Recruitment Boom: Labor Market Demands Shaping Logistics and Supply Chains

This expansion trend, the increased demand, and raw material shortages are directly reflected in the labor market. Krisztián Moldován, logistics and supply chain expert from leading recruitment agency Hays Hungary, summarizes the main trends shaping the market today and tomorrow.

Today’s Demand

As raw material shortages pose a significant threat to supply chains, there are several competing issues facing companies today. Increased and backlogged orders are becoming more urgent, and suppliers’ capacity is being stretched. As a result, there’s rising demand for production planners to ensure structured planning, adequate use of resources, and that products and commodities arrive at the right destination on time.

The Recruitment Boom

In these “post-pandemic” times, companies across industries have started to recruit at a high pace. This was particularly true for logistics and supply chain companies. In the past year, our clients opened around 10-15 positions at once, an unprecedented increase compared to the pre-COVID era. We also started to recruit talent for new functions and to build entire teams from zero.

Most Wanted Talent

The skills shortage is a pressing issue in the industry. Like last year, the highest demand still seems to be for logistics talent. Besides these, companies have opened a surprisingly high number of positions for planners, while there is also growing demand for experienced customs professionals who speak English. However, suitable candidates are scarce on the market.

Best Paying Positions

According to our latest labor market report, the Hays Salary Guide 2022, almost all logistics positions have enjoyed a salary increase compared to last year, partly due to increased demand and partly from a shortage of specialists in the market. The highest salaries go to procurement experts, followed by logistics professionals, production planners and coordinators, and the list ends with customs experts.

Employer Wishes

Competing for the best-skilled talent, employers are more curious to see whether they offer a competitive salary within their industry. In the past year, the Hays Salary Benchmark service has become highly popular among logistics and supply chain businesses. We provide companies with a tailor-made study for their segment, containing a detailed market overview and up-to-date salaries for specific positions that their competitors offer. We also provide consultancy services to our clients to get the best candidates on the market, make their employer brand more attractive, and build a future-proof hiring strategy.

The number of new open positions in logistics and supply chains has doubled in the past three years, which shows the enhanced hiring pace. Companies appreciate the long-term and strategic partnership we offer that enables them to plan for today and tomorrow. At Hays, a specialized recruitment team ensures we find the right talent for the right position. With in-depth market knowledge and recruitment expertise that spans 15 years in Hungary, we can build entire teams quickly and efficiently.

Tomorrow’s Labor Market

Logistics is always on the go. This industry cannot stop functioning as manufacturing and trade requires materials and products all the time. In the future, we expect to see the demand for talent increase further. At the same time, employers must consider higher salary expectations from skilled professionals that are already showing in the current economic climate.

This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of July 29, 2022.