Page 7 - BOSS Today Issue 56

BOSS Today #56

home, with raw material shortages and requirement on the end-to-
suppliers struggling to keep up with end supply chain, we have seen
increased demand post-pandemic. unprecedented challenges in stock
Most recently, the impact of the war in availability, slower lead times, price
Ukraine and utilities on the supply of increases and a huge rise in the cost
cut sheet paper have also come to the of labour market.
fore.
BT: What actions has your business
2. Labour shortages and wage inflation: taken to address these issues and
the available labour pool is simply how successful have these been? “Over the last 12 months, we
smaller now, with the migration of have had to deal with the
highly educated and experienced staff SH: We have had to respond in a
away from the UK very evident since number of ways, including sourcing impacts of macro-economic
Brexit, particularly within operational products from new suppliers events such as the cost
roles in warehouses and transport. where existing partners have
This has been further impacted by struggled to support us, as well of living crisis and Brexit,
labour wage inflation. as asking customers to be flexible and global supply chain
when we offer them alternative disruption exacerbated by
3. Cost of goods and overall cost products. We have deepened
inflation: we are now seeing price safety stock levels on key lines the war in Ukraine.”
increases the like of which we have where possible. We have increased
never seen before across all areas of the number of permanent staff Julie Hawley,
our business. in our transport and warehouse Executive Director of Finance,
operations to reduce the need to Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation
JH: Over the last 12 months, we have source temporary labour which,
had to deal with the impacts of coupled with significant increases
macro-economic events such as in hourly rates paid, has helped
the cost of living crisis and Brexit, us to secure and train our staff to
and global supply chain disruption support the stability of our service
exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. but also being more productive.
This obviously comes at a much
SA-B: Being a reseller of products, higher cost, and we are working
and therefore having a huge with customers to manage this as

7