Page 64 - Case Study Annual 2015
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deployed to meet the supply chain requirements of the The path ahead
organisation.
Now, in reviewing the final episode in the set of
Hence, supply chain leaders must immerse new publications, the focus moves to the requirements for
hires in the organisation’s culture and provide current the long-range success of individual team members,
team members with opportunities to expand their the organisation, and how the supply chain profession
capabilities. This can be achieved through the strategic requires ongoing investment in SCM talent.
talent development process detailed in the publication:
The Develop Process. After SCM talent has been acquired and developed,
organisations must support professional growth and
The Advance Process advancement. Career paths, retention strategies and
succession planning are critical pieces of the talent
The value of strong, integrated SCM capabilities for management puzzle that enables supply chain leaders
propelling businesses to greater levels of success is to build high performance teams.
being increasingly recognised. Supply chain leaders
are being elevated to strategic roles and corporates Career paths in SCM
are investing in SCM capabilities to create competitive Well-designed career paths generate benefits for both
advantage. the organisation and the individual professional.
Organisations offering career path guidance are less
Talent advancement: supporting SCM leadership likely to have retention problems versus organisations
requirements offering no career path support.
After spending considerable resources to hire and
develop the best SCM talent, leaders may incorrectly Organisations that support career paths indicate
assume that supply chain professionals will take charge that job satisfaction and engagement are the primary
of their own career paths. The result can be devastating, benefits. Even employees whose organisations offer no
as leaders see little need for career guidance or career path support recognise that they are in danger of
investment in career advancement programmes. In falling behind in the talent race.
such situations, talent may languish in non-challenging
positions and eventually defect for more enticing supply The value of retention
chain career opportunities elsewhere. Turnover depletes the talent pool, impairing efforts
to attract, develop and advance future supply chain
As SCM shifts from its traditional functional roots leaders.
to a strategic control tower process that touches nearly
every aspect of the organisation, talent requirements Leading companies analyse the causes of turnover,
shift dramatically. Supply chain professionals must have respond with targeted retention strategies, and monitor
the ability to co-ordinate end-to-end processes, manage the results. A concerted effort will minimise the defection
external relationships, and engage with the executive of high potential talent.
committee.
The price of hiring and onboarding a new employee
Career path structure is much higher than retaining an existing employee,
A career path is defined as a flexible line of progression especially one that is talented, knowledgeable and
through which an employee moves during their reliable. When turnover occurs, productivity is lost
employment with an organisation. As this description during the transition and training periods.
implies, most fields do not offer a standardised or
universal career path. Based on research findings, supply Succession planning is essential
chain management is no exception as individuals are Leading companies recognise supply chain leadership
expected to adapt to a progression of roles with greater positions are too critical to be left vacant and must be
responsibilities during their tenure with an organisation. filled by qualified people; as a result, they are adopting
Though some fields (like management consulting, succession planning processes to ensure supply chain
engineering, and accounting) have relatively linear or continuity.
prescribed career paths that culminate in leadership
roles, fewer such options exist in SCM. SCM is a broad Succession planning involves the systematic
field with multiple opportunities for progression through identification and cultivation of high potential individuals
lateral moves, upward moves, and moves outside the to ascend to leadership roles. A well-executed, proactive
field. The value proposition is that talent will become succession plan will avoid disruption and trauma when
better prepared for top-level positions where they a supply chain leader leaves the organisation.
will have to manage multiple functions and a web of
resources and people. The successor will be properly prepared to quickly
step into the new role for a seamless leadership
transition, to ensure continuity of supply chain
capabilities, and to promote the prosperity of the
organisation. •
62 the logistics news case study annual 2015
