When we talk about supply chain talent, we often hear clients thinking in terms of hiring now: how to attract talent, how to create effective hiring and onboarding processes, and so on. But what separates the top tier of organizations from the rest? Their focus on encouraging careers, not “just jobs.”
Many supply chain leaders began their careers in other roles, including frontline roles. It’s something that often gets overlooked: your frontline teams can be a source of exceptional talent and long-term loyalty, but only if they’re hired and managed with the same care and thought that gets put into leadership teams.
Invest in Careers at Every Level
Frontline workers may be some of the most dedicated employees when it comes to advancing their careers. They’re a ready-made pipeline for organizations to tap in the long term, but it requires investing in them and their growth.
According to research from Kahoot, 91% of frontline workers say they want to advance their careers, and 93% say they’re motivated to engage in skills development. More significantly, 64% say they would stay at their current companies for 6 years or longer if they are offered those development opportunities. That impact on retention is especially important in today’s market, where the costs of replacing an employee can range from half to double that person’s salary, or even more (per Gallup). Because of this, upskilling, career pathing, and training for promotions should be strategic imperatives, even and especially in “leaner” or more fiscally cautious times.
When considering the future of supply chain careers, we also have to understand that AI will reshape many of those frontline jobs. Promotions or not, they need training to learn what’s next. And they know it: research from BCG found that 86% believe they will need training to sharpen their skills. Unfortunately, only 14% of frontline employees say they have had any upskilling training, compared with 44% of employees in leadership roles. That’s a gap that must be remedied in order to maintain employer reputation and build a pipeline.
Investing in employees’ futures – and having examples of people who have “climbed the ladder” – can be a positive signal to help attract new talent and retain your current teams. That might look like:
- Supporting continuous education with education credits/certification support or on-the-job training programs
- Offering mentorship opportunities
- Keeping employees updated on changes and innovations relevant to their work
- Ensuring career pathing is clear from the start
Continuous learning not only keeps skills sharp and relevant, but helps your workforce be more responsive to changes and resilient in the face of challenges. It supports a culture of innovation and fresh thinking, which is critical to staying ahead in a fast-moving landscape.
Tailor Well-Being to the Realities of Work
One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to the idea of employee well-being. For frontline jobs, that’s even more true, given that many of the perks typically mentioned aren’t as feasible as they are for office-based jobs.
For instance, FlexJobs found that 76% of professionals would look for new work if remote work were eliminated. 27% know someone planning to quit because of RTO, and a full 69% would take a pay cut to get remote work options. And yet, frontline jobs, by their nature, usually aren’t conducive to remote (or even hybrid) work – so how can companies take care of employees in other ways?
Start with ways to invest in physical and mental well-being, both on the job and in off hours:
- Flexibility, including strong PTO policies, adequate staffing for coverage, culture of respect for off-hours, and the ability to flex time
- On-the-job safety checks, upgrades to equipment, and comfortable places to take breaks
- Robust physical and mental health coverage, opt-in wellness programs, and an overall positive culture
Peer and leadership recognition can also be enormously effective, and a major body of research supports it.
- According to Gartner, a well-designed recognition program can drive an 11.1% increase in employee performance.
- Gallup found that employees who don’t feel adequately recognized are twice as likely to plan on quitting within the next year.
- In a SHRM survey, 89% of HR professionals at organizations with peer recognition said that continued peer feedback has a positive effect on the organization. 87% reported that recognition has a positive effect on employee relationships, and 68% say that employee recognition overall has a positive impact on retention.
At GESG, we work with you to find leaders who keep a finger on the pulse of workforce trends – not just on the technical side, but on the human side. We’re here to deliver the top 10% of talent, then help you keep them. Talk to us about strategic hiring and building a culture designed for long-term success!
Roz Kennon is a Senior Partner at Global Executive Solutions Group, where he leads the firm’s Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG), Transportation, Logistics, and Supply Chain practices, as well as its Diversity & Inclusion initiatives. With over 15 years of leadership experience in general management, operations, and marketing, Roz brings deep industry expertise and a passion for business excellence to every search. He has successfully conducted hundreds of searches for Fortune 1000, private, and equity- owned organizations worldwide and is consistently ranked among the top 10% of recruiters in the industry.