Intelligent technologies like AI, IoT, and digital twins are transforming supply chains and the roles within them. Many existing supply chain roles will focus more on monitoring machines, interpreting data, and providing guidance rather than executing manual tasks. This will require workers to develop new skills in innovation, creativity, collaboration and leadership. However, many companies have rushed adoption of new technologies without properly engaging their workforce. Leading companies recognize the need to put people first by developing skills at scale through AI, fostering traditional valuable skills, and involving workers in new initiatives from the start. Preparing employees for the future of work will be critical as intelligent machines reshape supply chain jobs.

1. Putting
People First
Supply Chain Workforce of the Future 2021
Building the future supply chain workforce

2. Supply chains are powering revenue growth and
creating new customer experiences in ways we
haven’t seen before. But as companies work to
create truly intelligent supply networks, many
are forgetting about the most important thing.
Their people.
2

3. A new era for businesses
and their supply chains
Humans and intelligent machines are collaborating for insights
and business outcomes that have never been possible.
Technologies such as digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI),
the internet of things (IoT) and the cloud, allow companies to
predict and monitor the impact of almost every action.
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The result? A new level of visibility that
fundamentally changes the way companies
engineer, plan, source, manufacture, supply,
service and reclaim/recycle goods.
Companies are ramping up
their adoption of key
technologies:
69%
of chief supply chain officers
are increasing their
organization’s investment in
intelligent digital twins in the
next three years.
Source: Accenture Business Futures 2021

4. A massive impact on
the supply chain and
its workforce
The acceleratinguseof intelligent technologieswill dramaticallyaffect
the supplychain workforce.Peoplewill need todevelop new skills as
existing roleschange andevolve.
4

5. New skills and roles
on the horizon
With increasing digitization and automation, new skills will
be needed. Digitally fluent organizations
are winning with their customers and workers and
are leaders in innovation and operational efficiency.
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of supply chain leaders agree that their
function has all the talent needed to meet
current supply chain performance
requirements.
Source: Supply Chain Executive Report, Gartner.
27%
Only

6. Big changes in existing
supply chain roles
Many existing supply chain roles will move from
executing manual tasks to monitoring, interpreting and
guiding intelligent machines and data. Large portions of
employees’ day-to-day activities will
be automated, and their jobs will require more
innovation, creativity, collaboration and leadership.
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7. The digital train is
leaving the station…
without its passengers
Businesses are moving fast to become more digital. But
many have moved so quickly they haven’t engaged their
workforce enough as part of their initiatives. Companies
need to manage people through the changes new
technologies are bringing. If they don’t, they’re in danger
of spending a lot of money on powerful new technologies,
only to see tepid adoption by employees—which
squanders the investment and prevents the company from
capitalizing on new opportunities.
7
of supply chain executives
said their workforce is mostly
or completely ready to
leverage the technology tools
provided to them.
Source: Accenture Business Futures 2021
Only
38%
7

8. How docompaniespreparetheir supplychainandtheirworkforce
forthedigital future?Thekey is toputpeoplefirst—before
technology.
Leading companies
recognize that to
succeed, they need
to put people first
8
Leaders in digital
transformation:
Develop new skills at scale
using AI and analytics
Foster the traditional skills that
are still valuable to the
organization
Involve people in initiatives
from the start
01
02
03

9. 9
Leading companies are using advanced digital tools to find
what it takes to build new in-demand skills. They’re using
AI tools to match similar skills from old roles to new roles
and chart pathways to effective, responsible skilling across
the supply chain. And they’re using predictive talent
analytics to make data-driven talent decisions.
Developing skills at scale
using AI and analytics
01

10. 10
Leading companies are mindful of how important
some existing skills are. They recognize that in the
race to develop new skills, they also need to invest
in traditional skills and roles that still have a key
place in the business.
Fostering the traditional
skills that are still valuable
to the organization
02

11. Leading companies foster engagement and ownership
at the beginning. They create employee teams to
provide input into new tools and new ways of working.
And they give employees ownership of projects that
encourage them to think like owners and innovate.
Involving people in
initiatives from the start
11
03

12. Technology innovations have been transforming industries and
companies for decades. But the latest wave of intelligent
machines will fundamentally
reshape what kind of supply chain work gets done,
how and by whom.
Companies that can most effectively use the combination of
human ingenuity and intelligent machines will be best
positioned to achieve the competitive agility they need to win
in the years ahead.
It's time to start
preparing your people
for tomorrow
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