When it comes to technology, XPO Logistics (NYSE: XPO) may be best known for its XPO Connect platform. The digital freight marketplace, launched in 2018, is used by shippers to track and trace their shipments, get quotes and manage their spend with XPO. Technology has been a driving force behind the growth and success of XPO since its founding, but that technology is only as good as the people behind it. To achieve success, XPO has embraced a culture that encourages and supports employee engagement and development.
“First and foremost, we continue to invest in our people, in addition to our technology,” Jennifer Kaczmarczyk said on Monday’s WHAT THE TRUCK?!? episode with Dooner and The Dude. “XPO is a growth organization and to sustain that growth, we have to invest in developing the people who power our technologies.”
Kaczmarczyk’s appearance on the show coincided with International Women’s Day, with this year’s theme of Choose to Challenge. “That’s daily life in the transportation industry,” Kaczmarcyzk, who leads XPO’s Ann Arbor, Michigan, brokerage office, said. “You are faced with a challenge and you have to deliver results. You have to figure out how to make it happen.”
Watch: XPO’s Jennifer Kaczmarczyk
Kaczmarcyzk noted that 2020 was challenging for everyone, and XPO was no different.
“The pandemic revealed the critical nature of the work our frontline employees perform every day to keep supply chains moving and our top priority was focusing on the safety of our workforce. From there, our team focused on delivering results to drive growth,” she said, noting that XPO’s truck brokerage saw significant growth in 2020, and her office in Ann Arbor grew 40%.
The underlying support for that growth is the people of XPO. This year, the company unveiled XPO Rise, a high potential development program aimed at providing rising leaders with an immersive approach to executive-level development with the goal to move diverse employees into executive roles across XPO businesses. Kaczmarcyzk is one of nineteen selected for the inaugural class of the program.
In addition to developing leaders, XPO is focused on developing an inclusive and diverse culture, Kaczmarcyzk said. She noted that the transportation industry workforce is approximately 15% women, but at XPO, that number is 26%.
“XPO is committed to embracing diversity and gender equality, which is demonstrated with the critical policies and benefits programs to support its workforce,” Kaczmarczyk said. “If you are focusing on growing your family or if you are focusing on education, we have policies and programs that allow you to develop those areas of your life.”
On the diversity front, XPO employs nearly 100,000 people and continues to make investments to foster a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion that is attractive to future talent and has stronger retention rates. Career site Diversityjobs.com recently named XPO a top employer for diversity.
“Diversity is about building a company culture that encourages teams to create innovative solutions, create better connections with customers and offer a competitive advantage,” Kaczmarczyk said. “The challenges that our shippers and carriers face demand perspective from diverse groups because that is how we get to the best solution possible.”
The WHAT THE TRUCK?!? hosts asked Kaczmarczyk for any final advice she could offer women listening to the program.
“Find a team that aligns with your core values. I joined XPO because the organization and its people embrace innovation, diversity and social responsibility,” Kaczmarcyk added. “XPO is a place where people are championed and challenged to be better today than yesterday. If that’s who you are, if that’s what you’re about, XPO is your home.”