Staff do not feel valued by employers in transport and distribution

Almost half (44%) of employees in the transport and distribution industry don’t feel valued by their employer, according to new research from payroll and HR systems provider Moorepay. This is the joint highest percentage of any sector, along with retail.

The survey, which focused predominantly on smaller and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), revealed that across all sectors, three in four SMEs (77%) are struggling to recruit suitably qualified staff, and two-thirds (64%) are finding it difficult to retain them.

It also found revealed that one in four (24%) of employees in the transport and distribution sector said their employer provides no benefits to recognise and reward employees.

The most popular benefit for transport and distribution workers is financial bonuses and incentives, cited by 44% of respondents. This is followed by the provision of pension contributions over and above the minimum legal requirement, cited by one in three employees (31%) (see table).

Anthony Vollmer, MD of Moorepay, said: “For all the popularity of new types of benefits and ways of working, traditional financial rewards like bonus pay and generous pension schemes still hold the most appeal for workers. But people want different things at different ages, life stages, and depending on their lifestyle. So it is vital that benefits packages are relevant to employees, of value to them, and simple to manage from both sides.”

Flexible and/or remote working is much more popular for younger age groups, as are benefits that provide some form of social interaction, including the organisation of team social events. Women place significantly more importance than men on benefits that allow flexibility – particularly flexible or remote working, which is cited as important by 35% of female employees compared to just 26% of male employees.

Stephen Bevan, head of HR research development at the Institute of Employment Studies, which co-authored a report analysing the survey results, '21st Century Workforces and Workplaces', said: “To compete for skills, businesses must differentiate themselves from their competitors. Doing nothing is not really a credible option, even for SMEs with more constrained resources and less immediate access to specialist HR support. Companies need to make employees feel valued and make their reward and benefits packages fit for purpose, flexible, personalised and effective.”