Q&A: DMN Logistics’ Nick Chadaway

DMN

DMN Logistics’ Managing Director Nick Chadaway talks developing staff and how the firm is getting EV-ready

How do you source talent for your organisation?

We recruit from every source possible. Being a small company, we have the ability to be agile and not tied into specific and hard-to-change recruitment policies. Friends and family is our preferred route, but we’ve been successful with the large job websites and also Facebook.

What are the key education and training requirements for people joining the company?

DMN has always tried to recruit based on attitude rather than aptitude. The right person that fits our culture and values can learn the role quite quickly. We place a strong emphasis on the induction as we’ve learned this is often the make-or-break point. New team members spend time in all departments and meeting everyone across the business so those relationships and support networks can be formed. Once in the right seat, on the job learning and specific role-based training comes next to allow the people to quickly make small wins.

How many apprenticeships do you carry out?

None. We have tried this route on a number of occasions, but in a smaller business, we have found it hard to maintain the right level of training and focus those apprentices deserve. We have, however had great experiences with government-backed schemes to bring young people into employment, and some of our longest-serving colleagues have joined us in this way.

How have the human resource and recruitment needs of your company changed over the past 18 months?

We now need more support in both areas, our team is spread between office and home locations, so pastoral care is more important than ever.  In recruitment terms, we are continually trying to recruit drivers, and this is a whole new level of difficult.

How are you managing the new skill-set required for the switch to plug-in vehicles?

Training, training, training and technical support. We have taken places on the BVRLA electric vehicle courses, which provide a great background to the switch to EVs. We run our own research and data gathering on any EV’s that we deliver, which gives us a great real-world insight. WLTP range is one thing, but the real world is still very different; having said that, we find ourselves managing queue anxiety more than range anxiety. Training drivers on the optimum methods to drive and charge an EV is the most fruitful, and once the theory is there, the practical follows very quickly.

What leadership development programmes do you run?

Nothing specifically, we develop all our colleagues internally and aim to upskill at every level wherever possible.

What is your key focus for the next six months and why?

The next six months are vital in our industry, we are suffering the same shortage as all other sectors that require drivers, but this is masked by a similar supply issue with vehicles. Once this supply issue returns to normal, we could very quickly find ourselves with a catastrophic resource shortage.  We are focussing on finding and developing the best talent, equipping them with the best technology and building teams & support networks to look after our people. We have developed a strong upskilling and career progression programme to help us retain people as they join.