The Waiting Game

Supply chain professionals are determined to hold out for comparable pay if they lose their jobs, according to the results of a survey of U.S.-based supply chain planning and purchasing managers by the recruiting firm TopGrading Solutions. The firm received 154 responses to its poll, which was sent via e-mail to job candidates and was available on the company's web site and on the LinkedIn social networking site.

The results indicated that, even in an economic downturn, supply chain professionals are reluctant to lower their incomes. Twenty percent of respondents said that they would not accept any cut in pay if they lost their jobs. Only 13percent would accept a reduction in compensation after one month of unemployment. Twenty percent would wait two months before taking a wage cut, and 17 percent would hold out for 90 days. And finally, about 30 percent of respondents would be willing to wait out four months of unemployment before taking a pay cut.

Supply chain professionals involved in operations took a harder line than did those in purchasing. Most operations executives would wait four months before accepting a lower-paying job; purchasing managers would only wait 60 days.

The survey also uncovered generational differences. Half of Generation Y members (born from 1981 to 2000) said they would wait only 30 days before accepting lower pay, and the other half was willing to wait 60 days. Baby boomers (born from 1945 to 1960) would hold out the longest—120 days.