Last year, there were 6.5 candidates per vacancy in transport, logistics and transport in BelarusLast year, there were 6.5 candidates per vacancy in transport, logistics and transport in Belarus. According to the rabota.by Research Centre, the number of resumes grew a little faster than the number of vacancies in logistics, but in general, the competition in this area can be considered normal. At the same time, HR service in logistics faces the same challenges as in other spheres. The main thing is to choose an effective team that will help the business to grow. Each company can have its own HR strategy. Office Life has studied the experience of RTL Alliance, a logistics company, where its HRD Victoria Rusak shares her philosophy that helped the company grow from 19 to over 120 employees and become one of the top 10 employers in the country.

From ‘knownames’ to the top

RTL Alliance has been working on the logistics services market for more than 10 years. During this time, the company has gone from a brand-name in the field of railway freight transport to an international group of logistics companies, which can deliver cargo to almost any country, and the service is provided to more than 100 countries.

A couple of years ago, the company had one office in Minsk, but now it has representative offices in seven countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Poland, Lithuania and Mongolia. Today RTL is among the leaders of the multimodal and railway transport market.

According to the results of the national award ‘Number One’ for goods and services, RTL has been recognised as the best logistics company in Belarus for three years in a row. Also, RTL Alliance in Belarus is the only logistics company that has confirmed a high business reputation rating of AA reputation from BIK Ratings.

RTL Alliance HR philosophy: how respect for employees becomes a competitive advantage

Values are a complex topic. But it is hard to imagine what can be put next to it in terms of importance when it comes to working with people. It is about pedagogy, development, personal choice, and even happiness. The concept of ‘respect for employees’ is rapidly strengthening in the company. And this is not just a trend - it is the only way to build processes and teams, creating complex products. This is especially important in logistics, where the success of the entire business depends on the coherence of work.

Respect in the company is manifested in specific management decisions:

A transparent performance evaluation system where everyone understands what they are being rewarded for;
clear distribution of roles so that employees see how their work affects the overall result;
adaptation, which helps newcomers not just settle in, but quickly start contributing.

- We invest in the development of competencies through internal training programmes and a mentoring system covering all levels - from rank-and-file specialists to top managers. We pay special attention to professional communications: all decisions are made on the basis of performance evaluation systems, not emotions, and feedback is always timely and constructive," says Viktoria Rusak.

It is important to always realise that no one trains specialists solely for your processes and standards. This understanding changes the attitude to selection and assessment in principle. The company is not looking for ideal candidates, but for suitable ones - those who want to go together with the company to achieve results. They do not try to remake people, but start building relationships, negotiate, explain their position clearly, share their tools and support in mastering them, and help young specialists to grow up and learn to enjoy responsibility.

A culture of responsibility and drive

RTL Alliance adheres to the principle of ‘Being an entrepreneur in your own place’. This means that employees at all levels perceive their work as their own business, and the company as a whole becomes the result of entrepreneurial activity of each division. This approach creates a team mindset of ‘How can I find a solution?’ rather than ‘Why haven't I been given the resources?’. This principle is taken into account at all stages - from the selection of specialists to daily work.

- At the same time, I strongly believe that it is the team vibe that becomes the driver of development. Employees united by a common goal are capable of breakthrough solutions and work effectively in the face of constant change. Being attentive to each other is another part of our success. Finding such specialists is a difficult task, especially in a dynamic environment. And once found, the big task of the manager is to make them fall in love with the business and the product," reflects Victoria Rusak.

How we create a dream team

At the heart of a company's success are people who can multiply its potential. That is why RTL focuses on a person's personal qualities and values during the recruitment process. The company is looking for employees with a high level of energy, stress resistance, developed intuition and the ability to predict changes.

- What I personally pay attention to is people's thinking, beliefs, ideas and value systems. Equally important is the ability to build communication within and outside the team, to always be ready for change and hard work," Victoria specifies.

Our recruiting principles

- We take an uncompromising approach to the search," says Viktoria Rusak. - We do not lower the bar even when the labour market is limited. Finding the perfect team member takes time: RTL Alliance is ready to revise requirements to the vacancy, test new channels of attraction, conduct additional interviews and get to know each other better.

1. Creating a vacancy for a talented person. This experimental format has been tried several times in the company, and it has already proven to be effective. This approach requires a certain budget and more attention to the probationary period.

2. A star team is best nurtured from within. This speeds up adaptation: the person already shares our values and understands business processes.

3. prompt decision-making. If within one to three months it becomes obvious that an employee does not meet expectations, they are parted with him/her. Delaying this process hurts both the company and the employee.

4. For a managerial position, we highlight additional criteria: the ability to assemble a team and lead, strategic thinking on a large scale, resistance to stress and determination, and a high level of analytical ability.

Our experience confirms that outstanding results are achieved not where there are rigid regulations, but thanks to the right combination of values, thinking and attitude to work. This is what the HR service focuses on when building a team.

Breakfast with the CEO and introductions without formalities

Today, the company has more than 100 employees, and the RTL team manages to build communication based on openness, mutual respect and honesty at all levels. The absence of barriers between management and the team is a prerequisite for building effective employee management.

To improve internal communication, the company has introduced a new feedback system. Every month, the company's CEO, Gennady Gogenia, holds breakfast meetings with new team members, where there is an opportunity to communicate in an informal setting. At such meetings, expectations and goals are exchanged, which helps to understand the company's values and integrate into the team, as the company's CEO is the DNA of the corporate culture.

‘81% engagement is not an accident, but a system’
One of the main indicators of RTL Alliance's success is not only financial results, but also the level of employee engagement. HRD Victoria Rusak reveals the secrets that helped the company achieve an outstanding 81%.

- Every year we conduct a large-scale survey using the Gallup Q12 methodology, adapted to our specifics. I like this test because of its ease of use and the great informative nature of the results. It's not a formality - 93% of employees took part this year because they see that their opinion really influences decisions," says Victoria.

This indicator has a direct impact on work performance: employee productivity in companies with a high engagement index is 20% higher, and staff turnover is 25% lower.

RTL analyses not abstract ‘satisfaction’, but specific parameters: how much people understand the connection between their work and the company's goals, whether they feel the support of colleagues and managers, whether they believe in opportunities for professional growth. The results always reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the management culture.

- The Company implements complex projects. And the tasks facing the HR service are not easy either. Creating an HR management system or an HR brand is a challenge. When you are at the origin of creating something large-scale and important, it is very motivating. If employees believe in the company as their own project, it changes everything," summarises Victoria.

Looking for a promising position in logistics, forwarding, sales or customer service? RTL Alliance has something to offer you!

In addition to work, you will get live communication, career development and an engaged team of strong specialists. Leave an application on the website or write to us in social networks and we will tell you more about the vacancies.

➨ Vacancies: rtl.team

➨ Instagram: instagram.com/rtlalliance

➨ TikTok: tiktok.com/@rtlalliance