The image of the logistics industry is inextricably entwined with its improvement and development. Improving that image is one of Skills for Logistics objectives, but not one that we could ever hope to accomplish on our own.
In 2005 a meeting between a truck manufacturer and us generated the idea of forming a collaborative industry group to debate and tackle our image problem. We decided to recruit senior marketing and communications staff from across the industry and provide a forum for discussion – something that had never existed for this group of specialists before. Our initial group of four enthusiasts has steadily expanded and we now receive input from a number of organisations.
Both internal and external perceptions of the logistics industry are poor, exacerbating other issues such as skills shortages, recruitment and retention, all of which eventually impact the bottom line.
The solution is to ensure that clear, consistent marketing and communications reflect the many positive aspects of the industry to job seekers, employers and career advisors.
The image group aims to foster collaborative effort across the industry in order to make progress in tackling the image problem. No financial commitment is required, just some time, imagination and a willingness to get involved. We also need people with the backing of their organisations and the ability to get things done.
We all know what the perceived problems are – long hours; dirty heavy work; safety issues; poor roadside facilities – I could go on. Many of these perceptions attached to our industry focus on driving and that in itself is part of the problem. Most school kids, and indeed their parents and careers advisors, have no idea about what logistics is or the huge variety of career options available. Attracting women is not the only problem, how do we get careers advisors, school leavers, graduates and parents excited about what logistics has to offer?
In Spring 2006, the image group carried out a survey to try and discover some insights into the reasons behind the poor image of the sector.
You can receive a copy of the image survey results by completing the online request form.
