Despite being an exciting, fast paced, diverse and rewarding industry with a broad international reach, the moving industry still has work to do in communicating these benefits to prospective employees. FIDI Focus Editor Dominic Weaver spoke to representatives of four parts of the business to find out what companies can do (and are doing) to ensure that potential new hires consider a career in the sector – and stay once they get here
The moving industry employer: Marcel Jörg, FIDI Board member and CEO of Gosselin, a business with experience of recruiting younger people
To begin with, we should address the fact that recruiting for blue-collar positions in moving is more difficult than white collar. Driving is a recognised profession, of course, but when you add the moving part – the packing and unpacking – you’re looking at a different kind of recruit. With companies such as Amazon paying higher prices for less-demanding work, it can be hard to get talented, hardworking people into that part of the industry. This is what worries me most.
I don’t see how technology will help us here in the short term. It can help with inventories, and in other areas, but you must lift things up and carry them down the stairs at some point.
The current generation of immigrant workers are ageing, with their children more integrated, speaking the language better and often looking for a profession.
To make these roles more attractive, we are trying to shift away from longer jobs – where crew are away from home for two weeks, which fewer people want to do these days – and putting things on rail instead.
White-collar recruitment
For white-collar roles, we have an extreme example in Switzerland. There are so many opportunities for young people, who can quickly earn a lot of money and so value time over money. They prefer having more holidays and a lower salary, and can afford it.
In Eastern Europe, we don’t see this to the same extent – people may take another job on the basis that it pays a hundred euros more a month. It’s clear that you can’t put all young people into one pot and say “this is what they are like”. You can, however, put in place certain programmes to attract and retain them.
As a company, we have workshopped the attractiveness of our business to younger and older employees. We now offer packages that focus on time over money; where loyalty to the business is rewarded by giving office staff eight weeks holiday, instead of their usual five weeks, every three years. Staff must take this additional allowance in one go and actually disconnect, to go somewhere and do something else – be off their emails and away from work. Staff can also visit company headquarters for a week to experience the impressive operations there; this isn’t always visible when they are working in a branch.
We actively sell the international aspect of our business, celebrating the fact that they can go to another branch and work there for a period – and we have asked our agents in other countries to host our staff on placements on a case-by-case basis. Gosselin’s operations span 34 countries, so this is a significant further perk for employees.
Working at home is, of course, popular too, and, since the pandemic, we offer two days a week as standard, with some fully remote and only coming into the office for meetings.
An international offer
There aren’t many industries that offer what we do for people who like languages, who like to travel, who like the international flare. We work with a large global network of people, which has huge appeal – and I think we sometimes underestimate the value of that.
Here in the countryside in Bern, our competitors for staff are Swiss Post or Swiss Railways, telecommunications provider Swisscom, and federal organisations – which don’t offer much from an international point of view. We can really leverage that. Even in our own office we speak multiple languages and have people from all over the world. We are quite diverse, and that is an attractive thing for many people.
Promoting the industry
Industry associations can play a role. Perhaps they could present the industry at the end of university courses or the baccalaureate. Social media campaigns would be welcome, too. When we’re recruiting for our companies, we don’t always push these huge benefits. Of course, we must remember that there are also more routine- based roles – such as doing quotes, and tariffs and billing – which are not exposed to the international side, so don’t have this advantage.
The recruiter: Steve Maples, Chief Talent Alchemist at Alchemy Global Talent Solutions, a recruiter working for the moving, relocation, global mobility, shipping, and fine art industries
We’ve seen first hand how critical it is for companies to adapt to the evolving expectations of their workforce. Embracing change is not just about staying competitive.
The landscape of work preferences is shifting; candidates now prioritise flexibility, often seeking remote or hybrid setups. To stay competitive, employers must embrace new working models that allow employees to manage their personal and professional lives more effectively, expanding their talent reach beyond local geographies and boosting productivity.
Work-life balance is more important than ever, necessitating fair work schedules and solid support for mental health; businesses that can provide this will attract top talent.
Allowing opportunities for learning and development is essential. Employees look for forward-thinking companies that support clear career progression and continuous personal growth through training and advancement opportunities.
Having an ethical business practice is vital. Organisations that show their values and are committed to being ethical are more appealing to potential hires. Showcasing the culture and ethics of the company through testimonials is an effective way to attract new talent.
Salary packages that are eye-catching and comprehensive are essential. Top talent can be retained by ensuring that remuneration is attractive through regular salary reviews. Companies can keep competitive by comparing their pay with the industry norm.
Having access to state-of-the-art technology is important, too. Investing in the best tools increases productivity and assists staff in strengthening service delivery and client satisfaction.
Invest in your people to secure long-term success. In today’s competitive job market, companies that prioritise ethical values, professional development, workplace flexibility and a supportive environment will stand out. Embrace change now to position your business as a forward-thinking, attractive organisation.
The journalist: Steve Jordan, The Mover magazine
We have some fabulous young people working in our industry already. We should really celebrate the people we have first – and make sure, as a consequence of this debate, nobody feels as if they are not good enough to represent the future of the industry.
Our people should have the right qualities and attitude. Anyone can learn to be a packer, a fleet operator, a salesman, a coordinator or a manager – but you can’t teach people empathy, understanding, care for others, the desire to serve, or the drive to work hard.
We should search for people who understand the human condition, in whatever role they work, with qualifications being of secondary importance.
Good people will usually have a choice about where they work, so we must ensure we make the workplace right for them. This is not hard: you just need to be flexible when you can, listen to them, empower them, trust them, give them credit for their ideas and successes, allow them to make mistakes without fear, help them understand their importance as part of a successful team, and provide a clear career path. Money matters, but not as much as these other things.
Get it right and every employee will become an advocate for you, and help you to recruit the best people. Treating staff well, paying them properly and caring about them are not incompatible with commercial success – they are fundamental to it.
We should invest in specific management training to help managers get the best from their people and recognise and channel talent where it exists.
The industry has driven itself down to become a commodity over the past 30 years or so. It needs to reverse that by investing in professional salespeople, training them well in the techniques they need to succeed and allowing them to start driving up revenue again. That way we will be able to afford to pay people better and save them from migrating to other sectors in search of more money.
We have, forever, told the world that moving is not a sexy business. But it is. It allows interaction with people who really need help, enables us to mix with multiple cultures, and offers opportunities for international travel for some. Done right, by the right people, it can provide tremendous job satisfaction – we should stop telling people otherwise. I would not have stayed in this business for more than 50 years if it were boring.
The next generation: Jackie Stouffer, VP, International, Global Move Management at JK Moving and FIDI 39 Club President
I recently had the privilege of hosting a panel about talent retention at the FIDI Conference in Edinburgh. There are countless views and points to be made, but here are some I feel warrant a closer look.
The first is where and how we are looking for talent. For administrative roles, we seem stuck on university degrees as a qualifier, when, realistically, a degree probably does very little to prepare you for this unique business. FIDI 39 Club Board member Sonja Tuomela sums it up nicely: ‘Moving is not rocket science – the key is to find employees who fit your company and your team. Forget fancy university diplomas and get creative in how you seek out the competencies needed to do an amazing job.
‘Listing personal attributes rather than requiring university or college degrees might open doors to new or hidden talent pools, allowing you to find employees that suit the company culture as well as the job title. I have learned so much more from doing the job than from my Bachelor’s degree.’
I echo Sonja’s thoughts. Speaking as a college graduate who got a D in university accounting – a skill we’d all agree is pretty important in business – what you learn from university books can have little to no impact on your actual job performance. It is how you approach the work and learn on the job that makes the difference.
One of the most naturally gifted coordinators I have ever hired worked as a children’s book illustrator before coming to JK; he had the first-class people skills we needed, and learned how to use our office software quickly.
Let’s broaden our minds and think outside the box in terms of our hiring requirements. On another topic from the Edinburgh panel – that of retaining not just your administrative staff, but also your crews and warehouse staff – Max Neumann says: ‘In our quest to make the industry more attractive, I often feel we overlook the very people who keep it moving—the workers on the ground. While measures such as home-office options, fitness programmes and massage offerings have become standard in many offices, these perks are not easily extended to those in the field. It’s crucial that we don’t forget them.
‘We must develop ideas to enhance their experience of work and make the industry more appealing for everyone. For the coming years, my motto remains: “It’s not about a war for talent; it’s about a war for the workforce.”’
It’s crucial that we recognise our workforce in all positions, and take the necessary steps to keep them engaged in this industry. Thinking outside the box in terms of staff attraction, retention and development is critical to securing the future of our industry for years to come.
