Supply chain employers are likely to see a job market back in their favor soon
Good morning! Today is National Women’s Day in South Africa - and while we’re writing this from the United States, we want to extend our celebratory favor to all the women in South Africa today!
It’s no secret that two years of pandemic-related problems and growing inflation has created a candidate-driven job market in the U.S. Urgent and immediate need to fill roles in the supply chain sector forced businesses to work quickly to obtain the best talent available. But while data isn’t yet conclusive, some say that employers can soon expect the market to cool… leaving them more room to be “picky” in their hiring process.
Check out today’s featured article from All Things Supply Chain to read about the shifting power imbalance in the job market and what prospective hires can likely expect when they go to their next job interview.☕️
Job Hiring GIF By The Orchard Films via GIPHY
Featured Article:
Is the supply chain talent market swinging back in favor of the employer? | All Things Supply Chain
“Starting in 2020, the supply chain world was disrupted in ways previously unheard of.”
Customer Relations 🤝
Customers want fast and free shipping methods - is “BOPIS” the answer?
As the nation continues to slowly recover from the pandemic, there has been a notable revival of in-person shopping. This renaissance of sorts seems to have helped consumers deal with lagging delivery times, which became the preferred method of shopping during the height of the pandemic. The constant headlines regarding “supply chain issues” seem to have also quelled most complaints.
But retailers aren’t stupid. They know they need to do something to keep delivery options on the table. More than 40% of consumers have been surveyed that waiting over four days for delivery is “unacceptable” - so what is a major brick-and-mortar store to do?
Many are turning to the “Buy Online Pick-Up In Store” (BOPIS) option, regardless of its declining usage by customers. It’s predicted it will surge again, raking in $703.18 billion by 2027. Last year, in 2021, the global BOPIS market was $243.89 billion. BOPIS’s lack of shipping charges, speedy services, and ease of use may be the answer retailers have been hoping for.
Maintenance & Repair 🧰
Technician training is paramount for service industry success
An often overlooked asset to a service provider company is the training and value of its repair personnel. Repair department staff need to have up-to-date skills in order to keep operations speedy and reliable.
Recently, several industry programs emerged that are designed to help technician staff in top shape, including The WheelTime Network, The Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN), and the National Institute for Autonomous Service Excellence (ASE). These programs offer effective training and are regularly seen as a valuable investment.
Company Culture 🎉
Does working in an office provide a ‘sense of belonging’? Malcolm Gladwell thinks so
Employers are having a difficult time convincing their employees to read back to an office setting, that much is certain. Bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell suggests that though it is a hassle, employees need to realize that separating their work from their home is in their “best interest”.
Those filling leadership positions at companies struggling with this conundrum are failing to convey this belief to employees - leaving many firms caught in a web of uncertainty. A majority of U.S. workers, 65% say that "work-from-home options is a major consideration they make when choosing a job option. A common compromise seen across the board has been a “hybrid” work model.
Sustainability ♻️
Company chiefs must get strategic to make supply chains more sustainable - The Loadstar
“Supply chain executives can and must do more to combat climate change, the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) has urged.”
Business Strategy 💡
Transforming Freight Benchmarking - Logistics Viewpoints
“Most supply chain suppliers have solutions that are very similar to each other.”
Everything You Need to Know Before Calculating Shipping Costs - More than Shipping
“When looking at the overall global shipping industry, the first rule is to know exactly how much you are going to pay for the shipping cost of your products.”
Savings Mode - Strategies for Lowering Total Landed Costs - Flexport
“There’s an old proverb that goes, ‘May you live in interesting times.’”
Role of Supplier Development Programme in Supply Chain Management - SCM Dojo
“Supplier Development Programme is one the key initiative in many large organisation and perceived as key driver to enable supply chain competitiveness.”
Always in a hurry, and I don’t know why - Truck News
“‘I’m in a hurry to get things done. Oh, I rush and rush until life’s no fun. All I really gotta do is live and die.’ Those lyrics from I’m in a hurry (and don’t know why) by the band Alabama could be about trucking. “
Artificial Intelligence 🤖
Air cargo carrier for UPS expands operations in bid for autonomous flight - Supply Chain Dive
“A UPS-contracted air cargo carrier has expanded its U.S. operations, aiming to strengthen the case for its autonomous flight technology to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.”
Network Association 🤝
Can Rival Shippers Join Forces to Optimize Transportation? | SupplyChainBrain
“From time to time, some supply chain theorist, noting the persistence of wasted capacity in transportation, will ask the question: Why can’t shippers, even nominal competitors, get together and share available space on trucks? Then the idea gets shelved.”
XPO lifts guidance, plans CEO change - Fleet Owner
“After a record new sales quarter, company officials said XPO is looking to expand its terminal network in a handful of key markets.”
Inflation 💸
How Should CIOs Respond to Inflation? Q&A with Robert Naegle - Gartner
“As consumers and businesses worldwide continue to feel the impact of inflation, it is emerging as a top concern among senior executive leaders.”
The lesson for Main Street from the Walmart, Target inventory failures - CNBC
“Walmart and Target inventory management failed to keep up with swift changes in consumer spending and the impact of inflation and Covid.”
Safety 🦺
WATCH: Load of concrete rolls off truck, onto line of parked cars - CDL Life
“A load of concrete pipes falls off a turning flatbed truck and onto a line of parked cars in this shocking video.”
“A massive bridge that’s under construction across Corpus Christi Ship Channel is in danger of collapse, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).”
Leadership 🏆
In Person: Rudi Lueg of Exotec North America | DC Velocity
“In our continuing series of discussions with top supply-chain company executives, Rudi Lueg talks about the challenges facing distributors and the growth of robotic systems designed to increase throughput and efficiency.”
Chris Caplice - academic who helped make freight a science - Supply Chain Digital
“Dr Chris Caplice of MIT is one of the most decorated and influential thinkers around freight and logistics, being behind MIT FreighLab and other ventures.”
Agents of Change Assemble to Solve Supply Chains & Global Commerce Challenges - Logistics Matter
“As the leading minds from the worlds of retail, technology & supply chain converged on Miami (for the first time in-person since 2019), we were once again reminded of the power of innovation in the face of challenge & the true value of global community.”
10 Important Skills Every Leader Should Build - Small Biz Trends
“No matter the industry, there are many different hard and soft skills a leader should develop to be an effective and inspiring presence on their team.”
Absolute and relative - Seth’s Blog
“It doesn’t matter that it’s not the Super Bowl or the World Cup.”
Trade & Border Issues 🗺
Ukraine’s Grain Corridors Still Need Ships to Ease Food Crisis - Supply Chain Dive
“Ukraine’s first shipments of grain since being invaded by Russia are a harbinger of relief for squeezed global markets, but many challenges remain before the millions of tons of food stuck in the country can be released.”
Watch: Forced Labor in the Supply Chain | SupplyChainBrain
“Suzanne Offerman, senior marketing manager for Onesource Global Trade at Thomson Reuters, describes the technology needed to avoid forced labor in manufacturing supply chains.”
Surcharges add to costs of barging freight as Europe's rivers run dry - The Loadstar
“Heatwaves have sent prices “skyrocketing” for container moves along northern Europe’s inland waterways and, with little sign of rainfall, things can only get worse.”
Industry Forecast 📊
News round-up: Supply chain, logistics and procurement | Supply Chain Digital
“Olivia Montgomery is Associate Principal Supply Chain Analyst at Software Advice, a subsidiary of Gartner. Montgomery produces reports and insights on small-business project management, supply chain trends and technology strategies.”
ATA’s Chris Spear Optimistic About Trucking Economy, R.I. Tolling Verdict - TT News
“American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear said the trucking industry continues to show resilience despite challenges in the U.S. economy, marked by two straight quarters of negative gross domestic product and interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve that aim to slow decades-high rates of inflation.”
Electric Vehicles 🔋
“Following months of negotiation over Congressional Democrats' agenda, and with persistent advocacy from the port industry, yesterday afternoon, the Senate passed the long-awaited Inflation Reduction Act, the budget reconciliation bill that includes $3 billion over five years to establish a new grant program to install electrified equipment and reduce emission at ports.”
“The environmental impact of electric cars may still be unknown, but leaders are growing concerned about the threat they pose to the financing of the nation’s highway system.”
A Ramp, Not a Cliff, Needed to Build EV Battery Supply Chains - RealClearEnergy.org
“The Electric Vehicle (EV) provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act provide a significant accelerant to America’s ongoing transition away from oil as the dominant fuel for transportation – a shift vital to our nation’s economic and national security.”
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for July 31, 2025, from iLevel Logistics Inc.