Labour shortages and worker efficiency are the key concerns among supply chain professionals, according to a survey by Ivanti Wavelink.

The survey of employees across the supply chain profession uncovered concerns about attracting and retaining staff, worker efficiency and mitigating tech-related problems with staff.

“Worker efficiency and/or labour shortage topped the list of biggest challenges, regardless of the role or experience of the respondent or the size of the company,” analysts say.

Time to train the workforce (52%) and high turnover (50%) were the most-noted workforce challenges. 

Nearly one third (32%) of respondents said attracting and retaining labour is the one thing that would most improve their warehouse distribution fulfillment process. 

The results reinforce findings released at the recent DLR Congress in Lyon, France, which show that 27% of employees on permanent contracts resigned in 2022. A speaker at the event noted the urgent need to "awaken the entrepreneurial libido" and to make the effort towards individuality and uniqueness in a job market shunned by candidates. 

Experts suggested transforming the worker into a ‘master’ and the team into creators of a common project to give meaning to work and overhaul professions that are struggling to recruit. 

“Dialogue, listening and generosity are essential values ??to achieve employee bonding,” delegates were told.

Similarly, in March, US materials handling industry body MHI found workforce issues topped the list of supply chain challenges among members.

The 2023 MHI Annual Industry Report noted that hiring and retaining qualified workers (57%) and the talent shortage (56%) were the top supply chain challenges cited by survey respondents. 

The worker shortage is spurring US companies to invest in technologies that not only improve agility and efficiency but also reduce the need for repetitive, manual labour. These investments create the kind of advanced technology environment that results in more rewarding supply chain jobs that appeal to today’s top talent, according to the report.

On similar lines, the Wavelink survey found that around 85% of respondents plan to invest in new technology and/or build upon existing technology in the next year. More than half (53%) of respondents indicated they intend to increase automation up to 30% in the next year, and a quarter are aiming for an increase of 11-20%.

“With the current shortage of available labour, many industries are better equipping their teams with technologies that help them optimise workflow. By embracing technology to help streamline operational efficiency, organisations can increase productivity, reduce costs, save time and improve customer satisfaction,” says Brandon Black, senior vice president and general manager for Ivanti Wavelink. “Additionally, by implementing technology and automation that uses real-time data, companies can gain end-to-end visibility that allows them to evaluate information more efficiently and be more agile in mitigating issues.”