As megatrends like globalisation, urbanisation and digitisation descend upon Australia, the very concept of commercial road transport is put to the test – and only a diverse workforce will be able to cushion the shock.
If the Australian Logistics Council's (ALC) 2017 Forum in Melbourne last month is anything to go by, Australia is on the brink of a logistics revolution: The impending convergence of innovative technologies and new ways of thinking is expected to put our very understanding of on-road transportation to the test and fundamentally change the way we live, work and think.
Agreed ALC Chairman Ian Murray, who pointed out that the Government's commitment to the development of a national freight and supply chain strategy is an opportunity to future-proof the supply chain on every level – from city planning and manufacturing through to education. "Now is our chance to prepare for the future and get the supply chain right – it's never been more urgent than it is right now," he emphasised at the Council's landmark event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
According to Parsons, and in a similair vein to Logical Executive Solutions co-Founder, Caroline Taylor, looking outside of the industry's standard recruitment pool could help alleviate the issue, she says – women, for example, are still underrepresented when compared to other industries.
In a supply chain context, ignoring the importance of diversity could pose a veritable business risk, adds Steven Asnicar, Director at Diversity Australia. "We see a major change in interest in diversity in the supply chain space for several reasons," he shares.
"Firstly, it is becoming ever more important for businesses with a well-known brand to protect their reputation – especially in the age of social media. If they don't meet their legal obligations or their supply chain partners' requirements, it can backfire quickly.
Even if women do manage to get a foot in the door, Steven says there is still ample room for improvement. "What is possibly the biggest issue for women in transport and logistics Australia-wide is pay discrimination," he says. "In 1984, there was a 17.9 per cent gender pay gap benefiting men. By 2009 it had increased to 21.5 per cent.
Diversity in the workplace is not a gender issue alone, though. A new report by the Australian Human Rights Commission and Deloitte published in February found that cultural diversity is equally important to increase customer-centricity, mitigate risks and magnify opportunities for Australian businesses. The report, created in collaboration with SBS, Qantas, QBE and the Westpac Group, identified that cultural diversity can be just as important for maximising revenue generation and business success as gender diversity – not only to attract talent, but also from a customer satisfaction point of view.
According to Steven, a "fixation on quotas and positive discrimination campaigns" won't solve the problem, though.
"We seem to have forgotten about the individual's right or preference to apply for a job, meritocracy – the ability for the person to have the skills, experience and qualifications to do the job – and that getting recruitment wrong has a significant cost to an organisation and affects every other employee's workspace.
Just meeting a quota does not necessarily mean that you have hired the best person for the job. "I think the only way to drive change is to collect hard data to substantiate the changes required and then get government to respond proactively by endorsing and managing organisations that don't comply or do the right thing.
Michael agrees, "To move forward as a progressive and successful society – both socially and economically, organisations need to acknowledge and cater for Australia's diverse groups. From strategy and governance, to the creation of relevant products and services and training of front-line employees, processes must be put in place to ensure that the needs of all Australians are considered, regardless of their gender, cultural background, faith, sexual orientation disability or age.