employee retention, employee engagement, job satisfaction and as a result it creates a strong base for accelerated job productivity.

Most importantly, mentorship builds a company’s culture which plays such a key role in the success or failure of your business. Having a good company culture motivates employees and promotes dedication. Therefore, having a workplace mentor program helps to promote the vision of the organization. 

Define Goals and Create a Checklist

Establishing a clearly defined and structured mentorship program in your workplace will produce the greatest outcome. Selecting the right mentor is the crucial first step. A good mentor must be qualified, knowledgeable, and have a good understanding of your company’s core values and culture.

The partnership should begin by establishing the desired goals and a timeline schedule. To complement the mentorship program, it’s a good idea to also put in place a structured training program that teaches your company processes and procedures.

Secondly, create a training checklist. This is a powerful way to ensure you stay on track and avoid mishaps such as forgetting important details. A checklist should include the learning component, completion date, status date, and who is responsible for the training. This list is a visual tool of all the training items that need to be completed.

Providing learning materials and hands-on training allows for a better understanding of how the new employee is engaging—or not. Another helpful tool is to create a 30-60-90-day planner to establish goals and timelines that need to be completed within 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days.

Next, schedule recurring meeting sessions to evaluate the process being made by the new hire. These meetings are a great opportunity to measure progress, review goals, and update learning objectives. Having ongoing meetings quickly improves communication skills and allows the new employee to accept feedback from a consistent source. These ongoing meetings provide consistency and clarity and demonstrates how committed you are to their success. 

Long-Term Benefits

Investing in providing quality mentoring for your employees is crucial to long-term business success. If your mentorship program is successful, then your employees will be successful. As a result, your company will gain many benefits such as increased employee retention, increased employee engagement, increased job satisfaction, and accelerated job productivity. If there is no proper mentoring, it can hinder the employee’s growth and ultimately causes loss of employees. Furthermore, mentoring is not limited to new employees.

Providing mentoring for current employees is an effective way to help them advance in their career. Providing employees with ongoing mentorship training promotes professional growth and develops new skills. Creating future leaders within your organization via a mentorship program is instrumental because of the wide range of benefits. Invest in your employees and the outcome will be powerful. 

Pigeon-holing women into certain areas of the business restricts the development of manufacturing. Fixing this gender inequality creates diverse views and opinions.

Businesses benefit from original ideas when their workforces are diverse, but this may need to occur through deliberate consideration to counter existing biases within the industry. In fact, when comparing return on sales and return on invested capital, logistics companies with more women on the board beat their rivals by 16% and 26%, respectively.

Primarily, companies need to provide more support to empower the women on their team to be in visible positions and act as role models for other potential employees.

There was a time when a production floor required a particular demographic to manage the strain of heavy lifting and rigorous demands. However, plant floors today are safer and more high-tech. Smart factories can hire more diversely, knowing that the technology exists to reduce the prior burden of a physically oriented workforce.

More Needs to be Done

There is more good news with regard to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) investment to help women occupy skilled positions. According to 63% of top management who responded to a recent poll, DEI activities are succeeding.

But at the same time, 59% of Asian and 70% of African American professionals agree that manufacturing companies should be doing more to promote DEI. Middle-skilled talent is not adequately retained by training alone.

Building an inclusive culture requires ongoing training and no tolerance for unconscious prejudice. DEI training courses break that mold and lay the foundation to show that anyone from any background can reach those positions.

Manufacturers should focus attention on high schools and colleges to present students with the opportunity for mentorships and internships. The Manufacturing Institute uses programs like the National Girls Collaborative Project and Dream It. Do It to get kids interested in manufacturing activities. Such initiatives encourage young people to pursue manufacturing careers.

According to a recent McKinsey survey, the most effective initiatives that organizations had implemented to draw and retain women included boosting the visibility of senior executives who serve as role models, flexible work arrangements, and official and informal mentorship programs.

Progress toward gender equality in the industry will likely be gradual. As with any cultural transition, the drive to increase the number of women working in manufacturing requires positive social, operational, and personal improvements.

However, to ensure development, there are certain areas in which missteps must be called out and where change can be immediate, such as including DEI training at all levels of a factory.

I immigrated to the United States from the Czech Republic when I was 10 years old, not knowing one word of English. I worked two jobs in high school to help my mother make ends meet and worked three jobs while attending college full time on an academic scholarship. I spent a lot of time in the restaurant industry, working on the weekends and holidays, envious of guests on the other side of the table.

It’s true, my sheer determination led me to where I am now: being a wife and a mother and gaining knowledge and experience from many male-dominated industries. But along the way, the importance of finding opportunities to help other women advance has been clear to me.

How Mentors Can Support Professional Growth

According to an Olivet Nazarene University survey, 56% of American workers have had a professional mentor, while 76% say that mentorship is important.

After working in male-dominated industries, including construction and motorcycle equipment, I am passionate about helping other women as they pursue careers in transportation. I have experienced the difference hard work and women can make, not only through mentoring other women, but also by bridging the gap with men in the industry and helping them understand gender differences as well as the various values women can offer their companies.

At the start of my career, I felt the right thing to do was to become “one of the guys,” understanding the language and learning their way of communicating with one another. I was passionate about my work and projects, intensely focused on client service, and was certainly becoming more confident within the industries I worked.

But along this journey, as I began to grow more confident, I realized the importance of stepping outside this mold and understanding the distinct differences between men and women—particularly in the area of communication. For me, I was fortunate to work in a company environment where these diverse voices were encouraged—even within a male-dominated industry.

Other women are not so lucky. Many do not have the fortune I’ve had with supportive senior management. This is where mentorship becomes so critical.

I know this because I’ve seen it firsthand, through my involvement with transportation associations and organizations where I’ve had the luxury of meeting hundreds of other professional women. Learning from these women has been instrumental in furthering my own professional career, as well as shaping the type of mentor I’ve now become to other professional women—of all career levels—inside my own organization. I’ve also made it a priority to focus on nominating women colleagues for industry awards and speaking engagements inside my organization so they can shine under their own spotlight. It was also important that I encourage them to attend the Women’s Forums held by various associations for additional growth opportunities.

It’s OK to Not be “Just One of the Guys”

I wanted to become a strong female mentor who could demonstrate to others how to be successful without having to be just one of the guys. It has been important to be strong and to show how to make it okay to be female, even feminine, in the industry and serve as a leading example to others.

It is important for women to mentor other women, provide opportunities and lift each other up. The professional direction women receive from other women is essential.

Consider the things female professionals need to be successful. Outside of professional talent and hard work, sometimes women need support from others to champion their ideas and goals, which, studies continue to show, may not always receive the same amount of direction and priority as those of male colleagues.
The right mentorship goes beyond emotional support and advice. It can be imperative to help growing female leaders understand and successfully navigate the political minefields that every organization encounters, male dominated or otherwise.

Finding mentors can be challenging for professional women, particularly younger women. Mentors, like portfolios, should be diversified. You should seek mentors with similar interests, and with dissimilar interests.

Mentorship should not just be a popularity club. You should seek mentors of various age groups, as long as they have sincere wisdom to share. You should also choose mentors who can support you in difficult times, but who also challenge you and push you to be even better than you ever expected to be.

Mentors are special people who have the ability to see potential, and help you reach that potential even when there are difficult situations to navigate.
With this insight, professional women of all ages can have a better understanding of what to look for in a mentor, and how to grow their professional relationship to fulfill their great potential—in transportation or any other industry.