Manufacturing and supply chain jobs such as logistics operations, warehouse administration and planning, procurement as well as customer and account management are in-demand. Companies are focussing on critical business strategies to expand and strengthen their processes, so that they can provide positive experiences for both their clients and end customers.

Even with all these job opportunities, the talent pool in Singapore remains small. The logistics industry relied quite heavily on foreign talent in the past. The negative perception of laborious and grimy work environments has also deterred some local talent from pursuing a career in logistics. Companies have consistently observed that Singaporeans with relevant experience are often drawn to more prolific and prestigious industries such as banking and financial services, technology and marketing. To curb consistent manpower shortages, employers in the logistics space started looking outwards.

However, many of the expats in Singapore had returned home during the two-year border lockdowns, which left a wide gap in the workforce. Although many employers know that it’s more challenging to attract and hire locals due to higher expectations, they will still prioritise Singapore citizens and permanent residents for any open job opportunities.

As the number of jobs increases, some talent with in-demand skills and knowledge are interviewing with 3 to 4 different companies at the same time.

having the upper hand in salary negotiation

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the employee-employer dynamics in many ways. For example, many job seekers who are equipped with in-demand skills and knowledge now have the upper hand during salary negotiations. Employers are also seen to be matching these new expectations with the existing talent shortage situation.

In 2022, many job seekers are stepping up to ask for higher base salaries, and if the person is the right fit for the job and company culture, it’s likely that the employer would try to match the figure. In addition to a bigger paycheck, many candidates are also looking for companies that offer a healthier work-life balance. While this may not be possible for some of the jobs in the logistics industry, companies are investing to improve their technologies and work environments so that employees feel more motivated.

Organisations are also reimagining their office workspaces. Gone were the days when employees worked from cubicles in dull offices with poor lighting and outdated software. Many of the larger logistics firms have redesigned their offices to make more space for collaborative spaces, a bigger pantry, and even add a splash of colour to liven up the workspace. Hardware such as CPUs and wired keyboards have all been replaced with laptops and wireless technology so that those who want to work from home can do so in the future.

While office renovations and digital transformation may only be possible because of the right timing, it also goes to show that many companies are willing to change from their old ways of working to attract and retain as many employees as possible.

the impact of industry 4.0 on singapore’s logistics workforce

Job changes and displacements are expected to happen as you graduate and enter the workforce. This is not a phenomenon that is unique to the logistics industry. In fact, the logistics industry may be behind the curve when compared to the professional and financial services industry.

You’ll find that your job responsibilities may be different from what you previously know. The Jobs Transformation Maps by Workforce Singapore revealed that 54% of the logistics workforce would undergo job redesign or displacement.

However, this is no cause for concern as the total number of jobs in the logistics industry will not decrease. On the contrary, the jobs that are at risk of significant change or displacement would most likely be replaced with higher-value and more fulfilling jobs such as data analytics and software development for instance with more opportunities for growth.

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