Mentoring is key to grooming logistics success, says new WERC book

By Tom Andel, Executive Editor -- Logistics Management, 4/17/2007

OAK BROOK, Ill.—The cost to recruit and hire new staff outweighs the cost of programs to retain and develop existing talent, according to the authors of a new reference book published by the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC). Indeed, today’s challenge is hanging onto promising employees long enough to inspire a commitment to your company. Donald Jacobson, one of the authors of the WERC Study book, “Mentoring Programs in DCs,” sees striking differences between today’s job candidates and those of only a few years ago. As president of LogiPros, LLC , a job placement firm for the logistics industry, Jacobson sees new promise in the old concept of mentoring.

“We’re talking about the X and Y generations’ need for someone to talk to,” he told Logistics Management. “Their communication skills are not great. They need someone to show them how to do something. In the past in order for you to move up you had to train someone. But it’s so much deeper now. It’s a matter of retention. It’s all part of the constant feedback needed by our new employees.”

You also need benefits that are better targeted at this new generation of employees. To many of them, a retirement program is not as important as a recognition program. They want more from a job than a paycheck. What they will not tolerate is boredom.

“They are multitaskers,” Jacobson adds. “They want to have a lot of things going on at once. Having that constant learning, change and reinforcement is so important. Today’s colleges emphasize the number of advisors each [student] will have. That’s what mentoring programs are all about.”

The development of supply chain programs in business schools across the country will attract more people to this profession. So will wider coverage in general circulation newspapers and periodicals. The April 15th edition of Parade magazine, circulated with Sunday newspapers across the country, reported that not only are transportation workers among the hottest non-degree jobs available today, but among college grads, logistics manager is a hot ticket to employment happiness. But again, attracting talent won’t be the challenge in coming years. Keeping it will.

“It’s all about the atmosphere, how people feel about being at the workplace,” Jacobson concludes. “These people are working 10-12 hour days. They’re socializing with people from work. It’s all about fostering that positive feeling at the job. Companies that don’t do it are missing out.”