Are you subconsciously restricting your talent pool?

One area of diversity that is not often discussed, is the diversity of age and experience. According to enei, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than the rest of the population and are often overlooked for training. There are similar stats for more experienced professionals. It was found that they were also overlooked for training and promotions, and are 25 times less likely to be offered a job interview than their younger counterparts.

The logistics sector has long experienced a shortage of talent, and the skills gap has continued to restrict businesses from recruiting top talent. However, it is most often the case that junior candidates are selected for roles that would benefit from the experience that older candidates could bring. With the pension age rising and working years extending, the talent pool of those aged 50+ is growing. Considering the high demand for top talent, accessing a wider pool of candidates should be a key focus for business leaders. But is the logistics sector making the most of the talent that is available, or is a large portion of the talent pool being unconsciously excluded?

Challenging unconscious bias in logistics recruitment 

In any hiring process, unconscious biases can very easily sway decision makers to choose one candidate over another for reasons that may not necessarily reflect their hiring objectives. As human beings, we naturally have an affinity for people that are similar to us and make assumptions based on our own personal experiences. For example, a role that requires a lot of travel or last-minute trips out of the country may be perceived as unattractive or inappropriate to some groups of the workforce. Professionals hiring for a role such as this may unconsciously eliminate working mothers or more experienced professionals as they might assume that they would not be as flexible as a more junior professional.

However, it is important to challenge these biases. Why wouldn’t you want the most experienced professional to fill your vacancy? The skills and insights that these individuals can offer are invaluable and can be shared with your entire team. 

When thinking about attracting more diverse talent pools, job descriptions and the interview process can really change the way a candidate views your company. For example, certain words and phrases can actually exclude some minority groups. Further research from enei found that words such as ‘vibrant’, ‘dynamic’, ‘recent graduate’ or ‘young and energetic’ may discourage more experienced candidates from applying for jobs. While ‘mature’ and ‘experienced’ suggest to candidates that this might not be a role for more junior candidates.

With this in mind, it is crucial to ensure that a diverse hiring team manages your recruitment strategy and contributes to the hiring process. 

The evolving talent landscape

The current workforce is now comprised of five different generations - Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z - which means the size of the workforce is much bigger. People are starting work in apprenticeships earlier and leaving the workforce much later. Each professional, regardless of the stage they are at in their career, can bring a unique perspective and skill set to UK businesses. 

Experienced professionals bring a wealth of knowledge and skill to the logistics sector. In a market that is constantly evolving and facing new challenges, it is crucial to ensure that you have a diverse pool of talent working together to drive your business forward. Reverse mentoring programmes can bridge any knowledge gaps between junior employees and senior executives.

In addition to this, working patterns are changing. In order to ensure you are able to attract and win the talent you need, consider flexing the hours your team works. For example, more experienced employees might prefer an interim role, but would still be able to deliver the results you need. This would therefore meet remuneration and performance budgets, and also facilitates a positive work-life balance in later working life.

At Michael Page, we work closely with both employers looking to hire and professionals exploring their career options. It is important to understand the needs of your business and to be prepared to offer the right salary to the right candidate in order to build a team that fits your business needs. We regularly provide highly accurate salary benchmarking to ensure our clients get their approach to market right the first time, which is critical to compete for talent. 

In the current market, there is a serious shortage of talent. By narrowing your search, in any way, by unconsciously eliminating certain groups through the hiring process, you are likely to be missing out on exceptional talent in the process.  

To discuss how we can help you access a more diverse pool of talent, contact your local Michael Page office. Alternatively, submit a job spec and one of our expert consultants will be in touch.