No one should ever underestimate the criticality of employee recruitment and retention, and so is the procurement community. The biggest reason I see people leaving a role in strategic sourcing, other than purely monetary attractions of another role, is job dissatisfaction. In my early posts of this blog, I wrote quite a lot about the constant struggles, frustrations and challenges of our roles. The procurement profession is undergoing a transition phase – transitioning from a back-office operational function to a more strategic business consultative role. However, if the leader is not in tune with the expectations of the company, or if he or she lacks the vision and stamina to put forward a compelling case in front of top management, there might be a high risk of losing good people. Since we are advocating strong influencing capabilities and stakeholder management skills, new joiners will consume costly months of time to reestablish connections with business partners, usually not something the organization can afford often. As I have said before, strategic procurement is a people business. The deliverables and results of each project varies significantly by the strategies and personalities of the individual project leads. No negotiations can be cloned. Results are different in different counties and different time zones. Unlike what we buy, staffing should never be commoditized.
I recently come across an excellent article on CPO Agenda titled Stars of Tomorrow, written by Helen Gilbert. Selling the industry as a long-term career choice, is what she advocates. If everyone thinks that stepping out of the profession is the only way to progress their careers, there is a big problem.
Raising the awareness of the profession is critical in recruiting and retaining talent. I wish that I am modestly playing my part in this space.
Confessions of a Corporate Shopaholic 
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