The industry remained lively
The contradictory news of 2020 included hiring freezes and people frequently changing jobs. Moritz Blaser, a specialist in human resource services, explained the background of this and other paradoxes to Christian Doepgen.
How did government measures to counter the outbreak of Covid-19 affect staffing levels in the transport / logistics industry?
Last year we saw it all. There were some recruitment freezes, mostly in large firms. Others had to relocate, which led to staff fluctuation – and also opened up new opportunities. Some small and medium-sized entities, including from the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, experienced high demand, and then had to recruit some extra specialists urgently.
Was this reflected in the modal split?
Early in this special time, airfreight was in the limelight. Sea freight and shipping lines recovered quickly, and recovered rapidly. We also felt its benefits.
You’ve been telling us about recruitment freezes and the changes in employers’ staff. How did this come about?
In this period of calm many people questioned their personal and professional situation, put it in perspective and sought out new professional horizons.
How did a human resource recruitment specialist such as you react to 2020?
We now focus more on commercial positions in the freight forwarding industry; and we made our overall appearance more personal and simpler. Recruitment is and will remain a people business, not a company activity.
Did the market collapse for a while?
No, we’ve experienced pretty steady demand since March 2020, just at a somewhat lower level. Some overland transport projects were put on hold, for example. There’ll always be a lot of movement in this lively industry, of course.
What are the prospects for 2021?
Difficult to say; but I’m not pessimistic. The demand for staff depends on the economy – always with a slight lag, of course.