Healthcare Matters

The supply chain sector is facing a major talent crisis. Baby Boomers are retiring in bunches and a career in supply chain management (SCM) is not the enticing draw that those of us who currently work in the profession might think it is. We need to fix that. Thank goodness the core principles of SCM transfer well across industries, otherwise, the situation in healthcare would be especially dire.

Passive approaches to recruiting talent, whether in supply chain or elsewhere, have been widely discredited. And while social media has provided new recruiting channels, far too many HR departments continue to do the same old thing; they just happen to be doing the same old thing on these new platforms.

Adapting HR departments so they can better serve the needs of the business means, among other things, getting them to take an active approach to recruiting. And when it comes to initial placement and talent development programs (e.g. training and job rotation), HR should borrow from the same cost- and time-sensitive disciplines that largely define iSCM. It makes a lot of sense.

While lean and just-in-time (JIT) “thinking” guide SCM practice, these same principles can also provide a superior operating philosophy for HR management. For example, applying the same “make versus buy” analytical rigor to hiring practice would not only be a more effective approach for the employer, but it would be better for the employee. And because demand for talent is probably easier to predict in healthcare than in other industry sectors, the transitions should be easier to execute.

As Peter Capelli, author of “Talent on Demand: Managing Talent in an Age of Uncertainty” states, “authority and accountability are pushed onto individuals and not systems, and career mobility across companies is high. Employers (i.e. HR departments) must adapt to that reality.”

The rewards for Healthcare HR departments that make these changes can be transformational –especially in competitive markets. The opportunities to lift up the business are just too promising to pass. For providers whose HR departments learn to actively recruit and/or for SCM leaders who learn to manage their talent like professional sports teams control their rosters, the competitive advantages are unmatched.

Capelli takes the “people as product” supply chain metaphor to the extreme –but it works.  A strong bench comprised of great role players and versatile athletes both capable and desirous of playing several roles works better for everyone. At a minimum, it will improve the performance of SCM departments and provide yet another practical example for the organization.

—Tom Finn