HR & LABOR MANAGEMENT
Supply Chain Companies
Need Strategies to
Attract and Keep
Valuable Employees
Challenges such as an aging
population and outsourcing
affect human resources management in any industry, but
the supply chain sector faces
specific HR issues that
require special measures in
order for the industry to
keep up with growing and
constantly changing parameters for success.
he increasing number of people involved in the supply chain sector, as well as the growing complexity of operations and activities,
leads to some HR challenges specific to supply chain management:
• Industry-specific education is a relatively recent phenomenon. Indeed,
T
many employees have acquired SCM knowledge simply by working in the
field. This has created supply chain “generalists,” or else specialists in very
narrow niches, who are not necessarily flexible or knowledgeable enough to
adapt to a changing environment. Solutions: the creation of university or
trade college programs specific to the supply chain industry, as well as
deeper integration of learning and training programs in employee development strategies.
—Gabriel Gheorghiu, research analyst
• Workforce analytics is essential in the supply chain sector, due to the cur-
at Technology Evaluation Centers
rent lack of strong HR strategies, which often causes high turnover, and makes
it difficult to determine which resources are required, or understand the impact
of major decisions on overall productivity. One solution to this challenge lies in
workforce analytics software, which is specifically designed by business intelligence and HR software vendors to address this issue.
• The necessity to maintain a simultaneously global and local presence
translates into a need for more flexible employees, who have diversified skills
that can help them deal effectively with partners from different cultures and
with different backgrounds. While education does help, organizations should
incorporate strategies to motivate employees to reach beyond daily tasks and
develop their skills and aptitudes.
The Outlook
The supply chain sector is undergoing major transformations similar to those
that occurred in the manufacturing sector years ago, when companies finally
understood that employees are more than just an expense, and that human
capital management is more than a buzzword. Supply chain companies need
to create strong strategies to attract and keep valuable employees—their success depends on it.
