Top 5 Things Procurement and Supply Chain Candidates are Looking for in 2022

Any ambitious business knows that attracting the top talent is key to its success. However, it can be a challenge to find and engage the right candidates in a competitive market. From offering the right benefits to promoting your company culture, read on to discover the top five things procurement and supply chain candidates are looking for in 2022.

The right workplace culture

Younger demographics like Millenials and Gen Y and Z are increasingly seeking out employers who can demonstrate solid values. This includes a commitment to diversity and inclusion, a culture of openness and transparency and good environmental and sustainability credentials.

Demonstrating these values has to be done well. Today’s candidates are wise to false or insubstantial promises so make sure you are clear and honest about what your company values are. Good trust indicators include interviews with your team on your website and social media, nominations (or wins!) of awards, and solid messaging on your website. Admit where there are areas where you are still learning and improving and encourage your team to celebrate your successes and spread the word.

Culture of well-being

This follows on from the above point but it deserves its own space as it’s something we know candidates are prioritizing in potential employers. Gone are the days (thankfully) when we are expected to sit at our desks stressing out and feeling like we aren’t supported.

Here are some great ways of promoting a culture of well-being at your firm:

Ask your team for willing volunteers to take on a role as mental health ambassadors. They can act as a point of contact for people who are struggling and advise on services to access if they need extra help.
Lead by example. Don’t be afraid to show you are vulnerable or when you are having a bad day.
Encourage people to talk about what is bothering them and share their worries.
If you are unsure about what would improve the lives of your team, ask them. This could be done via an anonymous survey, 1-1 or through workshops. Whatever you think your team will respond best to.
Develop and document your well-being program and make sure people know about it. Too often these initiatives start out life as inspirational plans of action and quickly get buried under the rest of the company literature.

The option to work remotely

A survey by FlexJobs found that over half (58%) of employees want to work from home permanently after the pandemic and 39% would prefer a hybrid working environment.

We know that not every business can offer this. But if you are able to provide remote working options it is well worth promoting in your job advertisements. You needn’t be worried about productivity either. Aside from the fact that you should be placing trust in your employees, studies have found that remote workers are 35-40% more productive than office-based colleagues. With video calls now a well-established fixture in workplace culture, it’s time to offer this flexibility and autonomy as standard.

Good opportunities for progression

It’s a candidates market these days so recruiters and employers have to up their game. A good way of doing this is showing where there are opportunities for progression at your procurement and supply chain firm. Not every business can offer a clear-cut career path from the get-go but it is important to be clear that you are committed to nurturing and growing your employees. That might be through internal training or mentorship, or even job shadowing. Procurement and supply chain professionals are an ambitious bunch and we should be encouraging them to reach for the stars.

Job stability

If the last few years have taught us anything it’s that life is pretty fragile. Five years ago it seemed like the prevalent workplace culture was for people to move around more frequently and not feel particularly loyal to one employer. With the pandemic and other political global developments, that appears to be changing.

Naturally, it is harder for younger companies to promote a feeling of stability but it’s worth crafting your ads and job specs to reassure candidates that the company is doing well, is growing and maturing and that they will be valued. You should also be clear on the conditions you are offering, including probationary periods so the candidate feels they can trust you and knows what to expect.

We hope these tips on the top things procurement and supply chain candidates are looking for in 2022 have been useful. Finding the right people to support your business is hard. If you want to grow your team this year, talk to us. We have an unrivalled pool of procurement and supply chain candidates who are looking to work with forward-thinking businesses. Get in touch today to find out more.