SPECIAL FEATURE On boarding at Henk the first step in retaining staff SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS: HOW TO RECRUIT FOR THE FUTURE Attracting and retaining good-quality staff is critical to a companys performance and all-round sustainability - and, for movers, it is more difficult than ever. However, in a competitive market, there are straightforward steps firms can take to give them the best possible chance of recruiting high-calibre staff and increasing business longevity in the process. FIDI Focus Editor Dominic Weaver reports MANUELA HENK, MANAGING DIRECTOR, HENK INTERNATIONAL T he economic, social or environmental sustainability of any business starts with its people. How and who a company recruits, and how it empowers its staff, are the most important factors affecting its ethical credentials and bottom line. However, it has never been tougher for movers to get it right. The availability of drivers, packers and administrative staff, to name just a few roles, is at an all-time low, and employers are having to fight hard to fill vacancies. 30 FF303 Sept_Nov 21 pp30-33 HRManagement.indd 30 At Henk International, Managing Director Manuela Henk has noticed the change. We have had searches out for two jobs for two or three weeks and had one application. This is really scary, she says. Issues such as declining interest from prospective employees in doing physical work predate COVID-19, but the pandemic has accelerated this trend, while at the same time raising the importance of logistics and increasing competition for staff in this sector. Against this background, Henk International is investing a lot of energy in finding the right people, but WWW. F I D I FOC U S . OR G 14/09/2021 14:22