Dive Brief:
- Microsoft's "Grad Week" program aims to train 150 recent hires in supply chain management through various hours of direct engagement with executives, SCM Word editor Kevin O'Marah reported for Forbes.
- Training recent hires helps audience engagement, provides a sense of empowerment and begins the talent development process early, O'Marah opines.
- Showing recent hires the company cares about them and there are opportunities for innovation are essential in developing talent, he writes.
Dive Insight:
It is no secret that the supply chain will face a talent crisis soon as the baby boomers who dominate current leadership begin to or prepare to retire. Talent programs such as this one are essential to bridging the leadership gap and encouraging millennial retention.
The key takeaway is not the format of the program, but the timing. Talent development is about more than identifying future leaders; it's also about grooming candidates who will want to lead the company. Retention and mentorship are key to these endeavors, and Microsoft provides an example of a structured format to do this on a larger scale.
