Top Supply Chain Projects: ALOM Overcomes "Great Resignation" Through Workforce Development

ALOM explains its focus on its workforce in an attempt to circumvent problems from the "Great Resignation" through development, opportunity, inclusion and growth. The project was selected as one of SDCE's Top Supply Chain Projects of 2022.

Adobe Stock 305917313
Shutter B/stock.adobe.com

Our 2022 Top Supply Projects award’s mission is to celebrate projects the most transformative and successful cases from the past year. And, this is certainly true for the project featured in this interview. 

The editors of Supply and Demand Chain Executive sit down with ALOM to completely transform their workforce management to stay resilient through the Great Resignation and make a fulfilling workplace. The project was selected as one of SDCE's Top Supply Chain Projects of 2022.

Supply and Demand Chain Executive: Pease describe the project.

ALOM: ALOM is a technology-driven global supply chain management company specializing in customized solutions for automotive, technology, medical and other regulated industry clients. In 2020, accelerated by the “Great Resignation” and impacts of COVID-19 on workforce recruitment and retention, ALOM began enacting strategies to grow and develop its workforce that reinforce its mission-driven cultural values across a new generation of workers to improve employee engagement and position the company as an Employer of Choice.

In addressing this growth-limiting challenge, ALOM enacted the DOING program. DOING is a culturally transformative approach that stands for Development, Opportunity, Inclusion, and Growth. This program put in place innovative systems providing tools, ideology, and management support for recruiting, developing, training, rewarding, and empowering its workforce.

Supply and Demand Chain Executive: What was the inspiration for this project?

ALOM: The 2021 “Great Resignation” impeded manufacturing-related industries to build and maintain staffing levels. Attracting and effectively onboarding new workers to support expanding ALOM client program capacity requirements became a serious challenge made more acute by competition for workers and resulting wage inflation. Among many business critical supply chain programs ALOM executes for its global client base, the company provides specialized, FDA regulated medical supply chain services to produce and distribute COVID-19 test kits. During peak demand, orders exceeding 1.5 million per week required production and same day shipping. Expanding and engaging its workforce to meet capacity growth requirements was critical to company success and brand reputation.

Supply and Demand Chain Executive: How did it make a difference for the company?

ALOM: ALOM management agree that without the success of DOING to recruit skilled workers, at all levels, that achieving the level of operational growth the company supported in 2020-21 would not have been possible. By having the foresight to develop solutions centered upon elevating cultural values to address the looming talent crisis, ALOM successfully expanded its North America workforce at a time of intense labor competitiveness to meet fast growing client program requirements.

DOING contributed to ALOM achieving record performance in 2021 in the following company and staff management areas:

  • 70% workforce growth
  • 60% revenue growth
  • 6% decrease in employee attrition
  • 65% reduction in days to fill open positions

Supply and Demand Chain Executive: How does this project provide innovation during the supply chain crisis and disruptions seen this past year?

ALOM: Addressing and solving the supply chain challenges being experienced across the industry requires smart, experienced professionals, not afraid to take risks and enact creative solutions on a daily basis. ALOM understood that in this highly unpredictable operational environment, the service provider with the best talent will win. By focusing its strategy to meet growth and service expansion goals on culturally-driven workforce engagement rather than business operations, demonstrated fresh thinking towards investing in the growth and development of the human capital needed to deliver on its performance commitments.

Supply and Demand Chain Executive: what makes this project different than others in the industry? 

ALOM: What is distinctly unique about DOING is it centered upon identifying and reinforcing the pillars of ALOM company culture as a competitive advantage and differentiator that would build a more engaged, higher performing team. While competitors were focusing on operational processes, acquisition, and technology to grow and improve competitiveness, ALOM was dedicating resources towards conveying and extending its cultural ideology to attract talent, engage, and develop a more productive workforce.

For example, ALOM launched ALOM University, an online learning management resource, to transform and empower staff development, training, and rapid onboarding.

Supply and Demand Chain Executive: How did/does this project fit into the overall operations of the company?

ALOM: ALOM business goals are focused on service level expansion, technology-driven operational efficiency, and excellence in sustainability. Achieving these goals requires planning and resources to add new facilities and hire skilled workers. Transforming itself from a successful small business with one location and 75 employees 10 years ago, to a global technology-driven corporation operating out of numerous locations and a workforce numbering well into the hundreds has solidified the company’s strategic focus on recruiting the best and brightest staff as critical to ongoing success.

Supply and Demand Chain Executive: What do you think the future holds for this project?

ALOM: The DOING program’s focus on reinforcing ALOM culture to build and bring out the best in its workforce has served as a catalyst for several new programs including:

  • Elevating staff engagement in ALOM Environmental, Social and Governance programs as presented in the company’s 2022 ESG Report.
  • Additional People Team management tools and staff engagement programs are currently in development to integrate performance management with training and development goals
  • Launch of internal mentorship and leadership development programs

This content was created in partnership with ALOM Technologies. 

Latest