TECH & AI
“ SUPPLY WILL ALWAYS BE AN INDUSTRY BUILT AND RUN BY PEOPLE . TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT REPLACE LEADERSHIP ”
SAM SLATER SENIOR VP , GLOBAL OPERATIONS , CRANE WORLDWIDE LOGISTICS
is an inviolable step in any technology change project .
He warns : “ You ’ re pulling them into the fear of the unknown . You ’ ve got to balance the equation by making sure there ’ s something in the change process for them . If I ’ m an employee and you want me to give you my heart and soul , my knowledge and IP , then don ’ t leave me fearing I might be shunted somewhere else at the end of it all .”
Loseby stresses that the common thread running through successful digital transformations is the people-centred nature of such processes , as opposed to being tool-centred . To work , he says that AI and ML programmes must be mindful of all stakeholders – staff , suppliers and also customers .
Few in the world of supply chains have a stronger sense of what people want , and expect , from their jobs in today ’ s uncertain , ever-changing world than managers working in recruitment .
One such person is Jeremiah Kaltz , VP of operations at Talascend , an industrial recruitment agency . Kaltz says that , at the lower end of the supply skills spectrum – warehouse material handlers , for example – many see such roles as a short-term means to an end , but by no means all . “ Some view such opportunities as the start-point to their career and their long-term development ,” he says , adding that developing specialised skills “ is motivating to most ”.
Kaltz echoes Loseby ’ s view that , when it comes to automation , companies must take employees of all levels along with them . “ It ’ s a candidate-driven market ,” he says . “ But once a material handler trusts and respects their employer , you ’ ll see a very high level of commitment .”
Loseby believes that every digital transformation has a “ sweet spot ”, where tech and humans work in harmony .
Sam Slater , senior VP of global operations at Crane Worldwide Logistics , agrees , saying that many supply chain workers see technology as a means for their employer to compete in a tough market , and that this gives them a sense of security .
“ People want to be assured their organisation is positioned to compete ,” he says . “ They see technology as a key component of that competitiveness .”
Slater offers examples of where Crane has achieved a synergy between people and tech – Loseby ’ s elusive ‘ sweet spot ’.
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