A survey conducted by DHL has found that the supply chain talent pool is not keeping up with the changing requirements caused by technology’s reshaping of the industry.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that logistics jobs are estimated to grow by 26% between 2010 and 2020, and one global study estimates that demand for supply chain professionals exceeds supply by 6:1, with some predicting that that ratio could be as high as 9:1.
DHL surveyed more than 350 supply chain and operations professionals in five global regions for its The Supply Chain Talent Shortage: From Gap to Crisis report, which revealed that there are a number of reasons contributing to the talent shortage, including: changing skill requirements, an aging workforce, a lack of staff development, and the perception that supply chain jobs lack excitement. The report was authored by which was authored by Lisa Harrington, president of the LHarrington Group.
“Leading companies understand that their supply chains and the people who run them are essential to their ability to grow profitably. However, the task of finding people with the right skillsets required to run these highly complex operations is increasingly difficult, especially at the middle and upper management levels,” said Harrington.
“Unless companies solve this problem, it could threaten their very ability to compete on the global stage. Companies are now recognizing that sourcing strategy has a large impact on their bottom line and ability to remain competitive.
“New technologies and fundamental areas of the supply chain have changed, meaning they now require that a person has a different and much larger skillset than required when most of the current workforce began their careers.”
The report outlines numerous opportunities for the industry to start closing this talent gap, such as offering clearer career paths, and a visible commitment to the professional development of its supply chain staff combined with competitive remuneration packages.
To attract talent, the industry needs to emphasize that the future workforce will need to have skills in robotic management, AI and AV control.
Louise Gennis, vice president, talent management/acquisition, learning and development, DHL Supply Chain, said, “We recommend that companies start with prioritizing the development of their current talent pool to adapt to the changing job requirements through training programs, and then retaining staff through clear career paths.”
July 27, 2017
