Bridging the Talent Gap in 2025: Practical Ways to Modernize Without Leaving People Behind
- John Stikes
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
If your operations team feels squeezed by rising demand and a shrinking labor pool, you’re not alone. In MHI’s 2025 Annual Industry Report series, the “Bridging the Talent Gap” segment makes it clear: the workforce challenge is now one of the biggest barriers to technology adoption—and leaders are responding with targeted investments in automation, orchestration, and upskilling. (videos.mhi.org)
What the latest MHI insights say (and why it matters)
The talent gap is real and widespread. In the 2025 report, 83% of supply-chain and manufacturing leaders say ongoing workforce and talent shortages are constraining operations. That’s a big reason so many are exploring automation to stabilize throughput and quality. (MHI Solutions)
Budgets are shifting toward innovation. A majority of leaders report they will increase technology and innovation spend this year, and 60% plan to invest over $1M—evidence that pilot programs are scaling into multi-site rollouts. (MHI Solutions, Business Wire)
People-first still wins. The report and CEO commentary emphasize that success isn’t “tech over people,” but tech with people—pairing automation with training, better roles, and clear paths to advancement to boost adoption and retention. (MHI Solutions)
From point tools to end-to-end orchestration. The 2025 theme—The Digital Supply Chain Ecosystem: Orchestrating End-to-End Solutions—highlights a shift from isolated fixes to coordinated flows across planning, fulfillment, and returns. This raises the payoff of each automation dollar (and the importance of change management). (MHI Solutions, Business Wire)
What this means for your operation
Start where people feel the pain. Repetitive transport, error-prone picking, paperwork bottlenecks—these are perfect candidates for cobots, AMRs, and digital workflows that remove friction for your team first, not just hit a KPI. (MHI Solutions)
Design jobs, not just cells. Modernize job design alongside equipment: clearer roles (“flow lead,” “cell tech”), better ergonomics, and micro-credentials that turn operators into problem-solvers and maintainers. (MHI Solutions)
Think orchestration, not one-offs. Connect WMS/MES/ERP with an orchestration layer so data, people, and machines work as one system—and you’re not rebuilding every time volume shifts or SKUs change. (MHI Solutions)
How we help you bridge the gap (without breaking the line)
Workforce-led solution design. We run fast, on-floor workshops to map pain points and co-design cells with the people who will run them—accelerating adoption and surfacing easy wins. (MHI Solutions)
Pilot-to-program playbooks. We implement small, measurable pilots (e.g., AMR pallet moves, assisted picking, automated QC), then scale with a standard kit: SOPs, KPIs, training, and support SLAs. (Business Wire)
End-to-end orchestration. We tie automaton into your WMS/MES and analytics so labor, equipment, and inventory stay synchronized—reducing changeover friction and unlocking multi-site leverage. (MHI Solutions)
Upskilling and change management. We create role definitions, micro-credential pathways, and “train-the-trainer” programs that make the new tech feel approachable and career-building. (MHI Solutions)
A 90-day roadmap you can copy
Days 0–15: Align on outcomes
Pick one bottleneck (e.g., dock-to-stock, cycle counting, returns triage) and baseline the KPIs.
Host a 90-minute workforce design session to capture risks, safety needs, and quick wins. (MHI Solutions)
Days 16–60: Pilot with people at the center
Deploy a small cell (AMR assist, cobot station, or digital work instruction) with clear roles and training.
Instrument the pilot: throughput, errors, interventions, and worker feedback.
Days 61–90: Orchestrate and scale
Connect the pilot to WMS/MES for automatic work release and status.
Publish the results and roll a standard “scale kit” to 2–3 additional sites/areas. (MHI Solutions)
Sources & further reading
MHIview: 2025 Annual Industry Report Series — “Bridging the Talent Gap” (3:42). Overview video of the talent challenges and how leaders are closing the gap. (videos.mhi.org)
CEO Update: “Technology and the Supply Chain Talent Gap.” 83% report workforce shortages; people-first approach to adoption. (MHI Solutions)
Report theme: The Digital Supply Chain Ecosystem: Orchestrating End-to-End Solutions. Why orchestration (people + tech) beats point solutions. (MHI Solutions)
Press release (MHI & Deloitte): 55% increasing investment; 60% plan to spend over $1M. (Business Wire)
Bottom line: Bridging the talent gap isn’t about replacing people—it’s about elevating them. When you design solutions with your workforce and connect them end-to-end, automation becomes an approachable, reasonable step that pays back quickly and builds a stronger team culture.
