Webinar recording: Skills shortages along the supply chain: Strategies for successfully overcoming the challenges in procurement

In our live webinar "Shortage of skilled workers along the supply chain: Strategies for successfully overcoming the challenges in procurement" with Prof. Dr. Florian C. Kleemann, Professor of Supply Chain Management at Munich University of Applied Sciences, Marcel Weller, Head of Customer Success at Tacto, and Florian Findeis, Business Development at Tacto, we will show you how you can face these challenges.

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The shortage of skilled workers poses a significant challenge for companies, especially along the supply chain. Last year, 84% of companies worldwide and 97% of companies in the DACH region had to deal with disruptions in their supply chains. Almost 50% of these problems were due to a shortage of skilled workers. Sectors such as IT, consumer goods, transportation, logistics and the automotive industry are particularly affected.

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82% of employers report difficulties in finding the skilled workers they need and filling vacancies. The greatest shortage is in the area of IT and data skills. SMEs are particularly affected as they have limited resources for recruitment and personnel development and are often regionally bound.

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Challenges and effects of the shortage of skilled workers

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The shortage of skilled workers leads to considerable operational challenges. Delays in production, reduced production capacity and quality deficiencies are direct consequences. Costs are also rising due to higher wages, overtime and investments in training and further education. The lack of qualified personnel leads to innovation backlogs, delayed development projects and difficulties in introducing new technologies.

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The shortage of skilled workers has an indirect impact on the flexibility and responsiveness of companies. The ability to react to market changes is limited and the risk of production stoppages increases. Long-term relationships with suppliers are impaired and the development of new partnerships is made more difficult.

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Several factors are contributing to the skills shortage, including demographic change, an ageing society and a smaller pool of potentially suitable personnel. The slow pace of digitalization and increased supply chain complexity are leading to new requirements and job profiles. The coronavirus crisis and the Russia-Ukraine conflict have further exacerbated the situation.

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Strategies for overcoming the shortage of skilled workers

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Various recommendations for action were presented in the webinar in order to meet the challenges posed by the shortage of skilled workers. These include the digitalization of purchasing processes in order to reduce manual tasks and increase efficiency. Strategic supplier management helps to identify risks at an early stage and increase reliability in the supply chain. Data-driven decision-making enables well-founded decisions through proactive planning and AI-supported analyses.

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Another important aspect is the targeted management of existing staff and the focus on further training. Potential employees outside the organization can be approached through international recruitment.

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