Recruitment, retention, diversity focus for airfreight industry

The current staffing deficit has highlighted the airfreight industry’s need to attract and retain new talent — especially younger and more diverse candidates. Pandemic-induced job losses industrywide have resulted in a 34% staffing deficit this year, according to IATA . The need for robust recruitment was stressed at the group’s World Cargo Symposium last month. “There’s a significant risk existing staff will not stay with the organization for very long,” Brendan Sullivan , IATA’s head of global air cargo, said at the event. He added that the industry needs “to continue with programs that will attract people to air cargo and keep them here by making them feel proud to be employed in the industry.” Creating a supportive work environment London-based IAG Cargo , the cargo handling division of International Airlines Group , is implementing several initiatives to promote recruitment and retention. “We’ve really had a renewed focus on our company culture for IAG Cargo,” Caroline Andrews , chief people officer at IAG Cargo, told Air Cargo Next . “We know very much how that really influences the employee experience. And so we’re really keen to invest in areas such as learning and development opportunities for our people, with the aim of upskilling them.” IAG Cargo offers professional development via LinkedIn, and Andrews said 95% of employees actively use that programming. The company also uses CoLAB, an internal system, to help employees share ideas and collaborate on initiatives. Being heard and respected by colleagues and executives improves job satisfaction, which leads to improved retention, she said. Next generation of employees IAG Cargo relaunched its graduate and apprenticeship program last year. “From our 2022 cohorts of graduates, they’ve already rotated through a number of different departments across the business, including areas such as revenue management and the people function, and also visited our second largest hub in Madrid,” Andrews said. “And that’s, I think, really been an important part to support [and attract] young talent, both to IAG Cargo and the wider industry.” The company has retained its entire 2022 cohort, which Andrews attributed to employees feeling aligned with IAG Cargo and its purpose. She cited a recent survey by Deloitte in which 29% of 4,000 respondents between the ages of 16 and 24 said they left a job because they felt the organization was not true to its purpose. “I feel the good news, from our perspective, is if the candidates are looking for a career with a purpose, we really do offer that,” Andrews said. These initiatives have “already resulted in us receiving threefold the number of applicants in 2023 for our schemes.” compared with 2022, Andrews said. Opportunities for women Airfreight remains a male-dominated industry . IATA reported in 2021 that, of its 297 member airlines, only 24 were led by women — about 8%. [caption id="attachment_57135997" align="alignright" width="300"] Caroline Andrews, chief people officer at IAG Cargo (Photo: Andrew Fosker/PinPep)[/caption] This imbalance led Meantime Communications founder and Chief Executive Emma Murray and consulting firm Change Horizon found er and Managing Director Celine Hourcade to found Women in Aviation and Logistics to create actionable change on this front. The group has more than 100 signatories who have committed to its pledge to mobilize the industry, advocate for change and define concrete goals to achieve gender equality, according to its website. “We have a phrase in diversity, equity and inclusion, which is: ‘You can’t be what you can’t see,’” Jane Hoskisson , director of talent, learning, engagement and diversity at IATA, previously told Air Cargo Next. “ If you’re at an event and you feel like you’re the only person that looks like you, sounds like you, has a similar experience to you, it makes it really, really difficult to connect.” To address this issue, IAG Cargo keeps diversity in mind during the hiring process. “We’ve also worked on developing new screening techniques and putting more emphasis on the assessments and the application questions,” Andrews said. “And whilst in the early days, that’s been very [successful in attracting] a wider intake of a more representative population across the business. So that’s really helped as well from a gender perspective. “I think one of the biggest challenges we’re facing as an industry right now is overcoming, like I said, that male-dominated stereotype from a gender perspective, and it’s important to highlight the industry is one that is evolving, and we’re continually looking for ways to foster a more inclusive and diverse workforce,” she added. Andrews stressed the importance of recognizing women who already work in the industry and highlighting their successes. She added that IAG Cargo will launch its Leading the Way Leadership Academy “very soon.”

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