Supply chain management has become an increasingly technology-driven industry, but while automation systems have become standard in many supply chain environments, the human element is still crucial. People with the skills to manage supply chain technology are of the utmost importance, but unfortunately many supply chain managers feel they aren't doing enough to find, train and secure those individuals.
According to a study conducted by Supply Chain Insights, only 18 percent of supply chain managers feel they are doing a better job than their peers at managing talent. What's worse is that this is trending in the wrong direction. In 2012, the study found that 25 percent of supply chain managers were doing better job than their peers, so this year's numbers show that confidence is waning. Additionally, in 2012, 28 percent of supply chain managers admitted they were worse than their peers at managing supply chain talent. This year, that number has jumped to 43 percent.
"I'm surprised we're not making progress," said Lora Cecera, founder of Supply Chain Insights, in a conversation with EBN Online.
One issue could be that supply chain managers don't feel there is enough talent out there to help them with their daily operations, particularly as supply chain workers are expected to have advanced technical skills. To counter this issue, they may reach out to VARs and MSPs to help manage supply chain technology. In this case, they will expect their outsourced partners to employ smart, talented workers. VAR Staffing can help with this by identifying and recruiting the best possible candidates to fulfill the needs at these organizations.
