A new report commissioned by DHL has found that the supply chain sector is facing a talent shortage that is quickly escalating from a gap to a potential crisis.
The report – titled The Supply Chain Shortage: From Gap to Crisis – surveyed over 350 supply chain and operations professionals in the five major regions of the world.
It found that the factor with the greatest impact on the talent shortage is changing job requirements. Nearly 70% of survey respondents listed ‘perceived lack of opportunity for career growth’ and ‘perceived status of supply chain as a profession’ as having a high or very high impact on their ability to find, attract and retain talent.
Only 10% of survey participants said they found it difficult to find job candidates who are technically fit for the job, although 27% noted that finding talent with solid professional competencies is challenging.
Only 25% of respondents said their company views supply chain as equally important as other disciplines. In contrast, 40% see supply chain talent’s value in a situational context, such as a commodity or corporate asset, depending on the level and position.
When it comes to tackling these shortcomings, leading companies are taking steps to create more robust talent pipelines and develop their supply chain workforce through clear career pathing, education, cultural adaptation, and talent development partnerships. One third of companies surveyed (32%) have taken no steps to create or feed their future talent pipeline.