3 Trends That Make It Harder to Retain Supply Chain Management Talent
While the apparent waning of the pandemic unleashed a tsunami of resignations, long-term trends that were around long before COVID-19 are making it harder to keep top talent in supply chain management roles.
Research shows that average employee tenures for all industries have been decreasing in recent years and the supply chain is no exception. Furthermore, many employers don’t place a lot of emphasis on employee retention. Add in the fact that perceptions around the supply chain industry make it hard to attract talent and you have a major challenge for employers trying to keep talented managers.
1) Company Loyalty is an Old-Fashioned Idea
After decades of downsizing and offshoring positions, employers are finding that people just don’t feel a sense of loyalty to their company like they did in the past. Rather than wait around for their employer to support their career goals, people are quite willing to seek opportunities outside their organization. Often, a better opportunity can be found with just a bit of internet searching. Job openings in the supply chain are abundant right now and highly qualified managers have a lot of options.
Furthermore, the idea of changing jobs every four or five years is becoming the predominant expectation for younger generations. With many companies giving little attention to employees’ career paths or opportunities for advancement, younger generations are seeing outside growth opportunities as their default option.
2) Retention Can Be a Low Priority
In the past, workers were content with annual reviews and annual salary increases. The occasional happy hour and company picnic were enough to make employees more likely to stick together.
These practices are no longer enough to hold on to top talent, and yet, plenty of employers are stuck in their ways. Company leaders often take a reactive approach to keeping good employees. Rather than offering competitive pay, they are focused on minimizing labor costs. Rather than engaging their talent, company leaders are laser focused on maintaining efficient operations.
If a company truly want to retain supply chain managers, it needs to take a structured, proactive stance.
3) Supply Chain is Losing the Battle for Skilled Professionals
Despite the fact that technology is a primary driver in supply chain operations, younger people tend to see it as a low-tech, low skill industry. As a result, supply chain manager talent is hard to come by.
As a whole, the industry isn’t adequately engaging young adults. Companies should be reaching out to school and community organizations to show how the latest technology is making exciting things happen in the supply chain. With the pandemic creating a greater awareness around the industry and smartphone delivery tracking making it more relevant than ever to Millennial and Gen Z, now is the time for companies to engage the public.
We Can Help Your Company Win the Battle for Supply Chain Talent
At ZDA, we specialize in helping our clients connect to best-fit talent for their open supply chain positions. Please contact us today to find out more about how we can help your organization.
