by Fronetics | Dec 20, 2017 | Blog, Talent
Here are our most-viewed blog posts from 2017 about talent, including tips on retaining your top talent and helping turn your employees into brand ambassadors.
The start of the new year brings along a host of resolutions. Finding a new job or advancing in a current position are common new year’s resolutions for individuals. For companies, identifying new strengths and interests within your employees and hiring and retaining great talent are common goals.
We’ve assembled our top 10 talent posts of 2017. We hope these posts help you and/or your company overcome challenges, and achieve your goals for next year.
Top 10 most popular talent posts of 2017
1. Gender Diversity is Not a Women’s Issue: It’s an Economic Issue
Gender diversity is generally viewed as a women’s issue. It is not. Research conducted by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org finds that despite corporate America’s stated commitment to gender diversity, outcomes are not changing. Moreover, the research finds that employees do not believe companies are taking the necessary steps to enact change. Read more.
2. Top Supply Chain Management MBA Programs 2018
Looking for talent? Try recruiting from these top-rated supply chain management MBA programs and schools. We have written before about the importance of recruiting and strengthening the relationship between academia and the supply chain industry as means to solve the growing supply chain talent gap. If your company is looking to hire, consider strengthening your rapport with schools that offer supply chain programs or specialties. Read more.
3. Are We Thinking About “Soft Skills” All Wrong?
By calling them “soft skills,” are we shortchanging competencies that are critical for supply chain and procurement professionals to succeed? One of the biggest stories in the world of Supply Chain and Procurement talent over the past few years has been the emerging importance of Soft Skills. As the field has become more strategic — with a greater impact on wider areas of business — professionals in the field have had to become stronger at advocating for it. Read more.
4. Great Supply Chain People Are Getting Harder to Find, But Do Companies Have a Talent Management Issue?
Is the Supply Chain talent gap problem really a talent management problem? This guest post from Argentus explores the so-called “talent deficit” in the field from all angles and perspectives. The fact is, it’s becoming harder for companies for find the talent that they need for these positions as baby boomers retire and the function evolves. Read more.
5. Employee Brand Ambassadors Can Influence B2B Buying Decisions
As peer influence becomes increasingly important in B2B buying decisions, empowering employee brand ambassadors will benefit your bottom line. I’ve written lately about the rise of influencer marketing. It’s a strategy B2B businesses are starting to understand and use to their advantage. But you don’t need a Kardashian or even an important industry professional to get started. Employees are your most natural, ready-made influencers. Read more.
6. Freight Driver Shortage Update: Will 2017 Come to a Head and Cause Issues for Shippers?
Growing woes over a forthcoming capacity crunch are not going away anytime soon. But, the capacity crunch may have a major impact on the freight driver shortage and vice versa. In a sense, fewer drivers mean that capacity will grow tighter. Yet, as capacity shrinks, the incentive for drivers increases. Read more.
7. 3 Ways to Attract Millennial Talent for the Supply Chain
Hoping to draw more millennials to your talent pool? Implementing these three ideas might help win them over. By the year 2020, millennials are estimated to make up a majority of the workforce. In addition, a 2014 study found that 46% of B2B buyers were millennials, and that number is on the rise. This seismic shift in workplace demographics calls for a new approach to attracting and retaining talent. Read more.
8. 3 Questions to Ask before Making a Professional Change and Overcommitting
Thinking of making a professional change? Here are some questions to consider before taking the plunge and overcommitting. We’ve all been asked to take on new projects at work when we’re already completely swamped. In the moment, it can be very hard to say no. And we’ve all jumped on LinkedIn to see what other opportunities are out there. More money, less headaches. The grass is always greener. Read more.
9. Could Liberal Arts Grads Fill the Supply Chain Talent Gap?
Mark Cuban thinks liberal arts grads will be the next in-demand employees. Could they be the answer to the supply chain talent gap? The supply chain talent gap has been called a “perfect storm.” Every report cites doomsday statistics of the impending crisis when, by 2025, 60 million baby boomers will exit the workforce, leaving only 40 million millennials to take their place. Read more.
10. Three Tips for Retaining Your Top Talent
Investing in your top talent and playing an active role in developing their careers will motivate them to stay around. Company loyalty is a thing of the past. In today’s day and age, everyone is looking for the next best thing, and that is true in the workplace as well. But this doesn’t mean that retention of top talent is hopeless. Read more.
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by Fronetics | Oct 31, 2017 | Blog, Strategy, Talent
“I hate my job!” and “I don’t have any questions,” top our list of things you definitely shouldn’t say in a job interview.
Today’s supply chain and logistics professionals have all kinds of varied and exciting career opportunities. And increasingly, job hopping is becoming the norm: a 2016 study by LinkedIn found that “over the last 20 years, the number of companies people worked for in the five years after they graduated has nearly doubled.”
All these opportunities mean it’s probably time for you to brush up your interview skills. There’s an art to giving a good job interview. Making a meaningful connection with the person behind the desk, and confidently communicating your unique skill set is not as easy as it looks.
Check out these 4 things you should never say in a job interview — and what to say instead:
4 things not to say in a job interview
1) “I’m nervous.”
It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many interviewees are too candid about their butterflies. You don’t want your potential employer to question your ability to act with confidence and decisiveness, no matter what pressures you’re under.
Instead, say: “I’m excited to be here!” Nerves and excitement are two sides of the same coin, and you’ll do yourself a favor by steering into the more positive emotional state.
2) Any lie
We’ve all heard it: “Everybody stretches the truth in a job interview.” Well, as tempting as it is to inflate your abilities or experiences, lying in an interview can come back to bite you in big ways.
Instead, tell the truth! It may not be as impressive, but it will save you from potential embarrassment and a severely damaged reputation.
3) “I hate my job!”
Nobody wants to hire a disgruntled worker. It should be obvious that anyone interviewing for a new job is ready for something different from their current role, so there’s no need to emphasize it.
Instead say, “I’ve enjoyed my work, but I’m looking to take on some new challenges.” Your interviewer is likely to be evaluating your emotional intelligence and maturity — explaining why you’re seeking a new position emphasizes just those traits.
4) “I don’t have any questions.”
Again, it may seem obvious, but not having prepared intelligent questions about the role or company you’re interviewing for is a clear red flag to any interviewer.
Instead, go the extra mile! Put in the time and intellectual curiosity to come up with at least two intelligent questions. It’s not just about impressing the person behind the desk. You’re informing yourself and gaining insight into whether this is the right position for you.
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by Fronetics | Apr 26, 2017 | Blog, Logistics, Supply Chain, Talent
Investing in your top talent and playing an active role in developing their careers will motivate them to stay around.
Company loyalty is a thing of the past. In today’s day and age, everyone is looking for the next best thing, and that is true in the workplace as well. But this doesn’t mean that retention of top talent is hopeless.
Accenture conducted a cross-industry study and determined the top four reasons employees quit their jobs:
- Lack of recognition (43%)
- Internal politics (35%)
- Lack of empowerment (31%)
- Don’t like boss (31%)
Companies have work to do to create a positive workplace experience, where employees feel challenged and valued. So where do you begin? Retaining top talent can be challenging, but it is possible. Here are three tips for keeping your top talent around longer.
Treat them as individuals
This seems like a pretty basic rule. But if you think about it, top management often gets treated as an elite group. Often times these talented members of your company spend their careers trying to be innovative and cutting edge, so it’s important for them to feel like they are valued and unique. Roger L. Martin, former dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, offers a relevant anecdote:
A top consultant, one of the firm’s 15 or so global account managers, approached me to ask for paternity leave (a benefit that’s now fairly standard, but 20-odd years ago was rare). I readily replied, “Sure. You’re a GAM. At your level, you can do pretty much whatever you want.” He said “OK,” and walked off, looking sullen. I was taken aback: He had asked for something, and I had given it to him. … This consultant wanted to hear: “We care about you and what you need. If paternity leave is the thing that is particularly important to you, we support you 100%.”
Martin witnessed first-hand the effects of treating this manager as part of a class, instead of as an individual. Stepping back and realizing that top talent need to be treated as individuals can add to their feeling valued within your company.
Develop from within
As more money and talent flood into the supply chain, it will be important to avoid the Silicon Valley problem of poaching, or employees leaving for larger salaries elsewhere. Investing in current employees in a meaningful, attentive way could make all the difference.
Think about your rising stars’ futures and next steps within your company. They probably have a plan, and you should as well. Make sure those plans align, and be open to assisting their journey to meet their goals.
Ask specific questions about what it takes to create the environment that would help encourage your talent’s best performance. Ask what works, and also ask what doesn’t work. Be specific and ask what causes your talent anxiety or stress. Investment is a big part of development. It helps talent feel like part of a bigger picture. If you invest in them, they will invest in you.
Encourage flexibility
Gone are the days of strict office hours, and in its place are flexibility and mobility for the workplace.
When companies allow their employees some flexibility, they become happier and more productive. With technology at our fingertips, and all the options that provides, employees expect to work from a location of their choosing, whether it be home, a library, or a coffee shop. Millennials rank this kind of flexibility highly among factors that make companies appealing places to work.
Don’t sit back and assume your employees are willing to be passive about their careers. See your employees as assets. Have a strategy. Be part of their team, and make them part of yours. See their talent and invest in them. Otherwise they’ll find another supply chain company that will.
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by Fronetics | Apr 3, 2017 | Blog, Logistics, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
Hoping to draw more millennials to your talent pool? Implementing these three ideas might help win them over.
By the year 2020, millennials are estimated to make up a majority of the workforce. In addition, a 2014 study found that 46% of B2B buyers were millennials, and that number is on the rise. This seismic shift in workplace demographics calls for a new approach to attracting and retaining talent.
There are all kinds of stereotypes about this up-and-coming generation, many with a basis in truth, and just as many without. It’s crucial for your business to get to know this demographic group, both in terms of how they behave as consumers, and how they operate in the workplace. To that end, here are some ideas for attracting this talent pool to your company.
3 ideas for attracting millennial talent
1) Green technologies
Millennials are a generation saddled with all kinds of debt — from student loans to the ecological damage done by previous generations. Studies, not to mention voting behaviors, have shown that this generation is avidly interested in improving the planet’s future.
To win the hearts and minds of millennials, it’s time for your business to consider “going green.” Of course, green technologies can be prohibitively costly on a large scale — but many small changes can save you money in the long run. Not to mention, they will make your business a more attractive place to work for eco-minded millennials.
Consider making the switch from conventional to LED light bulbs, for example. If you have the resources, coupling smart thermostats in your facilities with higher-efficiency windows and doors is a great way to improve your carbon footprint, as well as your credentials among younger employees. Whatever your capabilities, making an effort to go green will go a long way toward making your business attractive to this generation.
2) Work-from-home options
Millennials are digital natives, accustomed to technology at their fingertips, with all the options that opens up to them. This often means the expectation of being able to work from a location of their choosing, whether it be home, a library, or a coffee shop. Millennials rank this kind of flexibility highly among factors that make companies appealing places to work.
Employers are increasingly answering the call, and even massive corporations like Wells Fargo and Aetna are finding ways to allow employees the option to work from home. These employers are finding that, often, what sounds great for employees also works to their advantage: A change of location can freshen thoughts, increase creativity, and lessen burnout that can slow down work for a team or entire company.
3) Opportunities to learn
Millennials are highly educated, and thirsty for knowledge — left unquenched, this thirst can lead them to job-hop frequently. At any given moment, 60% of millennial workers are open to pursuing a new employment opportunity. So how does your business combat this tendency and reduce turnover? One place to start is by offering continuing education to your workforce.
There are all kinds of ways to do this, and all kinds of benefits — including benefits to your bottom line. Making your employees more well-rounded means that they are more likely to be creative and flexible, able to respond to the needs of the constantly evolving supply chain industry.
Relating to millennials
Here’s the open secret: While each generation might have its quirks, millennials aren’t really all that different at the core than previous generations. They may express it in different ways, but they essentially want what workers have always wanted: interesting work, the opportunity to better themselves regularly, and to be treated with respect and dignity.
At the end of the day, you don’t need to be overly concerned about “relating” to millennials. According to one millennial writer, Sarah Landrum, “Millennials are in tune with current events, interested in getting involved with charity, and more interested in the world outside their heads than you might suspect.”
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by Fronetics | Dec 20, 2016 | Blog, Leadership, Strategy, Supply Chain, Talent
The 10 most popular talent posts of 2016.
The start of a new year generally brings with it a host of resolutions. For individuals finding and landing a new job, or advancing in their current job are common resolutions. For companies, identifying talent, hiring, and retaining great talent are typical goals for the new year.
We’ve assembled our top 10 talent posts of 2016. We hope these posts help you and/or your company overcome challenges, and your achieve goals.
A veteran recruiter explains where the supply chain talent shortage is headed and how companies can overcome the challenges. Read more.
This guest post by Argentus Supply Chain Recruiting, a boutique recruitment firm specializing in Supply Chain Management and Procurement, asks the question: If there is a Supply Chain talent deficit, why are so many people in the field having trouble finding work? Read more.
The global supply chain is continuously evolving, offering new opportunities as demands shift and new technologies are born. But how do you evolve with it? We offer 5 things you can do to advance your logistics or supply chain career. Read more.
LinkedIn offers immeasurable opportunity for recruiting premium talent. But how do you begin weeding through the network’s more-than-433-million candidates? Here are some techniques — both free and fee-based — on using LinkedIn to find professionals who match your company’s open positions. Read more.
Networking can do more than help you find your next job opportunity; it can make you smarter, happier, and more financially stable. Read more.
Building a stronger relationship between academia and the supply chain industry is one way to solve the growing talent gap. If your company is looking to hire, consider strengthening your rapport with schools that offer supply chain programs or specialties. Read more.
If your job has left you to feeling stuck in a rut, try these steps to improve your professional life. Read more.
Your business is growing, and it is time to hire. That means facing the challenge and overcoming the fact that there is a dearth of supply chain talent. Growth is very common right now, as job titles evolve and shift due to the rapid changes in supply chain management and new technological requirements. So more talent is in demand as many businesses try to remain competitive. Seek out candidates with these skills and experiences when hiring new supply chain talent. Read more.
This guest post by SCM Talent Group, a national supply chain recruiting and executive search firm, discusses a new webinar series centered around the talent aspects of the supply chain discipline. The purpose of this series is to provide low-cost, high-impact solutions and advice that employers, hiring managers, and HR partners can implement in efforts to improve their abilities in attracting, hiring, and retaining top supply chain talent. Read more.
Family businesses can be a source of pride and fulfillment. But, often, they are rife with unprecedented turmoil. Working for a family business presents unique challenges that require special tactics to keep things professional (and to keep the peace). Read more.
