Finding and retaining employees across the supply chain has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Dana Stiffler, vice president distinguished analyst with Gartner, offers some advice on how to approach that challenge.

The last three years have been “an incredibly difficult time” when it comes to worker engagement and retention, Stiffler says. The problem extends across the supply chain, from front-line jobs in manufacturing and distribution centers to desk-based roles. Of particular concern is the job of demand planning, which calls for a set of skills that make individuals highly marketable, and attractive to other parts of the organization that require employees with a technical orientation. But desk workers in general are constantly getting calls from recruiters, even if they appear to be happy with their current positions.

The challenge on the front line, in the factory and warehouse, is often simply one of keeping workers on the job. Some leave after a day or two, while others don’t show up at all. That’s more likely to happen with younger workers, who have traditionally been the cause of higher turnover rates, Stiffler says.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the workforce, older employees are retiring at a rapid rate. Stiffler suggests the companies not be so eager to let go of these individuals, and should instead be offering them creative options such as part-time or consultant status. “We shouldn’t be in a rush to have our boomers retire,” she says.

To attract workers in the first place, companies must offer adequate and competitive compensation, Stiffler says. But that consideration fades with time; what keeps an employee on board is a policy that promotes worker well-being and an environment that emphasizes “respect and gratitude” in the day-to-day work experience. Such an approach “doesn’t necessarily cost too much, but can have a big impact,” she says.