low. In fact, Little recently promoted ve engineers. An Omnichannel Approach Many companies use multiple channels to reach customers. The same approach can help when reaching out to prospective employees. Ryder, a provider of supply chain and transportation solutions, has long been active in college recruiting and hires about 350 graduates each year, says Lesley Kerr, vice president of human resources. It’s currently building its pipeline in digital and analytical capabilities. “These are needed skills in supply chain and logistics, as well as across the business, as Ryder adds technology and looks to use the data collected,” Kerr says. This also provides a talent bench for succession planning in key management roles, and has helped Ryder hire more diverse candidates, she adds. A recruitment team also focuses on reaching candidates through social media, which allows Ryder to showcase itself and its careers in different ways. TikTok and YouTube videos help reach younger audiences and provide a visual of the Ryder workplace. One employee even created a hip-hop video about his role. “Creating authentic content and distributing it through social media channels has allowed us to reach a younger audience that might not know much about Ryder, outside of the trucks they see on the road,” Kerr says.
The recent college graduates start by studying warehouse operations. Eventually, they’re able to build out a warehouse, including zones, bays, and inbound and outbound ows. A warehouse tour helps make real all that they’re learning. The students—typically, a group of four or ve—also dive into technology. Among other topics, they study the proprietary coding language used in Blue Yonder’s supply chain applications. (Tryon is a Blue Yonder top service provider.) The Human Touch In addition to providing supply chain- focused information, Little and her team “want to make good humans positively contributing to society,” she says. To that end, classes include subjects like communicating as a professional and mental health awareness. The students regularly interact with Tryon’s leadership team, who become resources for them. More than two dozen Tryon employees were professors
Most candidates today know how to research successful role models and learn where they got their start. “If they got their start at XYZ company, that company looks more attractive,” Clark says. Career Rotations Rotating early career employees through different areas and roles can be an effective talent development strategy. Not only does this build a talent pipeline, it also boosts workforce versatility. While a rotational program doesn’t necessarily need to add to headcount, it should be thoughtfully planned. Employees who complete their rotations should reasonably expect advancement opportunities going forward. “The pieces have to t together and be part of a broader talent development and retention strategy,” Noble says. Tryon University Tryon University is a program offered to entry-level employees and new engineers at Tryon Solutions, a provider of services for supply chain execution systems. The program is helping the rm attract and retain quali ed candidates. “The process balances academic learning with labs that allow participants to practice what they have learned as if they were working on a project,” explains Kelly Little, human resources manager at Tryon Solutions.
during a recent university session. A program like this requires an
investment. “Especially in consulting, it is a little frightening to have humans on board who are not billable while they’re in training,” Little notes. However, the training helps new Tryon employees work productively with clients just weeks after they graduate. As a result, they’re “immediately impactful,” she adds. TryonU also helps keep turnover
WORKFORCE CHALLENGES SUPPLY CHAIN AND LOGISTICS ORGANIZATIONS FACE TODAY High-level takeaways from Descartes research show that post-pandemic organizations continue to struggle getting the labor, knowledge workers, and leaders they need to thrive.
Source: How Bad is the Supply Chain and Logistics Workforce Challenge? Descartes survey
154 Inbound Logistics • July 2024
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