Recruitment Top Priority for Most Companies - Modern Distribution Management

Recruitment Top Priority for Most Companies

About three-fourths of distributors prioritizing talent in 2018
Eric-Smith-84x84

Talent recruitment remains top of mind for distributors in 2018, with about three-fourths of respondents (73 percent) to the most recent MDM-Baird Distribution Survey saying they plan to prioritize it this year.

This isn't surprising, considering that MDM identified talent as one of the Top Trends for 2018 – which it has been for a number of years as the industry struggles to attract the next generation.

When asked about their top three business-specific concerns for 2018, distributors cited a host of staffing concerns from “hiring skilled workers” to “finding capable people” to “recruiting new talent.”

The talent gap also was among the top pain points respondents said they are experiencing, with one respondent lamenting “not enough time in the day, not enough trained personnel.” Another listed “finding new talent and finding new talent” as both of his top two pain points.

But how will distributors prioritize talent recruitment? According to the MDM-Baird Distribution Survey, only 9 percent plan to use new approaches to finding new employees, while 28 percent will stick with previous strategies and 63 will use a combination of both.

As for specific recruitment practices, "word of mouth" was No. 1 with 69 percent of respondents saying they will ask current employees to recruit friends and family.

Another 67 percent said they will post job openings on LinkedIn and other career sites. The third most popular option, at 47 percent, was posting job openings to social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

Next was using a headhunter or other recruiting services, at 43 percent, and fifth was partnering with college distribution departments to identify candidates, at 38 percent.

Look for much more on how to improve your talent recruitment – and retention – practices from MDM blogs and articles throughout 2018.

Share this article

About the Author
Recommended Reading
Leave a Reply

Leave a Comment

Sign Up for the MDM Update Newsletter

The MDM update newsletter is your best source for news and trends in the wholesale distribution industry.

2

articles left

Want more Premium content from MDM?

Subscribe today and get:

  • New issues twice each month
  • Unlimited access to mdm.com, including 10+ years of archived data
  • Current trends analysis, market data and economic updates
  • Discounts on select store products and events

Subscribe to continue reading

MDM Premium Subscribers get:

  • Unlimited access to MDM.com
  • 1 year digital subscription, with new issues twice a month
  • Trends analysis, market data and quarterly economic updates
  • Deals on select store products and events

1

article
left

You have one free article remaining

Subscribe to MDM Premium to get unlimited access. Your subscription includes:

  • Two new issues a month
  • Access to 10+ years of archived data on mdm.com
  • Quarterly economic updates, trends analysis and market data
  • Store and event discounts

To continue reading, you must be an MDM Premium subscriber.

Join other distribution executives who use MDM Premium to optimize their business. Our insights and analysis help you enter the right new markets, turbocharge your sales and marketing efforts, identify business partners that help you scale, and stay ahead of your competitors.

Register for full access

By providing your email, you agree to receive announcements from us and our partners for our newsletter, events, surveys, and partner resources per MDM Terms & Conditions. You can withdraw consent at any time.

Learn More about Custom Reports

Request a Market Prospector Demo

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get the MDM Update Newsletter

Wholesale distribution news and trends delivered right to your inbox.

Sign-up for our free newsletter and get:

  • Up-to-date news in a quick-to-read format
  • Free access to webcasts, podcasts and live events
  • Exclusive whitepapers, research and reports
  • And more!