siliconindia | | February 202019PEOPLE IN SUPPLY CHAIN­MOTIVATING & INNOVATINGBy Mehran Ravanpay, Chief Supply Chain Officer, RAB LightningAs an experienced Global supply chain leader, Mehran has a demonstrated history of working in the high-tech industry.igital supply chain capabilities are transforming how companies collaborate in the future. At the same time, supply chains must become more busi-ness-focused and business-friendly. To manage the shift to digital, talent will become the critical piece, helping supply chain organizations evolve to a digital age. With a renewed focus on talent, we can't ignore that the skills gap in the supply chain and manufacturing industry is rapidly growing. Technology and globalization have complete-ly evolved the skillset needed to keep pace with the shift to the digital-first revolution. And as millennials increasingly start to make up more of the broader workforce, the gap continues to widen, from a combination of the retirement of the baby boomer generation and less millenni-als entering the industry. The challenge has emerged to attract and engage the younger generation and invest in train-ing to keep up with the changing needs of the industry. Recruiting and HiringTo manage the industry shift, we need to begin to look at a different recruitment and hiring strategy focused on bring-ing in a more diverse pool of candidates. Traditionally, `diversity' was centered on gender, nationality and ethnicity, but now its needs have broadened to include different education pools not previous-ly considered. This includes special-ized universities, military schools and different majors that take advantage of new skillsets. In a new pool of candidates, supply chain managers should be looking at new technical expertise, including the knowl-edge and aptitude to learn new manu-facturing technology and the software systems SCMs use to do their jobs well. In a digital-first industry, the ability to innovate legacy systems, build in new tools like predictive analytics, and incor-porate customer experience services is a necessary part of the strategy. Business acumen is now required as a fundamental skill to understand the financial impact of decisions and under-stand customer needs and requirements. And strong leadership skills in candidates showcase an ability to motivate and do their jobs well. Attracting New TalentWhile the perks and benefits of a high-er salary are always important, no mat-ter the company or the role, engaging a younger, more skilled workforce requires demonstrating a strong mission. Today's generation is motivated by working for a company with strong values that provides purpose. Providing a rallying cry is an important part of attracting new talent. Tying in renewable energy promotion can DCXO INSIGHTS
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