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Equal opportunities
The composition of the workforce in logistics shows that workers and managers are overwhelmingly male, white and of European ethnic origin. Only 11% of those employed in road freight and 22% of those employed in the overall logistics sector are women.
The workforce is predominantly in the 25-54 age range, with road freight employment skewed towards the higher age levels.
The logistics industry recognises that the unrepresentative labour force is a significant issue for the sector. The Skills for Logistics website identifies action points necessary to help bring about a more diverse workforce which include:
- the development of specific programmes to encourage more diversity in the workforce e.g. women only driver training
- Skills for Logistics has been commissioned to conduct research into the real and perceived barriers to minority groups joining the industry
62% of employers have a written equal opportunities policy.
Source: Skills for Logistics website 2006 and Skills for Logistics – Stage 1 2005
For statistics on dimensions of equal opportunity by region go to the regional dimension. A workforce profile is included for each region.
Gender
22% of the logistics workforce is female, compared to the UK average of 46%. The proportion of female workers is expected to increase to 30% in 2014.
25% of females work part-time (less than 30 hours per week).
The logistics sectors has a historically masculine culture, linked to the heavy work entailed. Technology and the introduction of home delivery by light van have reduced the level of manual strength required. Despite the technological shift transforming the skills sets in the sector, the culture has not changed.
Workers and managers in logistics are overwhelmingly male, only 11% of those employed in road freight and 22% of those employed in the overall logistics sector are women. This compares with a UK average of 46%.
Source: UK Logistics Sector Profile 2006, Skills for Logistics – Stage 3 2006 and Skills for Logistics – Stage 1 2005
For more data on women in the logistics sector see:
Age
An ageing workforce has been identified as a critical issue across the logistics sector. There is also a low intake of replacement labour.
Key statistics on the age profile of the sector:
- 68% of the workforce is aged 35 years or over, including 42% over the age of 45 years
- less than 1% of the workforce are under 21 years
- the average age of employees is 43 years
In 2004, 23% of the current active LGV driver workforce was aged 55 or over. 80,000 active LGV drivers will retire over the next five years.
Driver recruitment has been an increasing problem for the past ten years. To cope with natural wastage and predicted shortages, between 15,000-20,000 additional drivers holding the ‘C+E” licence will be required. To replace those who could attain this licence by upgrading from an ordinary ‘C’ licence, some 9,600 further drivers will be needed.
Numbers of young people in the industry are low due to age restrictions for drivers of large vehicles and the difficulty many firms have in arranging insurance for employees under the age of 25.
40% of managers in the sector are aged 45 years or over.
Source: Skills for Logistics – Stage 1 2005
For more data on the age profile of the sector workforce see:
Ethnicity
6% of the workforce is from ethnic minority groups, which is similar to the UK economy as a whole (7%). This has increased from 4.4% in 2002, which was below the UK average. The road freight industry employs only 1% of its workforce from ethnic minority groups, 7% storage and warehousing, and 9% in national postal acitivities.
Source: UK Logistics Sector Profile 2006 and Skills for Logistics – Stage 1 2005
For more data on the sector profile see:
Last cached: 2008-05-08 01:17 AM