Access to qualified labour and its retention is one of the most talked about topics for logistics real estate operators today. Not only do labour trends impact recruitment and location strategies, but sourcing a loyal workforce is getting harder.
The importance of labour in warehouses has only risen in the past decade. Access to suitable labour in the 12 European countries where we operate is a key requirement for real estate selection. Our latest research focuses on developing a clear picture of the interaction between labour retention and logistics real estate. This study is based on data from our platform of more than 16 million square metres, numerous conversations with many of our roughly 700 unique customers and our own proprietary data.
In this research we also take a closer look at the wide range of real estate investor initiatives around labour like transportation, amenities and installations.
References of different tactics across Europe
This map is intended as a reference only - pictured is a selected cross-section of the many Prologis activities across Europe.
Here are four key tactics that logistics real estate operators should use to attract, train and retain labour:
- Better transport connections: Commuting needs to be as efficient as possible.
- More and higher-quality amenities: As labour qualifications increase, amenities become more important.
- Logistics career and community commitment: A long-term initiative improves the overall image of the logistics sector and creates lasting solutions.
- Improvement of building characteristics: A basic component of a pleasant and healthy workplace hinges on the facility’s environment.
This study looks at the shape that labour needs are taking in warehouses today, labour force composition changes due to automation and worker scarcity, and whether the wider mix of different job qualifications inside a warehouse means that finding suitable labour is challenging? Logistics real estate has the opportunity today to alleviate many of today’s challenges and provide solutions for the future.