Judging by the attendance at the "People Side of the Supply Chain" seminars held during the recent ProMat 2011 Show, hiring and retention are hot-button issues these days. To industry insiders, that will come as no surprise. Although it's not as widely publicized as, say, the truck driver shortage, the warehouse and DC business has been facing an ongoing labor crunch of its own. DCs report that it's getting harder to find qualified workers, and if they're lucky enough to find them, it's getting harder to keep them. And the problem is being reported at all levels of the organization.

The situation isn't going to reverse itself anytime soon. In fact, it's expected to worsen. That's why a lot of far-sighted employers are already looking at ways to ensure they'll come out on top in the coming war for talent.

To that point, Dan Boos, principal and executive consultant for Boos Consulting Services LLC, who led the "People Side of the Supply Chain" educational track, had a couple of suggestions. Part of the solution will be to embrace diversity, he said. As the traditional labor pool shrinks, employers will necessarily have to broaden their sights to include traditionally underutilized segments of the labor pool—people of different generations, genders, and cultures. The other part, he said, will be making themselves more attractive to potential employees. In a tight labor market, people can be more selective about who they'll work for. In order to attract top talent, companies will have to figure out how to become employers of choice.

"Taking steps to become the employers of choice, coupled with a strategy and willingness to embrace diversity in your work force, could make the difference between success and failure," said Boos.

But how do you become such an employer? Obviously, it helps to know what today's logistics professionals want from their jobs. Our latest Salary Survey sheds some light on that question. In addition to asking about salaries and compensation, this year's survey included a number of questions about overall job satisfaction—what the respondents liked and didn't like about their jobs and what their employers could do to make them happier.

Job satisfaction proved to be extremely high among the survey respondents (a full 88 percent indicated they were happy on the job), but that's not to say they didn't see room for improvement. When asked what their employers could do to boost their job satisfaction (aside from upping their pay), respondents were ready with suggestions.

Some of the responses had to do with the work environment itself (like more up-to-date technology and better communication on the employer's part). And a lot of suggestions dealt with career development—such as greater access to training and more opportunities for advancement. But a striking number of responses centered on another area altogether: accommodations to help workers achieve a better work/life balance. Like flexible schedules. Like opportunities to telecommute. Like holiday scheduling to accommodate diverse cultures.

What's notable about the items on this wish list is that they're budget friendly. Unlike, say, on-site gyms or concierge services, most could be provided at little, if any, added cost for an employer. But the benefits could be huge. Employers that offer a better work/life balance will likely have the edge when it comes to recruitment and retention. And they can expect higher productivity as well. Studies have shown that employees work harder for companies that offer these types of accommodations.

The competition for the best and the brightest workers is about to heat up. If you're concerned about hiring, now's the time to start thinking about how you can make your company an employer of choice. The upside could be huge, and the downside (if it even exists) negligible.