Grafton Logistics Recruitment Team - Meeting increased demand for candidates

Over recent months logistics recruitment agencies have noted a significant increase in demand for candidates, driven by disruption to the existing supply chain as a direct result of the impacts of Brexit. Owing to the changes in import and export regulations that have come into play, an estimated 50,000 extra customs staff were required to process the additional paperwork needed for border operations by the end of the Brexit transition period on 1st January 2021. 

As of 2020, UK companies must complete 400 million customs declarations a year. In 2019, the figure was just 5 million. That’s an increase of 8000%.  This monumental shift has led to a surge in demand for experienced candidates to help shoulder the increased administrative burden placed on the logistics sector.

Roles Grafton’s Logistics Recruitment team have seen an increase in demand for include:

•    Customs administrators
•    Freight forwarders
•    Operations co-ordinators
•    Export administrators
•    Customer clearance roles
•    Import clerks
•    Freight account managers
•    Export planners

Here at Grafton, our Logistics Recruitment team have filled 22 such roles in the past 3 months alone, with a continually growing list of vacancies currently standing at 25, the picture is much the same across the logistics sector as a whole. Nearly 1 in 10 hauliers are recruiting to help manage the upturn in workload caused by Brexit  and there is a total shortage of 76,000 HGV drivers. 

This talent shortage across the sector in the wake of Brexit presents a number of challenges to logistics companies looking to recruit new staff including:

•    Availability of candidates with the skillset required is at a premium – every hiring organisation is looking for the same skills and experience
•    Experienced candidates are willing to move as they know they are in demand and are able to increase their salary significantly in some cases
•    Increased demand has led to a bidding war for candidates

Despite these issues there are methods organisations can adopt to help maximise and augment their existing talent pool in order to combat the growing demand for staff caused by increased administrative requirements post-Brexit. 

Strive to retain existing employees – now is the time for organisations to ensure staff are being rewarded accordingly for their services. Are they being paid market rate? Could now be the time to review salaries so when opportunity knocks, they are not tempted to leave? 

Hire for attitude and develop skills - available candidates are a finite resource, so to avoid entering into a bidding war for new talent, companies must instead look to develop the skills of employees. Transferrable skills are vital – companies must look at hiring criteria and what is a must have versus a nice to have. Can they hire on attitude and develop the skills the business needs now and in the future?

The reality is that Brexit has created an artificial peak in demand for candidates in this sector, as many businesses have potentially underestimated the impact it would have on their operations. A more long-term approach to how they build a sustainable pool of talent equipped with the suitable skills is needed.

How Grafton Can Help

With recruitment demand for candidates in the logistics sector at an all-time high, it may be that in this increasingly competitive climate, the perfect candidate does not exist. Grafton  Logistics Recruitment team are expertly placed to help organisations re-frame their initial expectations and identify potential in candidates who may not fit the initial hiring criteria.

As available candidates are a finite resource and to avoid getting into a bidding war, organisations must first look to their existing workforce and seek to elevate the skills and experience they already have at their disposal through nurturing and developing employees’ existing skillsets. 

Similarly, when approaching new talent, organisations should focus on sourcing similar and transferrable skills to those they desire in their workforce of the future which can be adapted to suit their requirements. They must seek to hire on attitude and aptitude and look to the potential which can be unlocked in order to best position themselves in the new climate in the logistics sector post-Brexit.