City is the fact that it developed largely on the back of the energy industry. Oil and gas has, for decades, underpinned the local economy and as a robust, but also cyclical, industry its impact on the talent market has been keenly felt – but also very positive. “It has brought us a number of very analytical and technically adept people who tend to be problem solvers and innovative types,” explains Carl Martincich, VP of HR, Risk Management and Government Affairs at Love’s Travel Stops. “These professionals bring resilience and diversifying skillsets that are highly transferable to other industries! We are all benefiting from the solid foundation laid by that industry.” Love’s has gained directly through some high-profile roles: Its head of Compensation and Benefits came from Chesapeake Energy; and its CIO, who joined eight years ago, previously held leadership positions at both Devon Energy and Chesapeake Energy. “It’s tremendous to have people with the expertise of such a prominent industry on our team,” Martincich says. Today, Love’s employs 27,000 staff across the United States, with nearly 2,000 at the corporate campus in Oklahoma City, where Martincich is based. Designated an “essential business” during the pandemic, the company maintains a fleet of more than 1,000 trucks on the road to ensure its wide network of 520 travel stops and country stores in 41 states remains stocked and ready to support travelers through its motto, “Clean Places, Friendly Faces.” The enterprise has grown six-fold over the past 15 years, and relies heavily on the corporate support center to maintain business-critical services. As to what he is looking for today, Martincich confirms the trend toward dynamic and entrepreneurial people, who at Love’s are known as “difference makers.” “They help move our company forward,” he explains. “We are all a long way from wading through stacks of paper resumés, sitting down to talk to individual applicants for hours or developing and analyzing countless reports. Today, we have robust, sustainable systems that leverage AI and data analytics to scroll through vast amounts of data and come up with the right answers. So we need the staff with the skills to develop this capability
and we’ve typically been able to find great talent in Oklahoma City. We’re also glad to be able to attract people from throughout the country, and from other parts of the world, who know that Oklahoma City is a vibrant community and are thrilled about moving here.” Going forward, adaptability will be a defining characteristic as part of the shift towards Future of Work strategies. That includes preparing staff to wear multiple hats. Cross-skilling for deployment where resources are needed at a particular moment will prove a valuable differentiator for SSOs that recognize the future as it unfolds before us.
What are the biggest skills deficits within your existing SSO staff?
48%
Data Analytics
37%
Automation/technology
33%
Innovative thinking
27%
Process excellence
25%
Digital competency
23%
Leadership skills
16%
General business acumen
14%
Functional expertise
11%
Communication
Negotiation/Relationship management
9%
8%
Customer service
5%
Financial skills
3%
Other
Source: SSON survey: State of the Shared Services Industry 2020
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