5 Steps to Implement Supply Chain | Getting right people in place – first step | organization | implementation
5 Steps to Implement Supply Chain | Getting right people in place
Let’s look at what’s involved in taking the first step in the supply chain agenda, which is to make sure that you’ve got the right people in the right positions to make the change. Preparing the people in your organization starts with training and education. You can use online resources like all the video i have share in this channel, this help people understand what supply chain management is and how it will affect their jobs. There are lots of introductory books, video about Supply Chain Management. You can also take advantage of training programs from private consultants, as well as from universities and colleges. Many companies develop certification programs that require employees to complete specific training, or they ask employees to earn an independent certification from a professional organization,
The next step is to look at the organizational structure. It’s common to find supply chain functions like logistics, operations, and purchasing, separated into vertical organizational silos. You can look for ways to create links between these silos by building cross-functional teams, and by developing balanced score cards. But you should also make sure that your supply chain functions report to a single leader who can be accountable for managing trade-offs.
For example, you could have all three of these groups report to a chief supply chain officer. You might also wanna include the customer service group in that structure, and some of the enabling functions, like project management and IT. Once you know what the organizational structure should look like, you’ll probably find that you need to hire people to fill some talent gaps. You might be able to fill those positions with internal candidates, or you might be able to get referrals to good candidates by asking your current employees.
Many companies benefit from using a talent search firm, sometimes called a head hunter, to look for outside candidates. There are a number of search firms around the world that specialize in supply chain management. And I’ve often found, that they can use their expertise and their networks to identify good candidates fairly quickly. In order to implement supply chain management, you need to train or hire people to think in terms of processes and collaboration.
Your team needs to understand that their goals should align with the larger goals for your company, and everyone needs to focus on creating and delivering value to your customers. You have to get the right people in the right positions in order to move forward with implementing a supply chain management agenda.