Seasonal variations, campaigns and periods of rapid growth often put significant pressure on logistics‑intensive companies. Securing the right workforce at short notice is a challenge, especially when recruitment and onboarding take time while demand can fluctuate sharply from week to week.
– Logistics is our core business. We work with it every day and have the expertise and structures needed to respond quickly when demand arises, says Daniel Berglind, Head of Staffing Services at Posti.
Logistics is an area where experience plays a decisive role. Small adjustments in planning, flows and picking strategies can have a significant impact over time. Despite this, outsourcing logistics to specialists has long been relatively uncommon in Sweden, compared with areas such as IT support, customer service and payroll. That mindset is now beginning to change.
– More companies are realising that they can achieve greater efficiency and flexibility by letting professionals handle all or parts of their logistics. Personnel costs often account for 50 to 70 percent of total logistics costs. With flexible staffing solutions, up to half of these costs can be made variable, creating immediate financial flexibility. At the same time, time and resources are freed up for the company’s core business, says Daniel Berglind.
Logistics experts with staffing expertise
Posti is a Finnish logistics company offering a comprehensive range of logistics services for businesses in Sweden, from parcel deliveries to advanced logistics solutions. As part of its offering, Posti also provides on‑site staffing as an integrated element of the logistics solution.
– We are logistics experts with deep staffing expertise. That is what sets us apart from traditional staffing agencies. It is not just about finding people, but about understanding warehouse operations, picking, packing and transport flows, and about being responsive to the customer’s business and goals, says Daniel Berglind.
Speed is another key differentiator.
– While traditional recruitment can take weeks, we can deliver resources within hours. This can reduce time to delivery by up to 50 percent and enables our customers to act on business opportunities in real time.
He also highlights the importance of onboarding and offboarding, an area that is often overlooked.
– For operations to run smoothly, it is crucial that new employees are welcomed properly and receive the training they need. They must be given a fair chance to succeed. That is why we have a robust recruitment process that includes background checks and reference checks, something that is otherwise often neglected.
Listening closely and daring to challenge
A recurring challenge for logistics‑intensive companies is balancing capacity and demand.
– Staffing needs in logistics can vary by 30 to 100 percent over the course of a year. During peak periods, demand can be two to three times higher than normal. Without flexibility, costs either become too high or capacity too low, says Daniel Berglind.
By letting experts manage all or parts of logistics operations, companies can handle peaks more effectively without permanently expanding their organisation. This reduces administrative burden and makes it much easier to manage both seasonal variation and rapid growth.
– The cost savings are clear. Companies can scale up and down without taking on financial risk. At the same time, the focus on logistics shifts from operational to more strategic.
This allows companies to concentrate on what they do best.
When fewer internal resources are tied up in day‑to‑day logistics, more time can be devoted to business development, innovation and customer relationships.
– For us, it is also essential to truly understand our customers’ challenges and to drive the process together. We listen carefully, but we also challenge existing ways of thinking and working. There is almost always potential for improvement.
Looking ahead
Looking forward, the need for flexibility will only increase, according to Daniel Berglind.
– As the global economy accelerates and purchasing behaviour continues to change, companies will need even more flexible operational flows. I believe businesses will have to dare to let go of even more control and hand over responsibility to experts. That will be essential to remain competitive in the long term.