The digital supply network meets the future of work

The increasing power and capability of machines in the digital supply network (DSN) may portend a change in what organizations ask of their workers, in terms of required skills, tasks, and roles. In the coming years, perhaps sooner than later, almost all work will likely involve people working alongside technology or robots they are not currently working with today. Navigating the future of work can be a new and confounding challenge to many supply chain executives who may already be struggling with what their organizations may look like in a novel, more interconnected age. And it can be difficult to identify and prepare for the workforce of the future when the impacts of the DSN on roles and functions are still very much evolving (see the sidebar "A brief look at the digital supply network" to learn more). But with this uncertainty comes the opportunity--and perhaps what many would consider a requirement--to rethink the role of talent in supply chains and discover the potential power of people and machines working together. The addition of advanced technology to a workplace can spur the fear of robots replacing human workers. Certainly, the introduction of advanced technologies could eliminate some tasks and reduce the need for some roles. At the same time, however, it also could lead to the creation of some new tasks and roles. In the United Kingdom, for example, technology has helped to create 3.5 million new jobs between 2001 and 2015, even while it has contributed to the loss of 800,000 other jobs.1