In the coming years, companies will increasingly struggle to attract new talent for logistics positions. Time to shake up your recruitment policies.
The united states is already facing serious shortages in logistics positions due to the recovery of the economy. Studies by the MHl group show that 270,000 people are needed in logistics positions in the United States alone.
This number will not only increase in the United States in the coming years. Europe, too, will be strongly affected because of an ageing population. The baby boomers will retire in the next few years while the need for higher-skilled personnel in robotics, analysts and logistics engineers will only increase.
One of logistics' problems is its image. Not sexy enough, many people think supply chain is little more than the match between physical supply and demand. Rather, students therefore choose ICT or manufacturing positions. Whereas logistics actually has a lot to offer in the coming years. Think of the developments in Big Data, the rapidly changing customer demand. This requires an entirely new approach to the supply chain. Supply chain positions offer an enormous challenge due to the wide-ranging contacts between the many parties in the chain.
The talent gap challenge applies to all companies and to all regions. Research by Deloitte Consulting indicates that 71% of multinational companies, struggle to find sufficient new talent.
Another problem companies face is the difficult transition between management positions. Managers who have worked in specific functions such as manufacturing appear to have great difficulty with complexity that is commonplace within supply chaing management. They are not used to looking across the chain and negotiating with the many parties. It demands the utmost from the manager because the supply chain manager is often dependent and his power of persuasion is his main weapon.
So the 'cool' factor needs to be better promoted to students. Companies can give more guest lectures, provide more internships or financially support student projects.
Another option is to retrain within the company itself. Currently, there are more and more good courses at colleges or universities for your employees to make the switch. And often the distance is not as great as people think. Very many managers deal directly or indirectly with inventory, ordering, sourcing or planning. This knowledge and experience can be used to bridge the gap. Because from universities and colleges alone, there will never be enough recruits to fill the gap for years to come.
Hans Groen - Consultant Supply Chain and Performance Management
