ILMA Compoundings - April 2020 - 50

IN NETWORK

Cross Connections
Is Your 'Bus' Heading in the Right Direction?
By Ed Salek

ith technology moving faster than ever, it would
be easy to assume that this is a column about
transportation trends. Maybe a focus on how electric vehicle development is impacting the mass transit market?
Although that could be the topic, this is actually a report
about another business-critical area: workforce issues. The
bus referred to in the headline is a reference to the work of
consultant Jim Collins, who nearly 20 years ago advised
business leaders to, "First get the right people on the bus,
the wrong people off the bus and the right people in the
right seats, and then they can figure out where to drive it."
As we move into a new decade, executives are still worrying
about having the right people on the bus. According to a report
by The Conference Board, which surveyed global business
leaders, their biggest internal concern is people. The report
stated, "Regardless of a company's location or size, attracting
and retaining top talent ranks as the No. 1 internal stressor for
CEOs and other C-suite executives globally in 2020."
When it comes to the tribology and lubricants business,
that concern is intensified by a number of factors identified in
the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers' (STLE)
latest Emerging Issues and Trends in Tribology and Lubrication
Engineering emerging trends report. Since 2014, the Trends
Report has tracked how lubricant market dynamics are changing so that companies and individuals can better position
themselves for success in the lubricant market.
Throughout the first two editions, participants expressed
concern that the field has an aging population of engineers

Workforce Issues

and scientists with great expertise, but that it was increasingly difficult to attract and train the next generation
of talent. That theme continues to be the top concern
expressed by research participants, who were asked about
challenges to the field over the next three years.
Three primary issues were cited by the respondents:
* Talent availability hinges on education, but educational
opportunities at colleges and universities in the U.S. are
impacted by reduced research funding, support for tribology educational programs/scholarships and business/
industry perceptions about the importance of the field
relative to other scientific and engineering disciplines.
* When companies do attract new talent, many survey
respondents said, these workforce replacements have
had little or no exposure to tribology and lubrication
engineering in an academic setting and lack practical
field experience. Ongoing professional training is the
best route to fill that gap, they noted.
* Professional development programs for new employees
need to offer greater levels of education and multidisciplinary training, particularly as the field increases in
its level of maturity and sophistication. One company
executive observed, "The role requires a hybrid between
an engineer and a chemist, particularly for smaller companies where you may have to wear more than one hat."
Given this situation, it is not surprising that when STLE
questions members about their decision to join the organization,
the top reason cited is access to industry-specific educational
programs and resources (70% of respondents).
The future direction for STLE in this regard is clear.
Plans are to build on this foundation and be recognized as
the go-to resource for knowledge in lubrication and tribology as well as world-class certification programs. The goal is
to provide a clear path to address these workforce issues and
to help get your company bus ready for a smooth and
profitable ride into the future.
Salek is executive director of STLE.

Source: STLE Emerging
Trends Report, 2020.

APRIL 2020

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ILMA Compoundings - April 2020

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