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How to Identify and Address Productivity Gaps Among Supply Chain Employees

supply chain MHI

How to Identify and Address Productivity Gaps Among Supply Chain Employees

Productivity has always been a leading concern for supply chain companies. As the industry grows increasingly competitive and faces mounting disruptions, it’s become an even more pressing concern.

A recent survey found that nine in ten supply chain leaders say they need to increase hiring to meet peak demand. Ongoing labor shortages can make that difficult, so organizations must also make the most of their current workforce. They need to maximize their productivity.

Boosting productivity begins with finding areas where it needs improvement. Here’s how supply chains can identify and address productivity gaps.


 

Identifying Productivity Gaps

It can be difficult to know where to begin with productivity optimization. Supply chain leaders may feel they’re already at their peak efficiency. Alternatively, they may notice room to improve but not understand what specifically to address.

Supply chain organizations can identify productivity gaps through a few different means. Going through these three processes and comparing the results can help uncover where the most critical areas to address are.

Benchmark Against Competitors

The first step in finding productivity gaps is comparing key performance indicators (KPIs) to competitors. Recent SEC guidance requires KPIs to come with disclosures like clear metric definitions and how a company calculates them. Companies can take that information to understand their competitors’ success and how they measure it.

Once supply chain organizations have these benchmarks, they can compare them to their own KPIs. It’s important to account for any discrepancies between the companies’ metrics and measuring techniques to provide the most accurate comparison.

Comparing KPIs can reveal where some productivity gaps may lie. Even if a company outperforms competitors overall, it may fall behind its benchmarks in one or two specific areas. Those areas could be home to productivity pain points. While these differences can arise from many places, any shortcoming warrants further investigation.

Compare Goals to Results

Next, supply chain leaders can look internally. A company may perform well compared to others in the industry, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement. Reviewing goals and how recent results compare to those targets can reveal more shortcomings.

The easiest way to perform this analysis is to compare current KPIs to past goals. Has the company met the targets they’ve set in the past? Are they on track to meet future goals? The categories that show the largest discrepancies between expectations and results are likely where the largest productivity gaps lie.

It’s important to break KPIs into specific categories to isolate problem areas. At the same time, businesses must also map the relationships between KPIs to see how they affect each other. One category’s performance may hinge on another’s, so it’s important to understand these relationships.

Survey Employees

Employees are an excellent but often overlooked resource for identifying productivity gaps. While workers may not have a complete picture of management processes, they understand their specific workflows intimately. This familiarity can give them insight into areas for improvement that management lacks.

Studies show that happy workers are 13% more productive, so the source of lackluster performance may lie in employee satisfaction. Regular surveys and interviews can help reveal which factors impact this satisfaction, both positively and negatively. Common themes between workers’ responses are likely key productivity blockers.

Similarly, employee surveys can ask about workflow improvements that workers think could help. It’s highly likely that at least one worker has noticed how part of a process slows their work down. If multiple employees talk about the same process hindering their productivity, it’s worth looking into.

Addressing Productivity Gaps

After identifying productivity gaps, supply chain organizations must work to fix them. The most effective strategy will depend on the specific gap in question, but these generally fall into a few distinct categories. Adjustments in training, work environments and technology can maximize productivity in virtually every area.

Emphasize Training

Productivity gaps often result from skills gaps. That could mean that employees lack technical knowledge and abilities to streamline their work, or it could apply to soft skills. In either case, more comprehensive training can help remove these productivity barriers.

Seemingly small adjustments can make a considerable difference here. For example, teaching warehouse employees proper lifting techniques and the importance of using them can prevent burnout from repetitive stress. Employees will then be able to work longer before getting tired, maximizing their productivity.

Similar methods can work with office staff, too. Employees should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds after every 20 minutes of looking at a computer screen. This will reduce eye strain, preventing the loss of productivity and focus that comes with it. Teaching office employees tips like this can help them consistently perform their best.

Address the Work Environment and Culture

A distracting work environment is another common cause of productivity loss in supply chains. Softer but more consistent lighting and comfortable working temperatures can minimize environmental distractions that hinder productivity. Similarly, white-noise machines can drown out distracting noise in office settings.

Workplace culture plays a substantial role in this area, too. One of the most important things to address in this regard is communication. Employees and managers must consistently communicate so everyone knows what others expect of them and people learn of changes or issues faster. Holding regular meetings and using instant messaging platforms can help.

Making sure the workplace is engaging and empowering is another crucial step. Listen to employees to learn what they need or would appreciate to feel more respected and engaged. When workers feel satisfied in their work environment, they’ll be more productive.

Capitalize on Technology

If workplaces face more concrete productivity challenges, technology may be the answer. Automation is one of the best tools for improving productivity, as it minimizes repetitive, non-value-adding tasks, letting employees accomplish more and remain engaged.

Some of the most valuable automation applications in warehouses are picking and material moving. Walking accounts for more than 50% of picking time, so these workflows are ripe for automation. Robots can easily handle many of these processes, and human workers can then focus on other, less inefficient tasks.

Automation can benefit office workers, too. Robotic process automation (RPA) can handle repetitive tasks like scheduling, data entry and file organization to give employees more time to perform more value-adding work. Programs that consolidate multiple processes to reduce clicking between windows are also helpful.

Optimizing Productivity Starts With Finding Gaps

Supply chains today must be agile, but to achieve that, they must address shortcomings within their operations. Recognizing where they can improve is the first step to becoming more productive.

When supply chain leaders understand and follow these steps, they can make the most of their workforce. They can then accomplish more work in less time, outperforming their competitors and ensuring future success.

recruitment

4 Ways to Use Software Effectively For Logistics Recruitment

HR managers in the logistics sector have a lot of challenges to overcome. One of the most significant is the lack of a sufficient talent pool. There is a rise in demand for logistical services. 

Many attribute this to the Covid-19 pandemic. More people now resort to online shopping and companies must work hard to satisfy the demand for supply chain logistics. Yet, there are not enough people to fill the job positions. This is mainly due to a widening skills gap. Older workers are opting for retirement while younger demographics are not lining up for jobs within the logistics sector. There is a significant lack of skills, experience, and qualifications. 

And, with such high demand for talent, HR must improve efficiency to attract the right candidates. The right software can provide the most effective solutions. We will explore how to use them in our article.  

Better Quality Candidates with Recruitment Solutions 

HR managers have for a long time depended on legacy systems to fill job positions. These include advertising open positions where they then go through the applications and narrow down on the best candidate. Then comes the interview process, final selection, and onboarding. 

Manual processes can take a lot of time and money. But now, with technological advances, there are recruitment solutions available. They increase efficiency by automating some of the tasks.  

The HR department gets access to:

-Powerful applicant tracking Systems (ATS) to create and manage databases. 

-Better quality job posting and distribution services.

-Advanced search capabilities for the right candidate.

-Data analytics that yields tons of insights for better decision-making.

-Intuitive onboarding for recruits.

-Third-party integrations such as CRM for nurturing relationships.

-Account and customer service management. 

HR recruitment software saves time that would go into manual processes. Automation leads to higher efficiency and streamlined workflows. It frees up the team to concentrate on other tasks.  

The Role of Candidate Relationship Management Systems 

With such a demand for talent within the logistics sector, it is easy to lose employees to competitors. HR has a critical role to play in retaining the existing workforce. That means constant engagement and finding ways to boost employee experiences.  

Investing in candidate relationship management systems can assist with this. The software helps in nurturing and managing candidates, right from the recruitment stage. Here is how it works. 

The company uses applicant tracking systems to develop a repository of potential candidates. And the recruitment CRM provides additional information on the candidate.  

HR can use the data to personalize their communication and engagement with recruits. And that’s not all. The CRM helps send out personalized emails, screening, interview scheduling, and running background checks.  

HR also gets data that can provide insights on the effectiveness of the recruitment strategies. 

Talent Sourcing and Matching Recruitment Solutions 

As stated, it can take a lot of time to go through each application to find the best talent. Recruitment software automates the process, thus increasing speed and efficiency.  

And, online recruitment software can search more platforms for the right talent. They scour job posts, social media platforms, and other online sites to get qualified candidates. 

The algorithms focus on factors like experience level, education, and industry knowledge to narrow down suitable candidates. It helps avoid bias, which is a big problem in recruitment.  

Talent matching software ensures the right person fills the job position. It focuses on the skill in relation to the job. It is expensive to hire someone only to later find out they are not suitable for the job.  

Better Candidate Experience with Recruitment Solutions 

With so much competition for talent in the logistics sector, employers must work hard to improve the candidate experience. Let’s take the example of lengthy recruiting processes. Candidates may view the long wait for feedback as a lack of interest and could move on to the competitors without a second thought. 

That means you lose out on the limited talent due to in-house inefficiencies. Automation can help increase efficiency, thus faster response to potential recruits.  

We have looked at the important role of candidate relationship management systems. Ongoing communication shows the recruits that they are top of mind. HR can keep the candidates up-to-date with what is going on. 

Such a simple step can help build positive brand perception. A good word from such candidates about how well you manage them will make the organization more attractive to others. 

Do you know that up to 69% of employees will share a negative candidate experience? 55% will not pursue a position in your company if they read a bad review. How the organization manages candidates is, therefore, a critical recruiting factor.  

Recruitment solutions with technologies like chatbots can improve the candidate experience. The bots provide quick responses to queries. The candidate does not have to wait a long time for information. Such tools are also fantastic for onboarding.  

HR simply uploads the information they would want to share with new employees. The latter can then, at their convenience, log in to access the information.  

Recruitment software can uncover hidden talent within the organization. It will go through the database to match potential candidates to open positions.  

That means there are chances for existing employees to move into jobs that are more suited to their qualifications. That forklift operator might be a fantastic salesperson. 

Further, the promotion can be a fantastic motivational factor. Finally, it will save the company money and time by not having to go through talent sourcing in the wider market.  

Final Thoughts 

The logistics sector is facing a tough time when it comes to recruitment. There are job opportunities available. But, companies are facing a challenge finding the right talent to fill the positions. That means, there is high competition for the limited pool of candidates. 

Companies that invest in smart recruitment solutions can have an edge over the competition. Applicant tracking systems, for example, help in the creation of databases. It helps save time which would go into placing job postings across various platforms.

Candidate relationship management systems increase engagement. They provide an excellent way to nurture relationships with industry talent. 

The use of recruitment software also enhances the candidate experience. HR keeps up with engagement and provides ongoing feedback. Finally, tools like chatbots provide prompt feedback to queries and can help with onboarding. 

employment supply

A Macroanalysis of the Future of Work and Employment From Its Facilitators

Recent disruptions have made it clear that the nature of employment is changing. Labor shortages have proved persistent across industries, and employers are realizing that traditional workspaces, trends and workflows may not be ideal.

Perhaps the most notable shift coming from these trends is a broad movement toward remote work. As Nicole Sahin, CEO and founder of Globalization Partners, emphasizes, “companies who can build successful international teams will be ideally placed to succeed in the post-pandemic economy.”

These changes are coming to more than just office workspaces, too. The future of supply chain employment hinges on this shift.

Changing Workforces Today

This shift is already visible across workforces and industries today. While some companies have announced a return to in-person work, many plan to enable remote or hybrid options long term.

According to a Gartner survey, more than 80% of companies plan on enabling remote work at least part-time after the pandemic. Many of these businesses likely didn’t anticipate embracing these policies long-term but changed their minds after witnessing the effects. About 82% of executives reported similar or higher productivity after shifting to remote work.

Another trend impacting the future of supply chain workforces is the growing labor shortage. In a recent survey, 47% of third-party logistics companies cited finding, training and retaining qualified labor as a top challenge.

Amid these shifts, supply chain employment won’t remain the same for long. Here’s a closer look at what’s ahead for the industry.

Why Future Supply Chains Need Remote Work

The most significant change coming for supply chain employment is the same as other industries: remote work. Over the next few years, leading supply chain organizations will embrace off-site and hybrid jobs. Those that don’t will fall behind.

Remote work will be a necessity for future supply chains. Here’s why.

Higher Productivity

One of the biggest reasons supply chains will need remote work is because of its productivity benefits. Sahin emphasizes the benefits of remote work on productivity in a recent blog post. “Those who spend at least 60%-80% of their time working remotely were more likely to be engaged.”

Engaged workers tend to meet higher productivity standards, which supply chains need. Widespread disruptions will likely continue into the future, and logistics organizations must adapt to mitigate them and prevent future delays. Higher productivity is a crucial step in that direction.

If supply chains can boost employee productivity through remote work, they can meet growing logistics needs.

Acquiring Top Talent

Another critical advantage of flexible work environments is how they give companies access to global talent leaders. As Sahin explains in a LinkedIn post, “by spreading the net wide, you can tap into highly qualified talent pools, many of which are found in emerging economies … remote work can bring the best companies and the brightest people together.”

As the supply chain space grows more competitive, acquiring top talent will be increasingly valuable. Companies that can gain the expertise of worldwide leaders in management and technology can speed ahead of the competition. Since these people will come from all regions of the globe, working with them requires remote collaboration.

Mitigating Labor Shortages

Remote work will also help supply chains overcome the ongoing labor shortage. In the face of unfilled positions, logistics companies must look outside their immediate area, and traditional avenues in that area are declining.

Sahin explains: “While some companies depend on immigration programs to relocate talent, those avenues are facing increasing restriction. All the while, the skills gap widens.” The solution is to enable remote work to pull talent from around the globe.

If supply chains can access distant talent pools, local labor shortages won’t be as impactful. As the current “Great Resignation” continues, that will become all the more central to ongoing success.

How Remote Work Could Grow in Supply Chains

While it’s clear that supply chain workforces must go remote, the path to that goal is less evident. Unlike in office jobs, where much of the work-from-home revolution is happening, logistics involves a lot of hands-on, physical labor.

Despite these challenges, the supply chain industry can still capitalize on remote work. However, doing so will require significant change over the next few years. Here’s what that could look like.

Hybrid Offices

The first step the industry will take toward remote work is on the management side of operations. While truck drivers and many warehouse workers must be in-person to perform their duties, that’s not true of office employees. These jobs also potentially have the most to gain from remote work.

In an interview with Tealfeed, Sahin touched on how traditional office jobs are becoming a thing of the past: “it seems likely that the office-based environment that has remained a foundation of modern business could see permanent change.” When modern technologies make these jobs easily accessible remotely and working from home improves productivity, there’s little reason to keep them in a physical office.

Supply chain management is ideal for remote collaboration given its distributed, often international nature. If management teams need to collaborate across multiple countries anyway, it’s only natural that they should fully embrace work-from-home tools.

Industry 4.0 Technologies

The next step in the shifting future of supply chain employment is to bring hybrid work to the warehouse. Traditionally, these jobs were impossible to translate into the work-from-home model. Industry 4.0 technologies like 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) offer a solutions.

Some companies have already started testing remote-controlled forklifts, enabling off-site employees to accomplish in-warehouse tasks. As faster, more reliable networks become widespread through 5G, similar technologies could apply to multiple workflows. Companies that invest in these methods earlier could drive the workforce shifts of the future.

This transition will take time, largely due to limited infrastructure. As Sahin points out, “As of October 2020, only 59% of the world’s population had internet access … [and] many communities with internet infrastructure don’t have the resources to access it.” Internet access will have to become more widely available and reliable for this shift to take full effect.

Employment Is Changing, Even for Supply Chains

After the disruptions of the past few years, it’s clear that supply chains must adapt. Part of that evolution is a shifting workforce, especially in embracing remote work.

The road to remote work for supply chain organizations is long, but the benefits are too promising to ignore. As current trends continue, logistics employment will shift to become more flexible, unlocking new possibilities.

employees

3 Tips For Leaders To Steady The Ship When Employees Lose Their Balance

Company leaders and managers have a big responsibility in overseeing employees. But they can’t see everything, and sometimes there’s more going on in a worker’s life than meets the eye.

Employee disengagement or burnout isn’t always apparent, and some employers may be in for a surprise if and when the COVID-19 pandemic winds down. One study shows that 57% of U.S. employees say they are burnt out, with many likely to leave their job after the pandemic is over. And a Gallup survey reveals that the percentage of engaged employees – those enthusiastic about their workplace – is under 40%.

What the numbers mean is leaders need to learn how to spot and help out-of-balance employees, says Mark McClain, CEO and co-founder of SailPoint and the ForbesBooks author of Joy and Success at Work: Building Organizations that Don’t Suck (the Life Out of People).

“One challenge leaders and managers routinely face is to recognize when the people around them – peers, colleagues, but especially subordinates – are out of balance or are heading in the wrong direction,” McClain says. “Beyond the potential impacts on their personal lives, you want to try to head off the negative effects such imbalances can have on their roles in the company.

“This may seem imposing, but you have to pay attention as a leader. No employee can run at a crazy pace forever, yet some companies let people run themselves right out of the building. Other workers who are disengaged can be harder to spot initially.”

McClain offers these tips for leaders to spot, address, and help out-of-balance employees:

Make work-life balance part of your culture. “You can expect much from your employees, but you don’t want them to fry themselves,” McClain says. “You don’t want them to harm their health, their family, or their relationships. If you have good people, ideally you’ll grow them and help them work toward their vision of a healthy work-life balance. The sooner leaders confront imbalance in the equation, the more meat they put on the bones of company culture.”

Screen out for potential burnout. Some companies hire knowing they will overwork people or take advantage of their ambition to work extra hard and advance up the corporate ladder, McClain says. But that approach can lead to burnout and departure, which costs companies in terms of replacing them. “There are always going to be ultra-motivated climbers,” McClain says. “But exploiting them is beyond bad. Those who can’t stand it get out, and the HR departments plan on the fact that every four or five years, only 15 to 20 percent of those hires will be able to move up the ranks. These types of organizations instead should invest in pre-hiring assessments to screen out those who value a life outside of work. Doing so would save the companies money and turnover.”

Be a counselor. It’s not an invasion of privacy for a manager to show concern in an employee, McClain says, and probing is necessary to help the employee. “Like it or not,” he says, “being a counselor of sorts is part of managing people. Getting to know them as people, and their work styles, is what makes spotting imbalances possible. It’s why good managers pull employees aside and say, ‘Hey, you’re here, but you’re not engaged. Is something going on?’ Managers who take that step are able to uncover issues and steer their employees to the help they need.”

“Many companies talk about caring for workers until they’re blue in the face,” McClain says. “But when you put in place the pieces to help them succeed, leaders walk the walk – and everybody wins.”

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Mark McClain (www.markmcclain.me), ForbesBooks author of Joy and Success at Work: Building Organizations that Don’t Suck (the Life Out of People), is CEO of SailPoint, a leader in the enterprise identity management market. McClain has led the company from its beginnings in 2005, when it started as a three-person team, to today where SailPoint has grown to more than 1,200 employees who serve customers in 35 countries.