Make logistics jobs more appealing to women
LOGISTICS has traditionally been a world of men and cars. Logistics is often associated with trucks carrying heavy goods, big warehouses with men driving forklift trucks, large container vessels and oil tankers, dirty cargo trains carrying coal, hectic airports, and a 24 hours-a-day, seven days-aweek and 365 days-a-year operations.
There is also the perception that logistics jobs are too physically heavy for women. As a result, more than 70 per cent of logistics workers are men while women hold less than 20 per cent of the management positions.
Women are underrepresented in the logistics industry. As the logistics sector is in constant search for good staff, it is time to reach to women to join the new exciting world of logistics and supply chain management.
The introduction of warehouse mechanisation and automation, digitalisation of supply chains and e-commerce boom provides an opportunity for the logistics industry to change the old image and make logistics more appealing to women.
Strength of women in logistics
Logistics is very suitable workplace for women as logistics needs good supervisors who can arrange a great variety of tasks, team players with good people skills to deal with different cultures on the work floor, leaders with good communications skills as well as logistics talents that can manage relationships with a great variety supply chain partners.
Women are better able to predict the consequences of interventions in supply chains. They are more aware of the supply chain system and its environment.
Women can more easily switch from the logistics details to a helicopter view. Generally, women think more long term as compared to men. Finally, women are better able to put themselves in other people’s shoes and understand their interest and concerns. Men are just less interested in other people than women do!
Sustainability
An important theme in logistics and supply chain management is sustainability. Sustainability addresses carbon footprint, use of natural resources and energy, and many more.
Sustainability in supply chains is particular complex as it addresses sustainability not only in transport and warehouse, but also at each link in the supply chain from farm to the final consumer. I am of the opinion that the only way to effectively implement sustainable logistics and supply chain management is by having more women in logistics.
The way forward
Research shows that the key to make the logistics sector more attractive for women is to improve work-life balance, career opportunities and gender balance.
There is now action needed to solve this gender imbalance in the logistics sector. The various stakeholders in the logistics sector, like logistics service providers, logistics associations, industry chambers, universities and other education institutes have equal responsibility.
Parallel initiatives will be required to ensure sufficient supply of talents and access by the industry to qualified logistics personnel.
The logistics sector should actively promote the possibilities and career opportunities for women in logistics and develop processes and programmes to attract more women.
Logistics companies, on the other hand, should actively search for women for their new positions in their organisations. Education institutes have also a big influence on career choice for the new generation of students and should promote the logistics courses to women in particular.
Ladies, welcome to the world of logistics!