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Spotlight on Generation Z

They were born around the turn of the millennium and grew up with digitalization. Generation Z has been making its way into logistics for some time now—and DACHSER is no exception. What expectations do members of this generation have? Of themselves, their work environment, their future? We’ve compiled some answers to these questions.

Generation Z has been making its way into logistics for some time now—and DACHSER is no exception

For Generation Z, who have grown up with smartphones, apps, and social media, their grasp of modern technology is essentially second nature. They are often regarded as reserved, with a pragmatic and conservative attitude and a strong focus on work-life balance.

Teamwork and a good working atmosphere are what count

We asked the young people what they expected of themselves, their working environment, and their future, and their responses provide an exciting insight into the world of Generation Z. What unites them is the value they place on teamwork, variety, and a good working atmosphere.

Lina Schöffel has been training as a professional truck driver at the DACHSER Logistikzentrum Berlin-Brandenburg since August 2018. “It’s not just driving a truck itself that appeals to me. I also like the idea of direct contact with customers, and I’m interested in all the processes in the warehouses and offices that go hand and hand with the transports. After all, I’ll be working closely with these departments later on,” she says. As part of her training, she has already spent some time scanning goods in the Food Logistics warehouse and working in the IT department, which gave her an impression of the various DACHSER programs that are used to control forwarding and warehouse processes. Her first stop along the road to becoming a professional driver was to obtain her forklift license and then accompany some experienced drivers on their routes. “I helped with deliveries and learned how to scan the goods using the PenKey. I go to a technical college, where I learn about all the equipment I need for my job—cargo securing and the theory behind it, for instance. Recently, I spent six weeks at driving school to get my truck driver’s license. Being allowed to drive myself for the first time was an amazing experience.”
Niklas Hertlein began his training as a logistics specialist at the DACHSER Logistikzentrum Hamburg in 2018. At this point, he had previously completed several internships at an air and sea freight forwarding company, and so he already had an understanding of the logistics industry and was familiar with DACHSER. During his interview, he realized that DACHSER was the right place for him. The budding logistics expert also really enjoyed his introductory week. “I was shown around the whole facility and learned how the branch operates. What really surprised me was how varied the tasks were. I received an incredibly warm welcome, and was always able to ask questions.” At the start, he found the customer contact and direct dealings with drivers somewhat daunting. “But now I’ve become a lot more practiced, as I’ve got more of an overview of how things work. I’m learning how to be more self-confident in face-to-face interactions and in handling everyday challenges.” For Hertlein, the decision to train in logistics was the right one. “I have so many options for the future here.”
Norina Reimann joined DACHSER in 2017 and is training to become a logistics specialist at the Logistikzentrum Dortmund. After graduating from high school, she completed various internships to get a taste of the logistics industry and attended a Girls’ Day event, where young women learn about careers in typically male occupations. That’s how she came to DACHSER in Dortmund. At the moment, she manages goods and processes in incoming and outbound goods. “All my tasks are extremely varied and no two days are the same.” She particularly appreciates the supportive atmosphere she works in, where her colleagues are always on hand to help her. “For me, working in a team trumps being a lone wolf any day. What’s important is that together as a team, we make the best of everyone’s individual strengths.” She is just one of a whole group of women at DACHSER in Dortmund. “Although logistics is still a predominantly male occupation, women aren’t too rare here in Dortmund.” In her capacity as an apprentice ambassador, Reimann talks to teenagers in schools about all the ways that logistics plays a role in everyday life. “This way, they quickly come to realize that the industry offers some great career opportunities.”
Wiktoria Bukalski began her training to become a logistics specialist at the DACHSER Logistikzentrum Ostwestfalen-Lippe in Bad Salzuflen in August last year. She places high demands on herself and on what she expects in terms of teamwork. “I want to understand the logistics chain from end to end and fully grasp the processes that have to happen to ensure the goods get to their intended recipient. When all work steps kick in as they should and a successful shipment is realized via the harmonious interplay between them, it’s an awesome feeling to have been part of it.” For this young woman, motivation is key. “Work can be fun only if everyone else is as motivated as you are.” Bukalski finds the “Message!” trainee event a great source of motivation. Every year, trainees from all the German DACHSER branches come together to get to know each other and compete in challenges. That encourages teamwork and a networking mindset, things that are very important to Bukalski.
Tunay Kaygusuz is training to become a logistics specialist at the DACHSER Logistikzentrum Ostwestfalen-Lippe in Bad Salzuflen. It was a friend who suggested she go work in logistics. What she really likes about her job: “I am always part of a team but I also have the freedom to work very independently in my role as an apprentice.” She is completing her training in different departments and particularly enjoys the planning and organizational aspects of her work. She also loves the contact she has with other people. “I talk to customers, to the drivers, and to our people in the warehouse. It never gets boring,” she says. She particularly likes the working environment, where young and older colleagues respect one another. “In my job, I can always learn a lot from my older colleagues’ experience. What I find most inspiring is the way they keep calm, even in stressful situations, and have everything under control.” Similarly, there are always situations where she, as a member of the younger generation, can help her older colleagues: “Recently, when a new version of an internal portal went online, I was able to show a somewhat perplexed colleague the fastest way to click through to the page she wanted to access. She was delighted with the assistance.”
At the age of 17, Emilia Wagener already knew she wanted a career in logistics. She decided to pursue a dual work-study program focusing on logistics at the DACHSER Logistikzentrum Ostwestfalen-Lippe in her hometown of Bad Salzuflen—but didn’t want to wait until her course began. To bridge the gap between secondary school and college, she began working in the DACHSER warehouse. “At first it felt strange to report to the control center at 2:00 in the morning,” she recalls. “But I was welcomed so warmly by my colleagues that I felt integrated from the very first minute.” This gave Wagener a taste of the working world she had chosen. “It was exactly what I had in mind for myself,” she says. Now that she is a student, she particularly likes the combination of theory and practice. She gains experience at all the different stations in the logistics center, from local deliveries to long-distance transport and from incoming goods to outbound goods—always with a direct interface to the warehouse. “Logistics at DACHSER is incredibly diverse. I get all the support I need from my trainers and colleagues and have been able to work independently right from the outset.”
Justin Hamann has been training as a warehouse logistics specialist for three years at the DACHSER Logistikzentrum Berlin-Brandenburg in the Schönefeld district of Berlin. “What I like about it is that there’s always something going on in the warehouse,” he says. In the dispatch area, goods have to be loaded onto the appropriate trucks with great care and meticulously prepared documentation so that the transports can depart on time. In the incoming goods area, the goods are checked and scanned, and their data processed using DACHSER’s own forwarding and warehouse software. “I like the fact that we always help each other out, especially when we’re really busy and there are lots of trucks and vans to load,” says Hamann. “It’s just as important to me that we always have fun doing what we do. Having a laugh together is all part of it, and makes any job much easier.”

Generation Z

In its Gen Z Effect study, Dell surveyed pupils and students aged 16 to 23. They discovered that Generation Z is crazy about technology, but not so much that they place no value on human interaction. Quite the opposite—in fact, they yearn for it. Today’s 16- to 23-year-olds are surprisingly reserved, pragmatic, and conservative in their behavior. Their conduct, as the study reports, is characterized by controlled observation and adaptation.

“This leaves the door wide open for fruitful cooperation between the various generations in the company. Older colleagues can teach the talented youngsters the soft skills they are lacking, and conversely, Generation Z can ensure that technological skills are expanded throughout the company. This way, they can help propel businesses further into the digital era,” explains Doris Albiez, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Dell EMC Deutschland.

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