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on Friday, September 03, 2021 0

 

A black chalkboard with writing that reads, "HIRING!"

It’s not even autumn yet, but the world’s largest retailer is already looking the deck the halls of its supply chain in anticipation of the holiday season. Walmart hopes the addition of 20,000 full- and part-time Supply Chain professionals will help it maintain an edge over competitors like Amazon during the busiest shopping days of the year.

The Seasonal Supply Chain: Challenges Ahead

The nation’s biggest private workforce will grow thanks to more than 250 hiring events at Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities across the nation on both September 8th and 9th. Open positions range from freight handlers and lift drivers to managerial roles along Wal-Mart’s supply chain.

In addition to stiff competition from other e-tailers and retailers, Wal-Mart faces complications from the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic and labor shortage. The virus has slowed down manufacturing, shipping, and other essential supply chain stages for more than a year and these issues (along with related congestion and volatility) look certain to continue into 2022.

Standing Out in the Search for Supply Chain Talent

Last year, Walmart responded to unprecedented digital demand by hiring around 20,000 employees to full and part-time jobs. This was the organization’s first significant holiday hiring spree in a half decade. In-person shopping has become safer and more popular in the last year as vaccines have helped to mitigate infection risk, but online retail promises to define the holiday season yet again.

Walmart is touting competitive salaries (averaging $20.37/hour) as well as several new benefits. The organization has begun offering new bonuses to warehouse staff and covering education costs for certain employees. Beginning in October, Walmart will incentivize prospects and employees alike to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by offering an additional bonus. Many competitors are offering similar perks. Amazon, CVS Health, and Walgreens Boots Alliance have all announced plans to boost wages for new employees and Target operates a college program of its own.

Experts suggest they’ve all got their work cut out for them as 2021 draws to a close. Brian Devine, the Senior Vice President of ProLogistix, a staffing firm whose clients include retail giants like Walmart and Target, sounds particularly pessimistic. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, he remarks, “There’ssimply not enough human beings to fill all the open positions.”

What Do Candidates Want? 

With a huge number of open positions to fill, organizations ranging from small businesses to titans like Walmart are hard at work trying to learn what leading candidates want and equipping themselves to offer it.

Across industries and experience levels, leading candidates tend to want many of the same things:

  • Flexibility: One-size-fits-all approaches are anathema to results. Employees know this, which is why they develop their own strategies for addressing common tasks and overcoming obstacles. Organizations claim to believe this, but all too often ask candidates and employees to operate within rigid systems that stifle innovation and tarnish morale. 
  • Opportunity: Nobody wants a dead-end job. Even long-time employees won’t hesitate to leave if they get a sense that they’re bound to be stuck in the same position forever. To stand out, organizations need to regularly consult their people to ensure they’re offering a variety of responsibilities and providing adequate room for everyone at every level to grow. 
  • A Sense of Purpose: Professionals want to know that their actions at work have an impact and that their employers have a positive effect on the world at large. Survey data regularly shows that younger professionals in particular are eager to work for mission-driven organizations that do more than just talk the talk when it comes to critical issues. 

Staff Your Supply Chain

Looking for temporary Procurement and Supply Chain hires to meet seasonal need, support major initiatives, or explore a new category? Corcentric’s recruiting and staffing experts may be able to help. Check out this case study describing an engagement with a North American pharmaceutical leader. 

 

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on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 0

Hiring today is just as complicated for Procurement leaders as it was in 2019. There’s light at the end of the tunnel, but most indications are a year-end return to the “old normal” at best. Procurement teams still need to navigate this “new normal” a while longer.

One of the more complicated aspects of running a Procurement team in this COVID landscape is ensuring proper staffing. There’s hesitance from the C-suite to hire during a time of economic uncertainty and real concern from potential candidates who would rather stay safe in their current positions than risk a move that could end poorly in a rough market. How should Procurement leaders respond?

I sat down with Andy Jones, Corcentric's Strategic Account Consultant who leads our staffing and recruiting practice, to answer that question. You can listen to our discussion here.

Hiring During the Pandemic

Today’s Job Landscape

Overarching economic uncertainty has shifted the hiring strategy to be less about “growth mode” than in previous years. It is more common to see organizations hiring defensively, simply trying to fill vacancies and sustain operations.

One strategy we’ve seen is reducing the workforce by either letting go on non-critical staff or converting full time roles into 1099 contractors. While this could reduce costs, it also introduces efficiency risks – it also changes the view that potential candidates may have on an organization they consider applying to. 

Hiring managers will need a strong strategy to communicate these changes to allay any fears an applicant has. In a recent LinkedIn survey, 74% of potential candidates are sheltering in their jobs rather than trying to seek a different position. Just as organizations are hiring defensively, applicants are considering their current jobs defensively as they simply don’t know what the future holds.

COVID’s Impact on the Recruiting Process

The net result of this uncertainty is clear: Fewer organizations are hiring, and fewer candidates are willing to make a jump and leave their jobs.

There’s usually a “sweet spot” in terms of unemployment levels that turn the landscape from a buyer’s (employer’s) market to a seller’s (applicant’s) market. During relatively low unemployment levels, those seen during 2018 and 2019 for example, recruiters needed to up their activity level to compete for scarce applicants that had their choice of open positions. Unemployment levels creeping up normally means more applicants per open position, giving organizations more options and negotiating leverage.

However, these aren’t normal times. Generally speaking, Procurement roles aren’t seeing as high a level of unemployment – but Procurement professionals are still spooked by the numbers. This means recruiters need to work as hard or harder than  they did in a good economy to attract new talent.

This means putting in more leg work and making more contacts. Picking up the phone and connecting directly to candidates, reaching them through LinkedIn or other social media, and upping activity levels.

The Future of Remote Work

Plenty of organizations and employees enjoy the remote work setup that white collar roles have shifted to in the last year. Some organizations have embraced this change and closed their physical locations permanently, opting to continue with a remote workforce. However, by necessity or choice, plenty of employers and employees alike are eager to get back in the office.

So, what does this mean for the future of remote work? It likely won’t be a black or white answer. Instead, odds are good that organizations will return to more traditional physical workspaces while at the same time being more tolerant of remote work given the benefits. For example, organizations that previously hired 100% local resources will likely be willing to hire on remote workers for sought-after, specialized skillsets. Organizations may also adopt  hybrid model, offering employees the opportunity to work some days of the week from home.

Any organization looking to snap back to fully in-office workers, however, should carefully consider this choice. Candidates now see that they can get their jobs done from home without the hassle and cost (time and money) of making a commute – and many won’t want to give this up.

Moving Past 2021

Simply put, it’s understandable that hiring managers have a defensive strategy, and will need to maintain it to weather the storm. That said, we also need to keep our eye (and higher-level strategy) on the future. This pandemic will end, and the economy will recover. 

Most estimates are for an early 2022 recovery, with some optimistically hoping for a gradual shift to start in Q4 2021. Think about what your team will need in a post-pandemic economy, and start laying the groundwork under the assumption that you’ll need to be at 100% capacity in nine to twelve months.

What do Hiring Managers “Get Wrong?”

On a tactical note, what are hiring managers doing today that leads to fewer hires… or fewer good hires?

  • Failing to keep activity levels up. Recruiters need more candidate touchpoints today than ever before. Sending emails, connecting on social media, and actually picking up the phone and talking candidates through the opportunity is critical.
  • Not understanding from-home interview limitations. Home life can and will intrude on skype calls, especially for candidates with children in schools districts that haven’t reopened. Be OK with this. Communicate to candidates early on that you’re OK with this. 

Moving Forward

The phrase of the day for recruiting is “cautious optimism.” We’ll all need to put more work into finding candidates and selling them on new job opportunities given current conditions. However, these conditions won’t last forever.

Even while we continue necessarily playing a defensive game, we need to shift our strategic focus to a future when the economy recovers – some old trends and strategies will return, but others (like offering remote work) are likely here to stay, and need to be considered to attract the best candidates.

Click here to listen to my interview with Andy, or read more about how Corcentric can support your recruiting strategies today.


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on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 0

Let’s face it – everyone looks forward to payday. For most it comes every other Friday but the schedules vary across the board. Some get paid weekly, bi-weekly or twice a month, it all depends. Even the day of the week can be up for grabs with Friday being a favored pick for many companies but some paying on Wednesday’s or certain numbered days in a month. Many people are familiar with their payroll company as it normally shows up on the corner of their paystub. ADP, Paylocity and Fidelity are a few big names that readily come to mind. What many don’t realize is there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make sure you actually get paid at the end of the day. Depending on the service provider it involves some manual or automated steps and a seamless integration with your companies HR, Finance and Accounting departments. Payroll providers also do more than just paying employees. They help manage any unemployment claims, wage garnishments and even things like performance review portals. This leads us to a very important question, is your company getting the most value from your payroll provider? 

Value in the payroll space can be determined in many different ways. To name a few:

1. How seamlessly do they integrate with your companies systems?
2. Do they provide a suite of offerings or only core/basic services?
3. Do they offer competitive pricing in the marketplace?

Payroll companies at their base all offer a basic utility or service – the administration and transfer of funds from one party to another. However as described above many have competitively differentiated themselves in the marketplace to offer a full array of services catering specifically to the HR suite. Many HR leaders are overwhelmed with many different offerings, it is important to cut out the noise and really evaluate what is important to your organization. Cost may not always be the driving decision factor, rather capability and features may outweigh everything else. There is no one size fits all approach but it is important to ensure that you are not significantly overpaying for the basic utility or service and that is the actual fulfillment of payroll. Many important factors go into cost structure such as the frequency of payroll, number of employees and complexity of integration. This being said it is important to note that a “good deal” may be very different between a large and small organization.

Many times either a CHRO, other HR leader or Finance leader makes a final decision on a payroll provider. It is important to take a step back and truly understand if your organization is driving the right value for this service offering. Additionally, it is very easy to get engrained and comfortable with a payroll provider and see prices that continue to skyrocket year over year. Taking your offering to market can help ensure that you are getting the ultimate value for you, your company and your employees. If nothing else it will help reset your relationship with your current vendor. Realize that optimizing these services is ever more important in today’s environment where every dollar counts.
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on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 0

Office Amenities Shouldn’t Break the Bank

From a talent retention and recruitment standpoint many organizations have found themselves investing heavily in perks and amenities catered to employee satisfaction.  In addition, companies that rely on client facing interactions often find themselves offering similar perks to their guests and visitors. The purpose of this blog is to provide insight and guidance on how organizations can offer a strong menu of offerings to employees and guests that can boost morale while protecting your bottom line.

Breakroom Essentials 

Just about every office space in the country offers simple amenities such as coffee and water.  In fact, hot coffee and a water cooler for employees is just about as consistent as pen and paper in today’s day and age.  However, many employers simply accept this expense with very little market intelligence and true understanding of the costs and additional benefits associated with these perks.  Historically offices tend to delegate this task to HR or a front of house receptionist to simply order and restock product once inventory starts to decline.  If you’re a large-scale corporation with numerous facilities across the country this practice could be creating quite a sizable dent from an annual expense standpoint.  

The saying “power in numbers” especially holds true within this unique category.  The ability to understand the total value of these small incremental purchases, location-by-location within your company portfolio over the course of a full calendar year can be staggering once fully realized.  More often than not this category is simply treated as a sunken cost in many organizations, when in all actuality there is a lot of flexibility and cost savings opportunity once your purchasing power is realized and out to bid with suitable providers.

When it comes to identifying suitable providers to bid on this opportunity the first key metric to understand is the coverage area and range required to service this category.  The end goal is to hopefully identify a single source capable of providing competitive pricing while also servicing and delivering to your entire portfolio.  Utilizing one supplier capable of satisfying this need enables a streamlined category management and communication process while also opening the door for product standardization company-wide for even greater discounts.

Product consolidation is the next critical piece when it comes to successfully managing this category.  Historically product selection is rogue across the board with brand preferences varying by location.  Leveraging your total annual spend within a select group of standardized products across your entire portfolio will immediately establish strong discounts when compared to the unit price you were originally acquiring similar products at.

Supplier Consolidation Leading to Expansion of Amenities 

If your organization successfully consolidates this category to one awarded supplier, a world of additional value add opportunities and additional perks will be made available to your employees.  In particular, national providers such as Aramark or Sodexo may offer additional services to high volume locations with amenities such as cafes staffed with baristas capable of providing beverages and fresh food options.  

If properly negotiated and discussed with your national provider at the time of contracting, you may be to obtain these perks at no additional cost to your company which would establish a win-win for all parties involved.  Your awarded national provider would establish a small revenue stream within your organization while employees have the added perk of a full-service café just steps from their desk.  This drastically improved food and beverage service offering helps instill strong morale for employees while also establishing greater productivity with food and beverage options housed inside your facility.


In summary, food and beverage amenities provided to your employees are a crucial yet often overlooked expense within many organizations.  If this category is properly managed and effectively consolidated the reward of a strong culture and boost in employee morale can be realized while also managing to obtain significant cost savings.


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on Thursday, August 27, 2020 0



Navigating the job marketplace is a challenge that continues to evolve. It used to be that you could apply to a job posting in a local listing or simply show up in person for an on-the-spot interview. But now there are so many more options, and in all that possibility - it's not always easy to land on the winning strategy. 

Recently, the Strategic Sourceror covered how executive recruiting experts Naseem Malik and Aaron Cleavinger have partnered to launch Vitalize Talent - more specifically the Procurement Spark and Supply Chain Spark Job Boards.  These two job boards offer job seekers and hiring managers a dedicated career hub for the procurement, purchasing, strategic sourcing, and supply chain management disciplines. 

We asked Aaron and Naseem to make the case for Procurement and Supply Chain job seekers to use their platforms:

Why should job seekers be using your platform, when there are already a lot of recruiting avenues?

Our vision behind Procurement Spark and Supply Chain Spark is to make the hiring process more efficient and improve the outcomes. Having a robust feature set, active users, and a business model that caters to just procurement and supply chain will undoubtedly improve the velocity and quality of our new platform. The most prominent hiring platforms in the market today, like LinkedIn or CareerBuilder, are "horizontal" marketplaces. They cut across industries, job types, disciplines. Our platform, on the other hand, has a very specific functional focus on Procurement and Supply chain "verticals."  This gives a depth and weight that other job boards by their very nature just aren’t capable of having. 

So where does that depth and weight come from?

We (Aaron and Naseem) spent our careers as practitioners, building and leading Procurement and Supply Management capabilities in industry before we each launched executive recruiting firms. We've seen time and again that procurement and supply chain professionals want to connect directly with employers. They want to avoid the typical roadblocks (membership fees, expired postings, duplicate jobs, etc.), and let their expertise speak for itself. 

What else should Procurement and Supply job seekers know?

As we continue to evolve, we’ll adopt an open-source approach to enhancing our offerings and improving our services to both companies and professionals. We have no qualms about being in a constant state of work-in-progress because we’re all about continuous improvement. Our goal is to make our job boards the ultimate conduit for companies and their next great hire.

Visit the Procurement Spark or Supply Chain Spark boards to get started!

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on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 0


Hiring Managers – where do you currently look for Procurement and Supply Chain talent? 

That's the question being asked by recruiting gurus Naseem Malik and Aaron Cleavinger, who recently partnered to launch Vitalize Talent - more specifically the Procurement Spark and Supply Chain Spark Job Boards.  These two job boards offer job seekers and hiring managers a dedicated career hub for the procurement, purchasing, strategic sourcing, and supply chain management disciplines. 

Back to the question - where do you find talent to fill your open Procurement and Supply Chain positions?  If your answer is, "We outsource talent search to HR and don’t get too involved," - then you may not be interested to read on.  

But for those that take an active role in their recruiting, there’s now a new service to help streamline this process. We talked to Aaron and Naseem about the Procurement Spark and Supply Chain Spark job boards. Here's what they had to say:

There are plenty of job boards out there. Why launch one for Procurement and Supply Chain?

We both share in the quest to enhance value across the talent chain.  In thinking about the things that challenge both companies and job seekers alike, we asked ourselves a series of questions:

  • Why is it, that with the growing significance of these critical functions, we don’t have trusted, niche procurement/supply chain job boards and career portals? 
  • What if you no longer had to post a job on multiple job boards or sites, and wait passively with the "post and pray" strategy?  
  • What if you no longer do you had to merely rely on the traditional, "horizontal marketplaces" that are out there serving every kind of company and job?
To put it simply, what if there was a better way to hire?

What do hiring managers need to know about the Procurement Spark and Supply Chain Spark Boards?

It's a better way to hire! These boards are places where procurement and supply management professionals can facilitate and engage on all things related to jobs, career advice, and communicating with fellow like-minded practitioners. We are convinced that our specialization is one of most important value-add and differentiators with other methods out there. As evangelists of both procurement and executive recruiting, we are creating an online and exclusive talent support community: We know procurement practitioners are zealots when it comes to networking and collaborating. And Procurement & Supply Chain Spark is the place for them.

How can Hiring Managers become part of this Community?

Head on over to the Procurement Spark or Supply Chain Spark boards to learn more!
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on Thursday, April 30, 2020 0



COVID-19. You cannot escape this word anywhere you look in todays society. Companies are in a difficult spot to balance both employee health/safety and keeping the business afloat from a financial perspective. In these times a company’s HR department becomes a key advocate for employees and can be a place for employees to turn to with various questions on ever evolving company practices and policies. An engaged and proactive HR department can be the difference between happy employees or ones that are utterly confused and frustrated.

When we think of HR we tend to always think about employee relations and the department you go to with questions about your paycheck or benefits. While those are definitely components to the HR organization there is so much more that does not meet the eye. From a procurement lens there is a lot that touches the HR department in terms of cost. A few that quickly come to mind are payroll administration, benefits and retirement plan administration. In an era of companies trying to cut costs to stay in business or avoid headcount reductions it is important to think about the other levers available when trying to reduce costs. Many organizations are opting to slash the employer match for 401k plans or reducing employee pay by 10-20%. Before taking these drastic employee morale draining measures, companies should look at the costs that they are paying for these services. There is always an administration cost to have a payroll vendor or retirement plan vendor but many companies are not keenly aware of what these costs actually are. These costs can sometimes range between 1-5% of the total payroll or 401k program meaning more cost for the organization. Negotiating these costs and partnering with a strategic supplier in this area may enable companies to not have to take such drastic measures in these times. Saving 1% on retirement plan administration could mean a company is able to keep the employee match but potentially reduce it slightly versus slashing it altogether. Reducing a payroll vendor fees or certain services that are not deemed essential could enable up to a 5% reduction helping to potentially offset employee salary cuts.

The point in all of this is to think creatively about cost reductions and how you can leverage the suppliers you have in the marketplace to collaborate and work with you in these difficult times. The goal is not to just merely ask for a reduction but to have a productive conversation about the challenges your organization is facing and how they as a supplier can help you keep your employees on payroll and minimize any reduction in benefits. Employee morale is key in these times when everyone is experiencing some form of difficulty and change to their normal. Keeping employees engaged, happy and informed are all key ways for long term employee retention. When the dust settles and we start to get back to a new normal do you want to be remembered as the organization that cut benefits and payroll in a time where they are needed the most or one that thought creatively as to how to leverage other pieces of the cost equation to keep core obligations consistent? Employees will surely remember this time and start to think about their workplaces in a new light based on the decisions that are made.   

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on Monday, March 30, 2020 0


Today, we will dive deeper into the levels of emotional intelligence important to the procurement sector and take a closer look into the benefits of mastering soft skills within this area.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to a person’s ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions throughout their day-to-day activities. According to Daniel Goleman, there are five key elements of emotional intelligence: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills. Many believe emotional intelligence skills are directly linked to our overall success within the Procurement industry. Investing in your emotional intelligence improves the ability to effectively approach client relationships, manage negotiations, and lead strategic initiatives.

To perform effectively as a procurement professional, communication is key to Supplier Relationship Management. The growth of EI within employees or leaders allow staff to collaborate, innovate, and cope with change throughout an engagement. An effective client relationship is developed through an ability to understand client satisfactory needs and strategically achieve their needs through a collaborative effort. Often, professionals have the tendency to suppress or dismiss feelings primarily when uncomfortable circumstances arise, such as a staff vs. client disagreement relating to a strategic approach. If we’re self-aware of our emotion (e.g. frustration), regulate the urgency to act impulsively, and use this as a motivation factor, this breaks associated road blocks and allows for creativity to become the driver.

In addition, the procurement industry has valued negotiation skills and the ability to drive a bargain as a key skill-set for successful procurement professionals. The pressure to innovate products and services during complex negotiations can invoke emotions of stress during high-stake conversations. This demonstrates how EI is an important concept and should be recognized as a key player during these valued strategic sourcing exchanges. The procurement professional who has the ability to utilize EI is able to identify the source of the stakeholder’s internal resistance and create a dynamic approach without letting their emotions hijack things in an unproductive way.

Adaptable leaders understand the personalized wiring, key differences, and motives of others during collaborative efforts. They often embrace differences, observe reactions, and connect with stakeholder pain points in a nonjudgmental and empathetic way.

Procurement as a function requires stakeholder relationships, sourcing initiatives, and inherently has conflict built directly within engagements. Customers view us as a trusted partner, adviser, and mentor during these collaborative efforts. Maintaining client relationships, influencing stakeholders, and leading initiatives are key aspects of the procurement industry. Mastering our EI can improve how we engage, manage, and lead our partnerships in a productive, cost-effective practice.

Get Started Today!

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on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 0
The right consultant can transform your business. Bringing fresh ideas and innovative solutions, they'll help you navigate around common obstacles and identify opportunities you might otherwise have missed. Whether your organization already has a well-appointed Procurement team or is just starting to build one out, a consultant is often the perfect resource.

But what about the wrong consultant? You've probably heard the horror stories. They'll collect their pay, go through the motions, and leave your organization worse off than when they started.

How can you identify a bad fit before bringing them on board? Check out these 6 tell-tale signs from our expert spend management consultants.


Want to learn more about the right kind of consultant? Reach out to our spend management experts today. 

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on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 0

In spite of shrinking training budgets, people are everything in Supply Chain Management. That's why Source One, a Corcentric company's Staffing & Recruiting support team offers an end-to-end suite of services.

Recently, a leading insurance provider approached Source One in search of a new Director of Strategic Sourcing. Their list of highly-specific requirements had made finding a best-fit candidate challenging. This local professional would be required to build an entire Procurement function from the ground up. They trusted the staffing experts to fill internal knowledge gaps and support each step in the recruiting and hiring process - from needs assessments to on-boarding.

Read the full case study  to learn more about what world-class staffing support could mean for your organization and its approach to Procurement.


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on Wednesday, December 04, 2019 0

Procurement's workforce is changing, but it might not be changing fast enough. Throughout the last decade, organizations have watched demand for talented, flexible Procurement teams begin to outstrip supply by a considerable margin. Per Deloitte's latest CPO survey, just 46% of Procurement leaders are confident their teams can deliver.

As the function enters a new decade, it's imperative that Procurement act quickly and strategically to close its various talent gaps and become truly world-class.

Blended Teams

The term "blended workforce" has historically referred to the practice of leveraging different types of resources (most often, a "blend" of full-time and part-time employees). Today, however, the term has begun to take on a new, broader and more complicated meaning. Organizations are still leveraging a combination of contractors, temporary resources, and full-time employees, but they're also beginning to consider how they can leverage a workforce that blends both humans and machines. Leaders are beginning to find that the right mix of automation and traditional hands-on effort is necessary to maximize Procurement's efficiency and equip it to enter the 2020s, 

While discussions around AI and automation tend to sound apocalyptic, studies show that as many as 67% professionals are actually optimistic that automation will help them perform more effectively and transition into new, more strategic roles. It's worth noting, however, that the same amount believe they'll need new skills to succeed in the future. A whopping 80% believe their employers should provide the means to develop these skills. Most sectors have been slow to take these steps.

Manufacturing is - unsurprisingly - one of the industries that's made building a new kind of blended workforce a priority. Jobs within this sector are more vulnerable to automation than almost any others. Oxford Economics predicts that 20 million workers could find themselves displaced within the next ten years. America's National Association of Manufacturers has pledged to meet this threat head-on by offering "reskilling" to more than 1.2 million workers between now and 2024. It's a start, but if estimates are to believed, it's clear the industry (and other industries) will need to ramp us these efforts sooner rather than later. 

New Skills and New Roles

While organizations plan to devote most of their 2020 training dollars to traditional strategic sourcing and category management skills, it's clear their priorities are evolving. More than 20% of CPO Survey respondents intend to train their teams on ethical sourcing, a full 40% will place on emphasis on project management. By expanding Procurement into new areas, they are hopeful the function can accept a more nuanced role and distinguish itself as indispensable.

Even more crucially, Procurement leaders are starting to take so-called "soft skills" more seriously. These are the attributes like leadership, empathy, and emotional intelligence that aren't easily learned or taught. They are also the skills that will make Procurement resources invaluable as relationship builders, risk managers, and business partners in the new decade. Most importantly, they're skills that computers cannot (and likely never will) replicate. As automation continues to make an impact on Procurement's workload, it's essential for both businesses and individuals to consider how soft skills can help create roles that machines can't occupy.

Whatever strategies organizations employ, whatever skills they emphasize in the new year, it's clear they need to widen their net when it comes to talent. From both a recruitment and retention perspective, the definition of Procurement excellence must evolve to suit a new fast-paced, digital world. Organizations should look for talent in new places, retool their existing job descriptions, and identify every possible opportunity to introduce new skills. 

Procurement's Decade Ahead

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on Sunday, November 24, 2019 0

Entering a new decade, Procurement faces a host of new challenges, obstacles, and strategic opportunities. Things have gotten so hectic for Procurement and Supply Chain that the very definition of "complexity" has grown more complex. Mastering complexity doesn't just mean overcoming one challenge. Rather, it means assessing and addressing a number of challenges both within the organization and across its supply chain.

Deloitte's latest CPO Survey suggests that "complexity" is perhaps the one word that defines Procurement's current situation. They identify four kinds of complexity that each organization will need to address in 2020 and beyond.

The 4 Kinds of Complexity

External Complexity: Mastering external complexity means addressing everything "outside the four walls of the organization" that Procurement has to interact with. 2018 and 2019 saw a number of new external risk factors emerge begin to exert pressure. These include the ongoing trade war between China and the United States as well as the misgivings associated with a potential recession. To mitigate external risks, Procurement needs to develop contingency plans and identify opportunities to restructure the supply chain. 

Internal Complexity: These challenges have to do with the relationships between different business units and their priorities. For most of the last decade, Procurement's primary internal challenge was securing buy-in from its peers. The function has been mostly successful. Within most organizations, Procurement is regarded as an effective, valued business partner. Few organizations, however, rate Procurement as an "excellent" partner. According to Deloitte, just 26% of organizations would offer such high praise. CPOs can begin to close this gap by automating tactical processes and freeing Procurement's time to focus on alignment and enablement. 

Talent Complexity: Talent is another area that has challenged Procurement throughout the last decade. Just a fraction of CPOs believe their teams have the skills necessary to deliver on their objectives (let alone organization-wide objectives), but training budgets remain tiny. It's not enough for Procurement to ramp up these investments and hope for the best. The function needs to ensure it aligns its recruitment, on-boarding, and long-term talent management processes to best serve the organization's broader goals. It's also important to start casting a wider net. After all, the definition of Procurement excellence is changing. 

Digital Complexity: It's been a digital decade for Procurement. Nearly half of Procurement teams are already partnering with IT to align on objectives and the function fully intends to realize a digital transformation sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, most organizations' hopes are still vastly outweighing their actual capabilities. A majority of businesses hope to make digital skills a priority during the new decade. As with talent, it's crucial for Procurement to align its digital strategy to support organization-wide goals and serve the entire business. 

Whatever "complexity" has meant for your organization in the past, count on new kinds of complexity to emerge in the new decade. Are you ready to evolve alongside external, internal, talent, and digital risk factors? 

Procurement's Decade Ahead

Check out the rest of our series on the trends and topics that will define Procurement in 2020 and throughout the next decade:
Read more »

on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 0



Procurement and Supply Chain Management's role is growing more and more essential. Companies are well aware that they need a strong team if they want their business to flourish. Interest in the profession is growing as well. According to Supply Chain Dive, full-time enrollment in the top 25 supply chain programs rose by 43% from 2014 to 2016. With so much demand for Supply Chain professionals and so much young talent entering the workforce, why does it still feel like there’s a talent gap in SCM?

Elementrum suggests that, “The Industry is exploding faster than workers are becoming qualified”. With AI technology reaching maturity and global markets setting new standards for the field, supply chain management talent has to be—well—talented.  Sadly, the bulk of supply chain executives feel that the upcoming SCM generation isn’t skilled enough to lead the field. 

The Emerging Leader’s Committee of ISM-Chicago wants to help generate solutions. The Institute of Supply Management (ISM) is a not-for-profit organization that has been advancing the field of supply chain management for over a century. Their state and local chapters help host events all year for professionals at each stage in their career.  On October 30th, ISM-Chicago's Emerging Leaders Committee with host a panel discussion titled, “Bridging the Talent Gap.”

 The panel will provide insights from these five industry thought leaders:
Naseem Malik has gone from sourcing goods to sourcing talent. After gaining 15 years’ experience as a procurement practitioner, Naseem turned his full attention to something he enjoys most – leveraging his network, connecting the dots and finding the best talent in the profession. Spanning diverse industries, he has worked in numerous roles of increasing responsibility as a Director of Global Sourcing at both Terex Corporation and ACCO Brands, and his background includes working in management consulting for AT Kearney, as well as multiple start-up businesses.  As an active member of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and various Purchasing Councils, Naseem has authored numerous articles for Inside Supply Management and Supply Chain World magazine and presented on topics relating to talent challenges in the global marketplace.

     
Marie Mensah lives to transform organizations.  Marie is founder of Chicago-based, Mensah Consulting, which focuses on procurement and supply chain best practices, organization design, training and development and implementing major transformation projects.   Her passions include exceeding corporate performance targets by dramatically reducing total cost of ownership, managing business risk, and establishing long term, sustainable, competitive advantage.  Previously a Procter & Gamble Procurement executive, Marie held purchasing responsibilities spanning Contract Manufacturing, Packaging, Chemicals, and leading P&G’s Supplier Diversity efforts.  

                      
Stuart Gonzales is leading a team of professionals to ensure a supply chain for direct, indirect, and professional services used by RR Donnelley. He has a wide range of experience in Supply Chain, Procurement, Sales, Customer Service, Product Logistics, Project Management, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Organizational Development, and Emergency Response. Stuart has been a Project Manager in a variety of business applications including system installations, upgrades, and migrations. He is particularly interested in business systems related to procurement, sales and customer service.

               

Leigh Barbeau is currently the Director, Indirect Procurement at Ace Hardware Corporation. She has worked in the Procurement arena for approx. 25 yrs holding various positions over the years within Global Hyatt Hotels, Laureate Education and, currently, Ace Hardware. Leigh has extensive experience and accountability in corporate operations (direct and indirect spend categories); commodity purchasing with strategic outsourcing expertise; creating dynamic vendor relationships; value engineering propositions; and superior project and team management.
                  
Frederick Narolis is currently the Head of Sourcing for HERE’s America’s region. Scope includes IT Cloud/HW/SW/Telecom, Facilities, Fleet, Map Content, Real-time Data Content, Professional Services (Legal, HR benefits, Marketing Print, Consulting), and Contract labor. He has had executive-level experience and leadership roles in performance improvement for private equity, technology, and corporate firms which includes experience in Operations, Margin Management, and G&A.

Learn more about registering for the event here. 

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on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 0

Procurement's evolving, essential role is a double-edged sword. The function has earned the respect and executive buy-in it needs to drive organization-wide change, but it's numerous talent gaps have grown ever wider. More than half of CPOs doubt their teams have the skills they need to deliver on their goals. Faced with evolving technologies and emerging risk factors, this talent gap could soon grow even wider.

Skills and expertise aren't the only things most businesses are missing. Many lack the internal resources to close these gaps on their own and get Procurement headed in the right direction. They're reliant on over-worked HR departments and struggling to update age-old processes. What can they do? They might consider working with a dedicated Procurement and Supply Chain recruiter.

Job seekers know that recruiters are valuable resources for the (often long and difficult) application process. They're often just as useful for organizations looking to supplement their efforts and bring leading talent into the fold.

Here are just a few of the ways a recruiter could benefit your organization.

Recruiters Save You Time, Money, and Effort

As mentioned above, your Procurement and HR teams already have their hands full with day-to-day responsibilities. HR doesn't have the resources to familiarize themselves with the ins-and-outs of Procurement, nor does Procurement have the resources to become a full-fledged hiring function. Keeping a position open is costly. With the time and resources to focus on open positions, recruiters keep you from wasting money and help you quickly move best-fit candidates through the hiring process. 

They'll streamline that process from end-to-end by vetting candidates and reducing the workload for your internal team. Once you've on-boarded a new hire, a recruiters efforts will continue to pay off in a big way. You won't need to break the bank training them and preparing them to succeed because your recruiting partner will ensure they're ready to hit the ground running on Day 1.

Recruiters Engage Passive Candidates

Unemployment is the lowest its been in decades. That means the pool of active candidates is about as small as its ever been. To fill the talent gap, organizations need to cast a wider net and seek out more passive candidates. These are candidates who aren't currently sending out resumes and searching on job boards. A recruiter will extend your search by connecting you with candidates that might not realize what a great fit your organization could make - or how much they're looking for a change. They'll inspire these professionals to take action, present your Procurement team as the best possible fit, and provide for long-term, mutual benefit.

Recruiters are Marketplace Experts

Recruiters are out in the trenches every day. If they're any good at their job, they've developed a through understanding of what it takes to succeed in your industry. What's more, they know where to find those top-notch candidates and what your organization can do to win them over and welcome them aboard. They'll ensure you're putting your best foot forward - by offering the right incentives and benefits - and prepare candidates to do the same by familiarizing them with your organization's approach, expectations, and unique culture.
 
Are you struggling to identify candidates and welcome them onto your Procurement team? Learn more about Source One's end-to-end approach to recruiting. From internal capabilities reviews to on-boarding support, they provide everything you need to build a best-in-class team.


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on Friday, October 11, 2019 0

In Procurement, the talent gap is really more like a gulf. The function's leaders aren't confident that their teams have the skills necessary to deliver on their goals and objectives - let alone carry businesses into a new, tech-powered era. More than half of the executives surveyed for Deloitte's last Global CPO Survey reported these concerns. That's an improvement over last year, but it still suggests Procurement's talent gap has gotten wider as the function has evolved throughout the decade.

As both soft skills and digital savvy grow more important, Procurement's talent gap could grow even wider over the next several years. Still, most organizations aren't investing in their teams. 72% of organizations spend less than 2% of their budgets on training and development programs.

Closing the talent gap doesn't have to mean breaking the bank. What it will require, however, is a new, more strategic approach and a new understanding of what Procurement excellence can mean. Here are just a few of the ways your organization can begin to better nurture the right skills and build a more effective Procurement team.

Introduce a Mentorship Program 

The Society for Human Resource Management suggests that mentorship programs can reduce turnover, boost recruitment efforts, and provide for a more productive workplace culture. These programs are also one of the easiest ways to ensure your team members can exchange insights. Whether you're looking to get new hires up to speed or provide long-time employees with a crash course in new technology, a mentorship program can transform your business. 

Strengthen Procurement's Brand

Young professionals are eager to make an impact by working on dynamic, innovative teams. At a glance, Procurement doesn't usually fit the bill. More often, it strikes applicants and emerging professionals as a tactical business unit that's set in its antiquated ways. Organizations can change this by defining a clear, compelling mission for Procurement and communicating it throughout the recruiting and hiring processes. 

Encourage Cross-Functional Collaboration

Today's Procurement teams require a far more diverse set of skills than in generations pass. The best aren't just well-versed in Procurement best practices, but understand the ins and outs of every unit within the organization. There's no better way to build these skills than by encouraging Procurement to step outside of its comfort zone and work closely with its peers in Marketing, IT, and other functions.

Discuss the Talent Gap with Procurement Leaders

ISM-Chicago's Emerging Leaders Committee is hosting Bridging the Talent Gap, a panel discussion featuring several Supply Chain staffing and recruiting experts. They hope to provide the next generation of professionals with the insights they need to refine their skills and elevate the Procurement function. Register today.
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on Monday, September 30, 2019 0
     
Many companies require their new hires to enter the company with previous experience in their field. By this standard, many recent graduates are overlooked. Though, there are actually benefits of having a recent college graduate join your company even if they have no field experience at all.

To start with the more obvious reasoning, recent graduates are eager and therefore usually willing to work for lower wages than the more experienced hires. Furthermore, since they were so recently in school their mind is still apt to comprehend new information at a high rate. According to ERE: Recruiting Intelligence, recent graduates are, "self-motivated, 'continuous learners' (which) may actually be the most important competency". A big aspect of being a continuous learner is questioning existing processes. Though, recent graduates may simply be asking for educational purposes, this can result in companies reevaluating and improving upon their existing approaches and methodologies. Colleges teach students to think differently so they bring this same skill of a diverse mindset to help enrich teams.

Since recent graduates are so early in their careers they are more accepting of change. Post graduate life is a new chapter for them so they are often very open-minded. This level of excitement sparks agility and makes them more willing to accept change. Academic research indicates that great innovators experience their peak while still in their youth. This shows that young, college graduates are likely to bring very innovative insights.

Young workers typically carry energy and enthusiasm with them throughout the workday. They're less likely to experience mental or physical fatigue. Furthermore, the excitement of entering a new chapter will make them especially willing to serve the business in whatever way possible. For example, their willingness to learn will make them more receptive to so-called 'thankless assignments'. Instead of grumbling, they'll accept these as valuable learning experiences. Also, being early in their career, they'll generally feel they have something to prove. This will lead many to volunteer for just about anything. Recent graduates are also less likely to have family commitments that might keep them from traveling or relocating. Lastly, being less experienced can result in more boldness so recent graduates may be more willing to take on high-risk assignments.

Regardless of the industry -  technology, health care, procurement or anywhere in between  - companies look for hires that have strong collaboration and communication skills. Many colleges instill these skills in their students through projects and presentations. Often, students even have to develop a diverse, cross-functional skill set. Students learn to communicate with diverse team members and embrace new technologies and approaches.

Inexperienced college graduates can make for great hires because they have a fresh mind. They're not burdened by the biases that create office politics and lead many veteran employees to suffer through the workday. Also, going to school in the era of technology has made them savvy multi-taskers capable of handling large amounts of information. Lastly, they are often a lot easier to manage. Being the least experienced creates a level of humility and submission. They will work hard and welcome opportunities to learn. Why not bring them aboard? 
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on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 0


At today's Procurious Big Ideas Summit, Naseem Malik (Managing Partner, MRA Global) and Lesley Herald (President & CEO, Herald Search Group) called upon their experience in recruiting and talent management for a panel discussion on professional advancement. Moderator Dawn Tiura (President, SIG) opened by reminding attendees how far the Procurement profession has come. "We don't buy anymore," she remarked, "we recognize redundancy and stupidity and we address it." These new responsibilities call for a new set of skills and a new approach to both hiring and inspiring Procurement talent.

All three thought leaders addressed these new skills and offered tips for adopting that new approach throughout their discussion. Here's a sampling of what they had to say.

What Makes a Resume Stand Out?

Herald spoke to the value of a broad experience. It's not enough anymore for someone to boast years of experience in Procurement. They need to prove they've work across multiple functions and worn a number of hats. Like experience, the skills that point to excellence have evolved in recent years. In addition to technical know-how, truly world-class candidates are expected to possess soft skills like empathy, creativity, and emotional intelligence. It's these that will ultimately power them to elevate their function and their organization. "Employers struggle to quantify these," Malik added. That makes it all the more important to nurture them internally and, if necessary, partner with a third-party capable of recognizing these qualities in a candidate.

Herald, Malik, and Tiura all acknowledged that employers need to make themselves stand out as much as employees do. "It's not the same market it was several years ago," Malik remarked. Companies that aren't making an effort to improve themselves based on feedback from employees and candidates are doomed to fall behind.



What Problems Might Hurt a Resume? 

A resume isn't supposed to look like a list of responsibilities. "A good resume," Herald remarks, "tells a story." The best paint a picture of an active, dynamic professional who is capable of changing the way things are done. Putting these together is no small feat. That's why both Malik and Herald view coaching as an essential piece of their work as recruitment experts. Applicants aren't so different from companies. When they've grown accustomed to doing things a certain way, they're not usually in a hurry to try something new. This mindset has to change. Companies are evolving in their both their capabilities and applications. It's time for applicants to evolve as well.

Even small things like the font and layout of your resume might keep you from making the right sort of impression. Times New Roman might have been the standard several years ago, but Tiura suggests its time has passed. Your resume is your first opportunity to set yourself apart from the pack. 'Standard' fonts, formats, and talking points do the exact opposite.

How Can Professionals Build Adaptability?

"Don't work at the same company too long," Malik suggested. While it's still not a great idea to hop from job to job, longevity within a single organization is starting to look like a bad sign. Staying put in one organization can make a candidate look inflexible, even unambitious. The definition of "longevity" is changing too. While twenty years with a company was once the standard, ten or more is now enough to raise many hiring managers' eyebrows. A variety of positions in a number of functions, on the other hand, will show an organization that you're capable of thriving in an evolving Procurement world.

It's also essential for the next generation of professionals to nurture their own sense of curiosity. Reading voraciously and embracing new experiences, they'll not only prove that they're adaptable, but they'll make themselves into more informed and interesting people. With time, their creativity could prove infectious and result in an organization that's ready to innovate. 

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on Tuesday, September 10, 2019 0


Do you feel like your procurement team is capable of meeting expectations? If you aren't sure, you aren’t alone. According to a survey by Deloitte, fewer than half of Chief Procurement officers are confident in their teams. This lack of confidence could stem from flaws in Procurement's recruitment processes and talent management priorities. 

 72% of organizations are spending less than 2% of their budgets on developing their Procurement resources. And those that do focus on optimizing their teams are often neglecting the all-important skills that will define Procurement's next generation. 

The traditional skills that drove Procurement through its tactical past aren't enough anymore.  While it's still crucial that Procurement folks know how to fill out a purchase order and wade through spend detail, so-called 'soft skills' are more important than ever. Interestingly enough it's evolving digital technologies that have made these uniquely human qualities so valuable. 

 Creativity, adaptability, and emotional intelligence are the skills that machines can't replicate. They're also increasingly relevant in a world where Procurement is tasked with mitigating risks and managing relationships. Bennett Glace, a member of the Source One team, identifies six especially important soft skills in a new blog for Future of Sourcing. 

 Read "Soft Skills Make a Real Impact in Supply Chain Management" to learn more about the skills you should nurture to build a truly best-in-class organization. 

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on Thursday, August 22, 2019 0

People aren't good at picking out jobs. Even with a record number of positions to choose from, more American workers feel disengaged and discouraged than engaged and enthused - many more.

Why is finding the right fit so challenging?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, an organizational psychologist, has identified several reasons in a new blog for the Harvard Business Review.

Unsurprisingly, money plays a big role. While there's little correlation between salary and satisfaction, impressive paychecks still tempt countless applicants into positions they'll only grow to despise. Chamorro-Premuzic also points to poor self-awareness. He writes, "people are generally quite inept at evaluating their own talents." The same goes for their real interests. Once they've found the job they think they want, these folks tend to work on one skill more than any other: suffering in silence.

So what are professionals really looking for? According to Chamorro-Premuzic, it's not the outrageous perks and near-complete flexibility that make all the headlines. His ideal workplace provides three simple things.

A Sense of Competency and Mastery

It's thrilling to feel good at your job. Even without external recognition, the knowledge that you've persevered past obstacles and mastered once-difficult tasks presents a powerful reminder that you're where you ought to be. 

That's not to say recognition isn't important. In fact, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) suggests it's absolutely essential. 89% of survey respondents credit recognition programs and "more frequent check-ins" with promoting professional growth. Managers can't count on every employee to generate feelings of competency and mastery on their own. Sometimes that extra reminder is necessary.  

Fostering feelings of competency and mastery is about more than introducing a program to send out thank-yous. Recognition works best when it's aligned to an organization's core values and serves as an integral part of culture. Effective programs provide a consistent reminder that leadership cares - not just about results, but about the happiness of the entire team.

Chamorro-Premuzic notes that employees feel especially gratified by the opportunity to "perform above the expectation of [their] role[s]." In a business unit like Procurement - one that's long existed in a silo - such opportunities aren't always available. The function's leaders have the potential to change this with rotational programs and ambitious career paths that broaden its role. When they make this investment, managers and executives receive a more invested and inspired team in return. 

A Sense of Community and Affiliation 

Recognition - from managers as well as peers - also goes a long way in stoking these feelings. When co-workers exchange feedback with one another, they begin to establish a collaborative and productive community. Many will go on to build genuine friendships that enliven their day-to-day tasks. While it's easy to make fun of water cooler small talk and the 'mandatory fun' of team building activities, workplace friendships can make a big difference. 60% of employees say they're more likely to stay with a company that's staffed with good friends. This number rises to 74% and 69% for Millennials and Gen-Zers respectively.

Even professionals who work remotely have expressed their desire for a sense of belonging.  They're also more likely to quit - or consider quitting - if they don't feel it. Experts have begun to regard loneliness and isolation as an epidemic among this growing sector of the workforce. 

Employers have a distinct challenge ahead of them. How do they provide flexibility and promote human connection? Writing for Reuters, Lauren Young advises managers to occasionally place the spotlight on offsite workers. Encouraging them to lead meetings, she suggests, will remind them that their perspective matters and ensure their voice is never muffled. It'll also guarantee they're accountable and always serve as an active participant in workplace conversations. 

A Sense of Meaning and Purpose

Like workplace friendship, corporate purpose is sometimes tempting (and always dangerous) to dismiss. Far more than a buzzword, 'purpose' has become an all-important factor for applicants, employees, and consumers across the globe. And it's not just young loudmouths calling on businesses to do more. 70% of all U.S. adults want to make a difference at work. They're eager to do more than earn a paycheck or advance in their careers. They're hungry to work for companies that operate with a clear mission.

This mission should result from a community effort rather than a top-down decree. Adopting a company-wide approach, one that welcomes all perspectives, will stimulate engagement while providing for a more purpose-driven business. It will also produce a far more authentic sense of purpose than an executive brainstorming session possibly could. 

Introducing a sense of purpose doesn't have to mean setting ambitious goals to fight climate change or eradicate waste in the supply chain. While organizations should always identify opportunities to serve the planet and its people, workplace purpose can come from far simpler initiatives. It's often enough to remind employees that they have a clearly-defined purpose within the office and that their efforts make a noticeable difference. 

A lot of people hate their jobs. They spend weeks, months, and years regretting their decision to let a big paycheck or exciting location woo them. Surprisingly few, however, ever regret the decision to quit. Are you providing your team with everything they're looking for? 
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