New hires at Wakefern have increased by 32% this year over last year, thanks in part to walk-in job fairs at distribution centers and stores, according to spokesperson Karen O'Shea. The new employees also appreciated the company's gamified training app, O'Shea said.

The reshoring/nearshoring trend among US manufacturers could generate $15 billion in incremental revenues for industrial distributors, according to a Baird Equity Research report. The shift "also benefits the mid- and the small-size distributor, where their whole value prop is built around this local, hyper-personalized model to service some of these larger facilities and really cater to their specific needs," Dorn Group CEO James Dorn said.

Business-to-business companies can satisfy growing customer demand for same-day delivery by using smaller vehicles, such as cargo vans and box trucks, to deliver less-than-truckload shipments, writes Alex Winston, president of Expedite All. Same-day delivery can also strengthen B2B companies' online marketplace sales, inventory management and aftermarket services, Winston writes.

People of color and women account for a larger share of the supply chain workforce and have taken more high-ranking positions at logistics companies, but pay disparities, inappropriate jokes and concerns about personal safety remain persistent, according to researchers and employees. Maersk Line recently launched a program centered on training, reporting and accountability and hopes to expand it within the industry.

Business-to-business e-commerce is experiencing significant growth due to three factors: the shift to online purchasing during the pandemic, digital natives moving into B2B buyer positions and Amazon's effect on purchasing expectations, writes Billtrust's Justin Main. "[B]usinesses must put in the extra work to upscale their digital transformation and distinguish themselves from the competition," Main writes.

Leaders who inhabit their power in a positive way can be more effective in attaining the good of everyone on their team than those who use their positional power in a command and control manner, writes Alaina Love. Love offers five questions leaders can ask to step into their true power, including queries focused on defining purpose and desired outcomes and creating a healthy company culture.

When going through a digital transformation, leaders should make sure to keep employee morale high during all stages of the transformation, writes consultant Greg Kihlstrom. "With so many challenges facing teams undertaking digital transformation initiatives, there are many risks, including a loss of morale that may threaten the project altogether," Kihlstrom writes.