The Dog Days of Procurement

“The sultry part of the summer, supposed to occur during the period that Sirius, the Dog Star, rises at the same time as the sun – a period marked by lethargy, inactivity, or indolence” – Dictionary.com?

So, here we are, (at the time of writing) still summer but with fall on the near distant horizon. Known as the dog days of summer, the period between July 21st and August 19th is an interesting limbo period for almost everyone.

In referencing the old fable of the grasshopper and the ant, during these times of extended vacation and scorching heatwaves, we are all to a degree like the laid-back grasshopper. The question is this: how soon will you have shed your fiddle and return to the ant-like tasks of your daily work?

The Calm Before the Storm

As you idle away the hours on the sandy shores of a beach somewhere – anywhere, are you starting to get the subtle yet noticeable inklings of the days ahead.

For example, with immunizations up and restrictions lifted, you are already on the path to returning to "normal," meaning the reopening of offices. What are your feelings about extending your commute from the upstairs bedroom to your dining room table or whatever you call your "office space" at home to congested roadways?

Won't you miss having to throw your shoe at the dog (figuratively speaking – no animals were harmed in the writing of this post) who insists on barking during a Zoom meeting. Of course, being in the office no longer means that pants are optional.

Rethinking Supply Chains?

Another looming challenge is how you will go about rebuilding your supply chains.

Previous articles on this blog referred to companies such as Peloton deciding to repatriate some of their manufacturing back to the US due to congestion at major ports. By the way, did you know that the word peloton refers to the "main group or pack of riders" in a cycling race? We didn't.

Anyway, the fitness equipment manufacturer is just one example of how companies must rethink their supply chains in a post-pandemic world.

The need for rethinking or rebuilding supply chains is so serious that the Biden-Harris Administration has signed an Executive Order. Through the Order, they want to ensure that "immediate action" is taken to "strengthen American supply chains to promote economic security, national security, and good-paying union jobs here at home."

Reimagining Procurement

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing all of us in the procurement realm is reimagining our current roles and responsibilities in a world on the precipice of a digital breakthrough. We are not just talking about new technologies.

From taking the lead role in your organization's Data Modernization strategy to addressing cybersecurity and data privacy legislation, procurement, as the Deloitte 2021 CPO Survey put it, is no longer "just about cost savings and operational efficiency anymore.”

In short, and beyond longer commutes and having to wear pants to the office every day, you have a list of important things to do when you awaken from your summer slumber.

Considering the above, you and every other procurement professional should lay back, catch a few rays while sipping your favorite beverage and rest because you will need all the energy you can muster come September.

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