Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/893182
26 PalletCentral • September-October 2017 palletcentral.com WORKFORCE Get the Word Out One of the biggest hurdles in hiring women is a lack of awareness. Jobs in transportation are often not even on their radar. "We need to make women aware of great careers we have—for drivers, of course, but also for engineers, freight planners, etc.," Pendergast explains. "Today, only about 6 percent of professional drivers are women, and 14 percent hold management positions," Brooks points out. "We've only just scratched the surface." Know your Market Companies interested in attracting more women can't expect to use one size ¬fits all recruiting practices. "If the transportation industry is ready to engage more women, it's time to think about how to engage differently," Brooks says. "So many people just don't know how to hire women." To get started, recruiters need to understand their target market. Men and women are obviously wired differently. So what really resonates with women? "When we recruit men, we usually find that a challenge is effective: 'Here's what can be done. Can you do it?' It's a cowboy mentality," explains Jason Williams, co-founder and president of Expediter Services, LLC. "For women—and this is also generally true of minorities and immigrants—an approach like 'Together, we can' is more effective. The support system opens the door." Historically, the transportation industry has involved risk taking. Women tend to be more averse to risk than men, so it can be helpful to show them ways to engage with minimal risk. For example, Williams says, women prefer to test the carrier and equipment before jumping right into a purchase. Keep Everyone on Board Once they're on board, women need to feel supported in order to stay connected and engaged. "Companies sometimes focus so much on recruiting and then lose employees on the back end," Keera Brooks warns. "You need to give equal focus to retention. Thinking about the entire driver The industr y can no longer afford to maintain the status quo when it comes to recruiting. Companies with jobs to fill need to broaden their field of view.