New Recruitment Strategies Needed For The Courier Network

Technological advancements, increased industry competition and a general lack of interest are all factors that have contributed to the national UK courier network experiencing a driver shortage, but just what is being done to tackle this? Read on to find out more about why recruitment is becoming increasingly difficult and what industry professionals are doing to solve this issue.

The Employment Struggle

The competition within the transport sector has increased massively over the past few years, with big companies like Uber and Lyft searching for drivers alongside the courier network. Since some of the larger businesses are offering more flexible hours and better pay, smaller companies have struggled to attract millennials who are keen to sign up for less hours.

As online shopping becomes more and more common, the demand for excellent, on-call drivers has hugely increased. This has also affected the recruitment process, since the employers have to be a lot more selective. New drivers must have perfect execution of their duties and a great work ethic to meet the needs of the consumers.

What has Changed?

Several years ago, before the huge surge in technological advancements, the UK courier network was largely made up of retirees looking to earn a little extra money. Now that some of the inner workings of transport companies are changing thanks to new tech, older workers aren’t as attracted to the jobs. 

It has also become more difficult to entice new workers into the transport sector since it does not have a lot of publicity. Companies are starting to use social media platforms as well as a range of online job boards to advertise the work, hoping to attract a younger crowd through the media.

Slowly Adapting

Social media and general online branding is becoming increasingly important – if the target employees are young and used to engaging with slick, fast websites and communicating via social media, the courier industry must adapt to this and give their potential employees a great experience if they happen to be browsing one of their webpages or social profiles.

Some companies have also worked to increase the variety of incentives they offer, for example keeping track of attendance records and making sure each driver has their own performance goals. Maintaining an encouraging, positive work environment is key when trying to recruit.

Keeping Current Drivers

Another challenge is holding on to current drivers in the industry and making sure new recruits are keen to stay for the foreseeable future. To do this, businesses working within the courier network must make sure that relationships between workers are positive and respectful, that feedback is given in the form of annual reviews and that communication is consistent. All these factors will work towards creating a fantastic work environment, which over time should aid the recruitment process.

Although the driver shortage has become a serious issue in the industry, it’s not one that’s impossible to solve. Work towards evolving alongside the customers, the technology and the potential employees and you’ll be on the road to simple, fast and effective recruitment.

Author Plate

Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their online courier network. Numerous transport exchange businesses are networked together on their website, trading jobs and capacity through what is now the fastest growing Freight Exchange in the UK.