Logistics Skill Sets You'll Need Following The Crisis

The pandemic has changed life as we know it, including the way a job role works. But many businesses have had to go beyond simply adapting to remote working - especially in the logistics industry. COVID-19 has created the need for a critical set of skills going forward, which employers can't afford to ignore. Here, we detail these sought-after logistics skills of the post-pandemic future.

E-commerce

When the coronavirus first hit, e-commerce soared. There had already been a growing trend towards purchasing online, but the situation saw the logistics industry have to respond to extreme demand. Whilst so many agile businesses were able to scale up effectively, the sudden nature of the surge naturally came with its challenges – not least ensuring the best customer journey possible. Even once COVID-19 becomes just a distant memory, the online shopping trend won’t see a dramatic reversal. Many that had previously been averse to it, or simply preferred purchasing in person, have now discovered all of its benefits. This means there will be an even greater pressure on the customer journey – it will need to be quicker and much more adaptable to changes. Technology will be essential in this. Advanced tracking of purchases, for example, will most likely increase in usage. And it’s anticipated that the logistics industry will be the one to pioneer these innovations, changing the face of the service entirely by introducing things like smart letter boxes. Many businesses have their own bespoke technologies, and so those working in the sector will need to have the ability to unlearn and relearn new skills and software.

RPA

On a similar note, the world of logistics is continuing to see greater levels of automation. This has been another rising trend in recent years, but it was explored more during the pandemic due to concerns over staff safety and a reduced headcount because of self-isolating employees. It includes everything from automated robotics to delivery drones. These types of technology yield other benefits too, including savings in cost and boosted efficiency across the board. As a result, logistics employees will have to adapt to this technology and have the right RPA skill sets to unleash these advantages to the full. Many have been hesitant about adopting automation previously. There are a lot of initial concerns – from how to choose the right technologies to implementing them effectively. Along with the technical know-how, the industry will need to have the staff in place that can use digital tools strategically and ensure the whole team embraces them.

A multi-skilled workforce

As well as these very specific skills, it'll be just as critical to have a multi-skilled workforce with transferable abilities. One of the key learnings from the pandemic really has been around the importance of team members who can work across many sites or departments. Employees need to be able to refresh their knowledge and skills in relation to technologies - not just those mentioned in this blog, but those that are starting to emerge and those that we don't even know about yet. They will also have to pivot to new areas where you'll be able to see increased value.  

We know that locating people with these skill sets isn't easy. But with Cast UK, you can discover the right talent for you. We're specialists in executive and management-level roles in the logistics industry, so you can trust that we'll find the best logistics and supply chain talent who are more than capable of moving you organisation forward.

If you would like to know more about how Cast UK can provide the right people to help your business stay ahead of the curve, or how we can introduce you to interim expertise to oversee your logistics change and transformation projects, get in touch with us today. You can call us on 0333 121 3345 or email our team at hello@castuk.com.