Listening is the be-all and end-all

“We're short-staffed” – a problem that is currently plaguing numerous companies. To underscore this, Annett Schütz, managing director of the personnel consulting firm Staff & Jobs, had all participants stand up at the last Synlog Day who had heard this sentence or something similar in their company in the past twelve months. Almost everyone present stood up. And this applies not only to the DIY logistics industry, which is the focus of the event that takes place every year in Schwerte – the entire gardening and DIY industry is suffering from a shortage of skilled workers.

“The DIY industry is usually a winner, especially in times of crisis: when people have to cut back, they often invest in a beautiful home. Financial and economic crises and the Covid pandemic have shown this. Nevertheless, sales have been in sharp decline since 2023,” says Schütz. ”Customers want sound, expert advice on many products to help them make their purchase decision. In addition to innovative products and all-in-one solutions, competent employees in the sales departments are the key to sales in the industry and thus one of the challenges in the current situation,” she explains, adding: ”In the background, specialists in areas such as IT and digitization, social media and marketing, R&D or HR are needed for a sustainable overall concept. So despite the crisis, it is important to build and maintain expertise in the company in order to have a head start in the market and be competitive when the upturn comes.”

At the industry event, the expert had a few tips on how to achieve this, which, as she emphasized, go far beyond the fruit basket or the job bike, because “everyone offers that now”. Instead, applicants value sustainability, digitization, innovation, sustainability, social engagement, health management and ergonomics – “and not as run-of-the-mill offers, but individually tailored to the employee,” she added. The candidates also valued advice on psychosocial issues, a company cafeteria offering high-quality food from the region, team events and corporate benefits, and, most importantly, appreciation. That may sound like a lot, but…