Transport & Logistics
State of the Industry: Transport & Logistics
Resilience, Recalibration, and Reinvention in Motion
Leadership Under Pressure – and Progressing
Over the past three years, Transport & Logistics (T&L) leaders have navigated a landscape shaped by profound disruption: the fragmentation of global supply chains, volatile freight rates, climate-linked pressures, and now the accelerating influence of AI. In this climate, leadership has required more than operational excellence — it has demanded strategic agility, progressive vision, and the ability to rebuild internal confidence.
The NSS data shows that ‘Progressive’ leadership scores are some of the lowest across the sector, with figures like:
FedEx Corporation: -60.7%
R.R. Donnelley: -62.5%
A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S: -65.5%
This signals a lag between change imperatives and perceived progress inside companies. Yet, initiatives like digital twin simulations, supply chain re-mapping, and ESG investment pipelines show real attempts to modernise, even if employee sentiment hasn’t yet caught up.
Forward-thinking firms are redefining what leadership means — from top-down command to collaborative navigationthrough uncertainty.
Culture: From Relentless Motion to Responsible Movement
Traditionally seen as rugged and cost-obsessed, Transport & Logistics culture is undergoing a shift. The language of the shop floor and boardroom is no longer just “speed and scale” — but “safety, purpose, inclusion and experimentation.”
However, cultural sentiment remains mixed to negative. The NSS figures reveal critical pain points:
‘Purpose’ scores are deeply negative across the board, e.g.
R.R. Donnelley: -100%
DSV A/S: -100%
DB Schenker: -72.7%
‘Diversity & Inclusion’ is patchy:
United Parcel Service: -40.3%
CEVA Logistics: -9.7%
Alstom SA (a standout): +56.5%
Despite this, there is a clear pivot toward cultural responsibility:
Safety programs that reward collective vigilance, not just individual compliance.
ESG-linked objectives embedded in operations and fleet planning.
Cultural initiatives pairing frontline teams with tech developers to co-design new tools.
The cultural tide is turning. The question is: can leadership keep pace with expectations around fairness, meaning, and shared purpose?
Talent: Gaps, Grit, and Growing New Capabilities
The industry’s talent crisis is no longer looming — it’s landed.
A confluence of factors — retiring drivers, constrained immigration pipelines, the rising need for digital fluency, and a younger workforce seeking value alignment — has strained the traditional talent model.
NSS data on ‘Career Progression’ and ‘Learning & Development’ paints a complex picture:
Career sentiment is generally low or negative, e.g.:
R.R. Donnelley: -61.5%
DB Schenker: -40.3%
Kuehne + Nagel: -12.7%
Yet Learning & Development scores are relatively stronger:
DHL Group: +60.5%
A.P. Møller – Mærsk: +52.6%
Alstom SA: +46.3%
This reflects a sector that is actively investing in training — but struggling to translate that into visible mobility and rewards. Talent pipelines now include:
Reskilling initiatives in automation, IoT, and AI governance
Recruitment of non-traditional profiles (e.g. data analysts, green logistics planners)
Experiments with reverse mentoring and internal gig platforms
The future lies in integrating technical upskilling with clearer career pathways, especially for frontline and hybrid logistics roles.
Workforce: Reinventing the Model with Humans and Machines
Perhaps the biggest structural evolution in T&L has been in how the workforce itself is composed and deployed. Over the past three years, companies have moved from legacy, union-heavy labour models to more hybrid systems involving:
Permanent + contingent + gig labour
Work-life balance initiatives in shift design and scheduling
Collaborative robotics (cobots) and wearables to reduce strain and increase throughput
Despite this innovation, workforce sentiment remains subdued:
‘Work-Life Balance’ scores remain negative in most firms, e.g.:
DB Schenker: -20%
CEVA Logistics: -42.5%
UPS: -25.4%
‘Empowered’ scores also lag:
DSV A/S: -37.6%
DHL: -22.4%
Maersk: -37.1%
This suggests that autonomy and balance still feel elusive to many workers. However, companies embracing co-creation of work patterns, digital voice tools for feedback, and flexible scheduling AI are beginning to see uplift in trust and retention.
Looking Ahead: Optimism in Reinvention
While the NSS data reveals the strain of transformation, the T&L sector is far from stuck. The last three years have tested its endurance — but also shown its appetite for reinvention.
What gives reason for optimism?
Digital Foundations Are Set: From AI route planning to real-time tracking and autonomous yard operations, the infrastructure for a smarter industry is taking hold.
Cultural Curiosity is Growing: More firms are listening to employees, experimenting with values-aligned leadership, and benchmarking culture with the same rigour as performance.
Talent Models Are Diversifying: With vocational retraining, cross-border apprenticeships, and embedded learning ecosystems, the sector is laying the groundwork for new career architectures.
Green Goals Are Driving Innovation: Hydrogen fleets, circular packaging networks, and emissions-optimised routing are more than pilot projects — they’re part of the new competitive edge.
From Velocity to Vitality
The Transport & Logistics sector is no longer just about “delivering faster.” It’s about delivering better — for people, for business, and for the planet.
Yes, the journey to transformation has been bumpy — but it’s also been bold. The coming years offer a window for companies to solidify trust, re-energise talent, and lead with responsibility. Those who combine tech-enabled resilience with human-centred design will not only move goods — they’ll move the industry forward.
