Amid the “Great Reshuffle,” employers across industries are urgently in need of solutions to attract and retain their talent.

The fix won’t be one-size-fits-all; employees at different levels have distinct workplace needs. But beyond raising wages, it's important that company leaders are investing in employee wellness and overall culture. Here are three places to start.

Autonomy for Contingent Workers

In many industries, employers are extending more freedom of choice to their workers as a way to keep their talent and answer to their team’s new needs. In the debate between remote and in-person work, most employees just want the choice to work where they please. That’s something many employers are trying to accommodate. But roles within the logistics sector require the employee to be on-site, which makes it harder for supply chain employers to compete with companies in different industries.

Luckily, there are different ways to offer employees that same freedom of choice. One solution is adaptive scheduling through a company-integrated app. Workers can sign up for as many shifts as they’re able and willing to take on at time slots that work for them. Candidates who are considering applying for hourly work can see the schedule ahead of time and apply for the shifts that will fit in with their lives. The sense of agency here rivals the at-home or in-person choice. 

Similarly, contingent workers are being further incentivized by a new approach to payments. Most employers in the logistics sector have had to raise their wages, which was an important act of accommodating for the demands of the post-pandemic workforce. But smart employers are going one step further and offering higher wages sooner — paying employees on the same day that they complete their shift. Third-party vendors can make same-day payments easy, and employers are noticing an increase in contingent worker satisfaction with that simple fix.

Opportunity for Managerial Teams

Employees in managerial positions aren’t immune to the same migration across different workplace industries. But managers who are more engaged in their work are more likely to stay loyal to the company. At the managerial level, engagement comes more from the opportunity to learn, advance and contribute. Employers who can make the necessary resources available will see far less employee turnover and more coherent managerial teams.

As supply chain digitization scales, managerial professionals need proper training resources to understand and streamline the uptake of new high-tech solutions. Logistics training for managers might look like course opportunities in supply chain management, machine learning and data analytics, or attending conferences on relevant topics. The manager’s specific interests can chart the path forward, but it's important that company leaders are investing in the knowledge and development of their management teams. 

Purpose for Everyone

Finally, purpose is one of the most sought-after workplace offerings in the post-Covid era, and it’s a necessity across all roles and corporate levels. There’s no shortage of missions in the supply chain space. 

The need to address climate change and introduce sustainable solutions is increasing in its urgency. Some company leaders have made leaps and bounds toward a greener supply chain process. Others face the risk of real cost increases from government sanctions and the climbing cost of materials if they continue to operate at the cost of the planet and its natural resources. 

Environmental action gives teams an opportunity to unite. By engaging in conversation and creating initiatives for team members to take part in, logistics companies can leverage the power of purpose in the workforce. Combined with targeted incentive solutions, a sense of purpose ultimately increases employee morale, engagement and retention.

Steve Anevski is co-founder and CEO at Upshift.

Read more of SupplyChainBrain's 2022 Supply Chain ESG Guide here.