Creative Employer Branding Strategies to Mitigate Labor Shortages in U.S. Ports

The East Coast and Gulf Coast ports handle around 43% of all U.S. imports, yet companies are worried about stability following the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike in October.

On the other side of the country, the West Coast ports are facing labor shortages, causing disruption to normal terminal operations. Given the key position these operations play within the U.S. economy, companies are going to have to reevaluate how they recruit, hire and retain workers. Being more mindful of the labor market dynamics will be crucial in both the short term, ahead of the holiday rush, as well as the long term, as the industry develops better workforce stability.

Challenges to recruiting for ports positions

The current labor situation in America’s ports has stabilized for the time being, but the current deal doesn’t cure many long-term concerns that both the companies and unions face as they think about their partnership for the long haul.

For many years and even through to today, working at a port in America meant good pay, good benefits and job stability. At its core, a job as a longshoreman was one of the truly great paths to becoming a member of America’s proud blue collar middle class. This path to prosperity is still true to this day, and may even become more lucrative depending on how the final labor deals shake out. That being said, the demographics of America’s workforce alongside the changing mindset of younger workers may make the recruiting pitch a bit tougher than the past few decades. 

The physicality of the types of jobs at ports is less than appealing to younger job seekers and is nearly impossible for the rapidly aging population that is currently staffing ports. In fact, 30.8% of workers in the water transportation and warehousing sector are ages 55 or older, coming up on retirement age. On top of that, irregular hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays, tend to be off-putting for those younger workers seeking to grow a family and manage a positive work-life balance. In addition, there are significant risks of injury when working on the waterfront in America and many newer entrants into the workforce consider the risks may outweigh the strong compensation and benefits.

Alternatively, there is a tremendous amount of anticipation that automation and artificial intelligence will help curb growing labor challenges, but it may be a stretch to see the jobs on America’s docks directly benefit from these factors.

All of this combines to create a less-than-ideal picture of the industry, and while there is so much upside and earning potential in today’s blue-collar careers, the industry needs help drumming up interest among the next generation of workers as well as finding ways to appeal to a diverse group of candidates.

With all these complications, industry leaders have their work cut out for them in terms of hiring and retaining talent. Still, there are things companies can do to bridge the skills gap and widen the available talent pools around them.

Overcoming skills shortages and talent pool restrictions with creative recruiting strategies

The first thing a company looking to recruit in this industry should do is refocus their career sites and job descriptions to highlight the multiple benefits of a career in this industry. For example, many jobs offer competitive wages, benefits and overtime opportunities. On top of that, this type of work will not be going anywhere any time soon, so job security is a huge benefit, especially amid today’s fickle job market. For those who crave a place where hard work is rewarded and consider a stable environment a match for their personal life goals, working in America’s ports can be an amazing opportunity.

Employers, or even the industry as a whole, should consider building out employer branding campaigns that emphasize these key features of working in the industry. Many people may not think to search for jobs in the industry, so this requires an explicit and intentional effort to get the word out about these available jobs, the industry and the emotional triggers to compel job seekers to step forward and express interest. Taking these narratives beyond your career site and job descriptions to social media, showcasing the benefits, camaraderie among co-workers and day-in-the-life testimonials via video, is a very engaging campaign that can draw workers to the industry that might not have previously considered it.

Next, companies should take a look at where they are putting their job ads. Because this work is often tied to a specific location, companies should be geotargeting, placing ads in front of local people using Google, Meta and other niche job boards created for trade and logistics roles. Again, leveraging video in job ads can help combat common industry misconceptions and provide a valuable glance into a surprisingly diverse, innovative and evolving industry.

Just as the construction and trucking industries have started to appeal to more women, there is also an opportunity for ports to make a significant investment in growing a more diverse talent marketplace and create awareness about careers in their industry.

There are also a few programs a company should consider implementing. For example, upskilling and training programs can help those without the necessary skills not only secure jobs but also become better at them. In fact, a staggering 93% of CEOs who implement upskilling programs see an increase in talent acquisition and retention, among other benefits like productivity.

Referral programs can also incentivize your current workforce to bring in interested candidates. To make things more competitive, offering sign-on bonuses and other perks like flexible scheduling, meals during shifts and phone or transportation stipends, can also be a very effective incentive.

The future of ports talent is bright

Recent news and current events have created new challenges for the ports industry, but that shouldn’t deter potential candidates from applying for a job that offers stability, flexibility, good pay and benefits. The challenge is on employers to ensure they are marketing these benefits effectively and reaching the right candidates, prioritizing creative employer branding strategies to attract, retain and grow top talent regardless of what challenges the industry faces next.