SAHI Samvaad – Right Skills for Right Jobs in Delivery and Logistics Sector

SAHI Samvaad

In the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people have lost their jobs, incomes, and livelihoods. Many industry sectors and organizations have had to redesign the whole recruitment process due to the pandemic. The pandemic coupled with technological disruptions are transforming the way staffing is done. Industries are adopting new models of hiring the workforce.

The webinar series SAHI Samvaad is a collaboration of SAHI.ai and NSN that aims to initiate and continue our conversations around skills, jobs, industries, and talent. Through SAHI Samvaad, we attempt to bring in perspectives on how different industries are looking at the future of their workforce.

The second webinar in the series was on “Right Skills for the Right Jobs in Delivery and Logistics Sector”. The eminent panelists for this session were Ms. Rishu Garg, CHRO, Rivigo, and Mr. Varun Gupta, KAM, Warehouse Now. The session was moderated by Mr. Dheeraj Gosain, Vice President, Business Head, SAHI.

Right Skills for the Right Jobs in Delivery and Logistics Sector

The speakers in the panel broadly focused on the availability and retaining of manpower in logistics, skill training, skills and qualities that are absolutely essential in the logistics sector, capacity building, and more.

These are few excerpts from the panel discussion, you can watch the complete webinar on our YouTube channel, for which the link is given below.

Are skills complimenting the rapid growth in logistics?

Varun Gupta, KAM, Warehouse Now – “Skills are definitely complimenting the rapid growth. However, many industries are still facing some issues at the same time. When the country was hit by the pandemic, the logistics sector has been the heart of the country and supported each one of us. Therefore, talent acquisition becomes crucial and it needs some checkpoints.”

Rishu Garg, CHRO, Rivigo – “Yes, skills do compliment. There are widespread opportunities in the logistics sector, with newer job roles which require newer skills.”

Some of the skills for a career in logistics:

• Technology skills
• Detail orientation
• Problem-solving
• High on curiosity and learnability

What are some of the methods adopted in skilling the workforce in logistics?

Varun Gupta – “We are open to hiring people from different sectors. Persons who come from sectors other logistics come with a fresh perspective to overcome obstacles and existing challenges. They must be able to acquire some logistics skills as well. For this on-the-job training plays a crucial role.”

Rishu Garg – “While hiring, strong impetus is laid on referrals. As in that case, the candidates would be well aware of the requirements of the industry. We are also open to hiring people from other sectors and as well as candidates who are sportspersons. People coming from a sports background are highly driven and charged up most of the time. We also have scorecards, which help us understand how the candidates are performing and who needs improvement.

On top of all this, we need to give them due reward and recognition. This gives them a sense of purpose.”

What are some of the challenges in training in logistics?

Varun Gupta – “We need to provide the workforce a good working environment so that they are motivated to come back tomorrow and work even harder. Also, we not only have to look at training new entrants but also the existing workforce.”

Rishu Garg – “In logistics, we must understand that there is permanent and seasonal demand. Based on that we conduct training for 14 days. Having the right capacity at the right time is important. Since logistics is still largely unorganized, by using technology, we can focus on long-term capacity-building on the scale.”

How do you retain the workforce in the delivery and logistics sector?

Varun Gupta – “One can retain the workforce in logistics by providing them with good working conditions, incentivizing them with travel allowances, food and temporary accommodation, appreciation from seniors, and continuous motivation.”

Rishu Garg – “Having the right mix of locals along with migrant talent is important. We have tie-ups with NSDC and their network, with whose help we hire students from local colleges as apprentices, train them, and hire them. This way the local manpower is always available.

You can read the highlights of the first episode of SAHI Samvaad here – https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/oldsite/sahi-samvaad-right-skills-for-the-right-jobs-in-healthcare/

Natural attrition is high in logistics compared to any other sector, once the demand peak is over. Therefore, we must focus on hiring the right set of people and their skill-building. E-commerce is a natural transition for them, as there is always enough demand.”

We hope our dialogue and discussions initiated through SAHI Samvaad on Right Skills for the Right Jobs in the Delivery and Logistics sector were insightful and helpful for various stakeholders in the domain to focus on talent acquisition, skill training, upskilling, and more.

If you have any queries regarding the right skills, right jobs, and hiring the right candidates, you can reach out to team SAHI at sahi_team@sahi.ai