Natalina Magro, Marketing and Communication Manager @SISCOG | 7 min read
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The railway industry has long been the backbone of modern mass transportation, playing a crucial role in moving people and goods efficiently and across regions while being the most environmentally friendly option with the lowest emissions.
However, behind the scenes, the human element—the workforce ensuring smooth operations—presents significant challenges for operators.
Staff shortages have become a pressing issue, driven by a mix of demographic, economic, and industry-specific factors. Tackling these challenges is essential not only for maintaining reliable transport services but also for securing the future of rail operations.
ROOT CAUSES OF STAFF SHORTAGES
Staff shortages in the railway sector stem from a variety of factors, such as:
- Demographic Shifts: An ageing workforce is one of the primary contributors. A significant proportion of railway staff are approaching retirement age, and the pipeline of younger workers entering the industry is not sufficient to replace them. In the UK, for example, and according to the last NSAR’s Workforce Survey 2024, the rail workforce declined by 9.4% over the past year, and a third of employees are aged 50+ (despite a 20% increase in workers under-25s, younger entrants remain too few to offset retirements).
- Changing Workforce Expectations: Younger generations are increasingly prioritising work-life balance, flexibility, and opportunities for growth. Traditional roles in the railway sector, with their demanding hours and rigid structures, can struggle to attract this talent pool.
- Economic Pressures: Inflation and rising costs have pushed some operators to reduce recruitment and retention efforts in an attempt to cut expenses, exacerbating the labour gap.
- Impact of the Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic led many workers to leave the workforce or shift to less demanding, remote roles, intensifying shortages in an industry that depends heavily on in-person work.
- Competition from Other Industries: Other sectors offering higher wages, flexible working conditions, and remote options, something not possible in such operational roles, have successfully drawn potential candidates away from the railway industry.
- Workplace Culture: Traditional workplace cultures in some railway organisations often fail to meet modern employee expectations, particularly regarding inclusivity, diversity, and innovation.
- Technological Disruption: Rapid advances in technology require workers to adapt quickly to new systems, but not all employees may have the skills or willingness to make the transition, leading to attrition.
- Regulatory and Certification Barriers: Stringent requirements for training and certification can slow down the process of hiring new staff, making it difficult to fill vacancies quickly.
IMPACT ON OPERATORS
The shortage of qualified staff has far-reaching implications for railway operators:
- Service Disruptions: Insufficient staffing often results in delays, cancellations, and inconsistent service quality, eroding passenger/client trust and satisfaction.
- Operational Inefficiencies: Operators may struggle to optimise resource usage, such as effectively matching available staff to operational needs. This can lead to inefficiencies, resource wastage, and overburdening existing staff, potentially causing demotivation, health issues, and ultimately exacerbating staff shortages.
- Safety, Regulatory and Legal Risks: Failure to maintain adequate staffing for safety, punctuality, and reliability risks regulatory fines, audits, and penalties.
- Difficulty in Scaling Operations: Limited staff capacity restricts the ability to expand services or introduce new routes, hindering growth opportunities in response to increased demand or market opportunities. For example, the Belgian railways (SNCB) announced in September 2024 scaling back its expansion offering plans primarily because it cannot find enough staff and is facing a shortage of drivers.
- Lost Revenue Opportunities: Service reductions due to staffing issues lead to fewer ticket sales and lower revenue from ancillary services like onboard amenities or freight logistics.
- Reduced Staff Morale and Retention: Overworking the existing workforce to compensate for shortages creates burnout and dissatisfaction, potentially leading to higher attrition rates and a vicious cycle of staffing issues.
- Negative Public Perception: Persistent disruptions and transport service quality issues can damage an operator’s reputation, discouraging passengers and freight customers from relying on rail services.
STRATEGIES FOR STRENGTHENING THE WORKFORCE
Addressing this challenge requires a multi-faceted approach, blending immediate actions with long-term strategies.
- Recruitment and Retention Initiatives
Railway operators must modernise recruitment practices to appeal to a diverse workforce. Key steps include highlighting career growth opportunities, incorporating flexible work arrangements and part-time options, offering competitive compensation and benefits that rival other industries, and ensuring clear career progression pathways.
A notable example is Indian Railways’ significant move to address staffing shortages, by launching a recruitment drive that included a new approach to temporarily filling vacancies by reappointing retired railway employees.
Additionally, supporting staff well-being is essential. Wellness initiatives that address both mental and physical health can significantly enhance employee satisfaction, making the railway sector more attractive to both new and existing talent. - Enhanced Training, Upskilling and Knowledge Transfer
Investing in training programmes for both new hires and existing staff can help bridge skill gaps. Technology-driven simulations and e-learning platforms effectively equip workers with the tools they need to excel in their roles. Mentorship initiatives allow senior workers to share their expertise before retiring.
An initiative in this area is the Skill Training Alliance For the Future European Rail System (STAFFER) project, a four-year ERASMUS+-funded initiative that has developed a long-term action plan to address skill gaps and workforce shortages in the European rail sector. STAFFER focuses on reskilling and upskilling the workforce while also proposing strategies to attract young talent to the industry. - Streamlined Regulatory and Certification Processes
Collaboration with regulators is essential to fast-track certification processes for new hires, enabling quicker integration into the workforce. Establishing internal training programmes aligned with certification standards can further minimise delays, ensuring new employees are ready to contribute effectively from the outset. - Adapting to Workforce Preferences without losing efficiency
By leveraging technology to offer greater flexibility and personalisation, railway operators can meet modern workforce expectations. Tools that support hybrid work models, when applicable, or facilitate part-time and flexible scheduling, can significantly boost recruitment and retention efforts. Even with staff-designed work schedules, efficient operations can now be maintained thanks to advanced optimisation algorithms. Innovative software solutions play a pivotal role in addressing staff shortages in areas such as:
- Empowering Staff with Bidding Options: Allowing employees to bid for duties and rosters that align with their personal preferences can foster greater satisfaction and engagement.
- Enhanced Transparency and Fairness: Advanced algorithms can ensure a fair distribution of duties, helping to reduce grievances and build trust within the workforce.
- Optimised Rostering: Creating fair and efficient rosters that account for staff preferences, while guaranteeing reduced fatigue levels, can improve operational efficiency.
Use Case: London Underground
This operator sought a scheduling tool that was fast, flexible, and capable of optimising the work of 5,000 Customer Service (station staff) employees. Specifically, they aimed for a solution that maximised staff preferences while producing valid and efficient duties and rosters.
The solution delivered on these goals, plus significant savings in new work schedules, and achieved a 57% reduction in planning time. Full Case Study here.
Use Case: Northern European railways
A tested approach at a northern European railway shows the capability of a novel two-step algorithmic procedure based on two principles: a) allowing workers to express their own preferences in the form of requests; and b) using algorithmic support to schedule the work aiming at maximising the satisfaction of those preferences in a fair way.
This algorithmic support is integrated into the Short-term Scheduler, a module of CREWS, and was presented at the 15th International Conference on Advanced Systems in Public Transport (CASPT 2022) under the title “Crew rostering with fair satisfaction of personal preferences”. The Blog article “Work schedules designed by workers” offers insights into how to improve work-life balance, boost job satisfaction, and enhance attraction and retention.
5. Leveraging Technology for Workforce Empowerment
Technology offers transformative solutions for workforce management. Digital platforms enable improved communication and provide self-service tools for workforce empowerment, allowing employees to manage their schedules effectively.
Advanced analytics predict staffing needs, helping operators proactively address shortages. One example is an absence prediction prototype with very promising results, which will allow rail companies to improve service while optimising the use of reserve duties and disruption scenarios. The publications “Model for predicting absences of railway crew members", “Time series analysis of absenteeism in the railway sector”, and “A Machine Learning Model for Predicting Train Driver Absences” (only in Portuguese) provide insights about that prototype.
Additionally, automating repetitive tasks allows staff to focus on higher-value roles, increasing efficiency and satisfaction.
Use Case: Lisbon Metro
Lisbon Metro uses MyPLAGO, a solution based on CREWS, that enables employees to access real-time updates of their work schedules and days off. They can submit requests to change duties, days off, and holidays, including exchanging duties with colleagues in the same professional category, as they can view each other's schedules The system also simplifies absence reporting, ensuring transparency and traceability throughout the process.
CONCLUSION
Ensuring a sustainable future for railway operations requires addressing the challenges of recruitment and staff retention, which impact service reliability, worker morale, and passenger satisfaction.
While demographic and economic pressures are significant, they can be mitigated through innovative strategies that combine advanced technology with flexible human resource management. An ageing workforce calls for targeted efforts to attract young talent, while retention strategies should make railway careers more appealing by offering flexibility, clear progression paths, and greater autonomy. Economically, resource optimisation is essential to balancing costs without compromising service quality or employee well-being.
Technology plays a central role, from advanced planning tools that optimise duty schedules while respecting worker preferences to predictive analytics that anticipate staffing needs and automation that reduces administrative tasks. At the same time, effective people management strategies—including training, reskilling, and fostering inclusive workplaces—strengthen teams, making them more resilient and motivated.
Integrating modern technology with flexible and innovative management practices is essential to preparing the railway sector for the future and ensuring its continued relevance in global transportation.