According to a new Korn Ferry study, supplier diversification and consumer demand has created a need for new talent and skills. In fact, eight in 10 supply chain executives are looking for people with an agile mindset.
“The industry has shifted so much that there isn’t a lineage of people with the skill sets to fill new roles,” says Melissa Hadhazy, a senior client partner in the global industrial practice at Korn Ferry. “It isn’t just digital, operational and traditional hard skills that are needed. The move from siloed supply chain systems to more networked models, coupled with consumer demand for more insight into sustainability and social impact, requires soft skills that were not previously asked of supply chain leaders. Collaboration, communication, the ability to work through ambiguity and other soft skills are critical for today’s supply chain leaders.”
From Korn Ferry:
- Supply chains pros are also looking for more experts in communication (61%) and experience with building a team or with organizational design (57%).
- 57% of survey participants are experiencing challenges finding talent with end-to-end supply chain knowledge.
- Other areas where leaders are having difficulty include finding people with transformation experience (43%) and data analysis and reporting capabilities (41%). More than 40% of respondents also report digital engagement gaps among middle, senior and executive management.
- Just under 60% of supply chain executives are looking outside of their industry for talent with relevant skill sets. At the same time, when looking internally for future supply chain leaders, 62% of those surveyed say they look outside of the function.
“Young professionals are interested in the supply chain because it presents opportunities to make a difference,” says Hadhazy, and “now is the time for firms to build a strong, secure talent pipeline for the future.”
