Three Thoughts for Every Supply Chain Leader in 2025
Guest blog by Alex Reneman from MHI Member Company Mountain Leverage
Population and labor constraints, governmental restrictions, and rising costs have remained significant challenges since the pandemic, along with the rising potential impact of trade wars and tariffs.
We also can’t ignore how new technologies such as AI, robotic automation, and major software migrations are changing the landscape and adding even more questions and opportunities. That’s why this year is going to be crucial in terms of investment, where leveraging investments already made and carefully selecting new ones will be the key to staying ahead of the competition.
Here are three thoughts your team might consider as your systems, solutions, and business evolve in 2025 and beyond.
1. The employee experience is still more important than most think. Companies in most industries have been battling labor shortages, attrition, and lack of engagement for years. The reality is that we can’t just continue throwing bodies or money at the problem, and it’s not just about automating processes with new technology. Picture a workforce that doesn’t just show up, but actually wants to be there—improving every week, sticking around for the long haul, and taking pride in what they do. That’s not just wishful thinking. It’s what usually happens when companies invest in their people the right way. The investments you make in your team members not only make that vision a reality but will pay off in dividends, for all.
2. Optimization isn’t about chasing the latest tech or cutting costs to the bone. It’s about working with the right people—the ones who aren’t just selling but are willing to sit on your side of the table, help you fairly weigh all the options, and make decisions that actually move the needle. A partner that can be trusted, collaborated with, and engaged with is a premium, and likely a future necessity for your organization.
3. Find the untapped potential in your current systems. In 2025 and beyond, those who can leverage their existing investments will be the winners. Many warehouse solutions and workflows were designed years ago and haven’t been properly reassessed, allowing the system and the people to limp along suboptimally. Sometimes it just takes a fresh look, an outside perspective, or a much overdue upgrade to boom past the performance plateau and achieve your desired outcomes, without a total overhaul.
So where do you even start? With all the noise—clever marketing, AI-generated insights, and an endless stream of data—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But the real challenge isn’t getting more information. It’s cutting through the noise and turning the right data into real, actionable steps for your specific outcomes. Anyone can get an overload of information out of AI these days. Transformation won’t be about having the most data, but about understanding it and putting it to meaningful use.
The next several years will be critical for supply chain leaders. Strategic investments and finding the right partner will be more important than ever before. Value will be king, and organizations that increasingly value their employees will likely prevail. The search for the right partner will require identifying those who can help multiply the value of current solutions while setting a chart for the future.
