There are more women in logistics than ever before.
Still, there’s a lot that needs to be done if we want to make this sector truly diverse.
Do you want to improve gender diversity in your logistics organisation? You’re in luck, because these five steps are key:
- Make upskilling a priority.
- Be transparent about progression.
- Represent your business at careers fairs.
- Get feedback from women in logistics.
- Implement anonymous hiring.
However, as with most things to do with diversity, tackling the problem is not as simple as reading a few quick pointers. So, let’s find out how to make the above tips work in practice.
Is logistics a male dominated industry?
Yes, logistics has historically been a male dominated industry. However, that is finally starting to change.
Globally, around 2% of the logistics workforce is made up of women, while in the UK the number is significantly higher at 19%. More logistics companies are working to correct this imbalance.
Improving the gender imbalance for women in logistics
Here are five practical (and realistic) approaches that businesses across the sector can take to encourage more women to join their organisation.
1. Make upskilling a priority
You can’t just focus on bringing women into the top positions.
Since logistics is such a heavily male-dominated industry, the fact is that more men than women have the skills and experience necessary to break through the glass ceiling. So, focusing your efforts at the top won’t redress the imbalance across your company. It also won’t help the women who are trying to break into or advance in the industry.
That’s why it’s so important to offer upskilling to women within your workforce – as well as those considering a career in logistics.
Consider, for example, introducing an apprenticeship scheme that prioritises women without industry experience.
You could also introduce training pathways for women within your business who want to advance. Such pathways would pave the way for, say, an entry-level co-ordinator or administrator to progress to management roles more quickly.
2. Be transparent about progression
The more transparent you are about the progression opportunities your organisation offers, the more attractive you’ll be for inexperienced applicants. This is especially true for women, who will be well aware of the industry’s gender imbalance.
There are several ways to do this. One way is to make your career pathways public, or share them internally.
But, if you’re specifically trying to appeal to women who are interested in logistics, you could spotlight the career path of one of the brilliant women who’s risen through the ranks in your business.
3. Represent your business at careers fairs
Of course, these tips are all well and good. But what if you’re struggling to find female logistics talent in the first place?
A great way to reach prospective logistics professionals of all genders is to sign up for careers fairs.
This gives you the chance to talk directly to women who may be considering a career in logistics. It’s also the perfect opportunity to highlight all that logistics has to offer to people who don’t yet know much about the industry.
Remember that, to truly overcome a gender imbalance, it’s best to meet people at the bottom of the career ladder.
4. Get feedback from women in logistics
If you’re serious about improving the situation for women in logistics, turn to the women you currently have on staff. It’s important that you find out:
- What barriers they faced at the starts of their careers.
- What initiatives could have helped them in their progression.
- What sort of support they feel should be in place to help women in logistics advance.
Chances are that the women you speak to will have had significantly different journeys. But the obstacles they have faced throughout their careers are likely to have been similar. By finding these similarities, it will be far easier to find problem areas you can focus on within your diversity drive.
What if there are no women in my business?
Your business might not have any women on staff just yet, and that’s okay!
However, it’s still important that you hear directly from women in the industry – and the more perspectives, the better.
The good news is that there’s an all-new podcast that delves deep into key industry issues, including women in logistics! Rerouting Logistics by Aspion Search features former Senior Traffic Commissioner and CEO Beverley Bell in conversation with other big names in the sector. Together, they cover topics including:
- Women in logistics.
- Logistics diversity.
- Young people in the industry.
- And much more!
Check out this sneak peek of Beverley in conversation with Sharon Kindleysides, CEO of the CILT:
Out now on Spotify and YouTube!
5. Implement anonymous hiring
It can be difficult to get diversity right if you don’t do something about it from the start. That’s why inclusive recruitment practices are so important.
With anonymous shortlisting, you can remove both conscious and unconscious bias from your recruitment process. And, if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also gain access to much larger talent pools. This means you’re more likely to find women with the right skillset and experience within this male dominated industry.
At Aspion Search, diversity is a top priority. Every one of our expert recruitment consultants receives specialist diversity and inclusion training. As a result, they’re skilled at sourcing underrepresented talent and helping businesses like yours eliminate prejudice from the hiring process.
Improving gender diversity from the start
There’s no quick fix to the gender imbalance in logistics. To improve the opportunities available to women in logistics, your business will need to take a holistic approach.
You have the power to make a significant change, not just in your organisation, but the industry as a whole. However, to do so, you’ll need to assess and revise key business areas such as your opportunities for progression, business representation, and recruitment processes.
Let us help you with the latter! Our team of specialised logistics recruiters can give you access to deep pools of industry talent, and help you remove unconscious bias when making hiring decisions.
Get in touch today to find out how we can help you improve diversity in your business:
Call us: 0151 209 2050
Email us: info@aspion.co.uk
