Overcoming crises with gut instinct
The logistics business model is based on change – which is why people in this sector need expertise in dealing with change. Three experts who took part in the BVL panel discussion on ‘Resilience through HR management: strategies for crisis-resistant logistics teams in troubled times’ on Thursday had personal experience of this. Paul Boers, Global HR Business Partner at Kuehne+Nagel, has moved several times with his family from the Netherlands right up to Switzerland. Being curious and open to the world helps to deal with such disruptions – also in the professional environment. However, the logistics industry is “somewhat more traditional”, which makes it difficult to change things, he says. That's why it's important to hire people with the right mindset for challenges and transformation.
Nadine Kiratli-Schneider is a good example of this. She moved from university in Maastricht (Netherlands) to the Franconian town of Herzogenaurach to join automotive and mechanical engineering supplier Schaeffler. When she took over the position of Head of Supply Chain Risk Management & Sustainability there two and a half years ago, she ‘had no idea about risk management’ – but her courageous move earned Schaeffler the ‘Risk Transformation Award 2025’ in the resilience category from management consultancy EY. Jury statement: ‘At a time when global supply chains are becoming increasingly complex and susceptible to disruption, the company has taken on a pioneering role and implemented impressive risk management measures.’
Nils Finger, Professor of Supply Chain Management at the CBS International Business School in Cologne and BVL Regional Group Spokesperson, worked at DB Schenker for many years before his university career. In the current difficult times, he recommends approaching issues with empathy. Logistics companies should equip their onboarding programmes with resilience building blocks. For him, these include nutrition, a culture of taking breaks and digital detox. ‘Many people don't manage to get 100 metres away from their mobile phones,’ he observes. According to him, comparing yourself with others on social media all day long and consuming bad news weakens your ability to deal with stress and crises. In contrast, the three experts believe that talking openly about mistakes strengthens personal resilience. However, this is still not part of the logistics industry's DNA, says Finger.
In risk management at Schaeffler, Kiratli-Schneider and three female colleagues are constantly under pressure as the ‘four risky ladies’, ‘so the team hygiene has to be right’. For her, trust, empathy and gut instinct are what count – that's how tough business decisions can be tackled. But emotional intelligence is ridiculed, ‘people still don't see the power,’ she says. At Kuehne+Nagel, Boers wants to know from applicants in job interviews when they ‘last bumped their heads’ and what they learnt from it. He encourages them not to hide their fears and worries during the interview. Kiratli-Schneider advises people to have the confidence to ‘show more personality, even as a manager’ – and thus become approachable: ‘Bring your whole self to work.’ (kk)
