The objective of this article is to present characteristics considered essential for the elaboration of a training plan in the area of business logistics, as well as to highlight a methodology capable of articulating the necessary components for training in the activity, in order to contribute to the improvement of the company's performance. .
Logistics has been overcoming barriers on the world stage. What was once seen as an area without expression is now considered an element of fundamental importance for the survival of companies. Thoughts such as the “bottomless bag”, where companies reallocated untrained employees from the most diverse areas to the logistics area, gradually became obsolete.
A similar phenomenon has been happening with training in companies. Despite the fact that they are aware of the value of training, much remains to be done to optimize the technical development of their employees.
Due to the advancement of technological processes and the acceleration of the flow of information, the need to update oneself is increasing, since, as can be inferred from the graph in figure 1, new discoveries occur in a shorter period of time. Such events imply the ramification of the theory, that is, a greater specificity of knowledge (figure 2).
Knowledge in logistics can help a lot in improving the operational and strategic processes of companies. In part, the great help that logistics receives comes from technology, which in recent decades had its “boom”, starting to grow exponentially. In logistics, it operates in the integration of the chain, in controls and in the automation of activities, and the more it advances, the more changes occur, thus resulting in a greater need for training.
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| Figure 1 - Technological Advancement x Time |
| Source: WP Long |
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| Figure 2 – Cause x Effect Relationship |
Why invest in a logistics training plan?
Who doesn't want to improve customer or partner satisfaction and gain benefits from their better structured business? Training in logistics implies making better use of infrastructure resources, on which companies sustain themselves. It means improving overall performance within the chain, thinking not only about improving the flow of goods and information, but also reducing working capital or even return on assets.
According to a North American survey, carried out by Establish, Inc./Herbert W. Davis and Company, in 2004, the two main decision drivers in logistics are: level of service and cost. Training in logistics greatly contributes to better performance in the two points mentioned above, as shown in figure 3.
The increase in customer demand due to increasingly high service levels, leads organizations to need to carry out their operations more efficiently and effectively. According to Ronald H. Ballou (2001), “the level of logistical service is the key factor in the set of logistical values that companies offer their customers to ensure their loyalty”.
On the other hand, strategies to reduce logistical costs, whether taxes, inventory costs or transport costs, are “a good lure” for large businessmen, since reducing costs makes them more competitive and can increase profit margins. , as well as the shareholder's return on capital.
The logistics professional, with the integration of processes along the supply chain, began to see it in all its fullness, in a strategic way, seeking the best possible results in terms of cost reduction, reduction of waste and aggregation value for the final consumer.
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| Figure 3 – Means for Optimizing Results |
Therefore, the renewal of knowledge in logistics is crucial for monitoring the market. A constant improvement of the group's skills is necessary for the company to be strong and competitive. It is therefore essential to develop a training plan that addresses the needs of the company in the field of logistics and establishes the necessary mechanisms to achieve the desired results.
training plan
Drawing up a training plan means proposing improvement, or even the notion of specific skills for certain activities. The proposal must be based on empirical estimates, according to the qualitatively and quantitatively measured skills of the human resources in question.
The product of a training plan in logistics, that is, the proposal for training to improve skills, is implemented through the verification of questionnaires and interviews carried out with specific areas, where the gap of a skill is given by the difference between its level desired and your current level.
- Basis for a training plan
A training plan should be competency-based. These, according to Scott B. Parry (2000), denote “a grouping of correlated knowledge, skills and attitudes that affects a considerable part of an individual's activity, relating to his performance, which can be measured according to pre-established standards and which can be be improved through training and development.”
Competences can be classified into three types: technical, strategic and behavioral. The former refer to all practical aspects of everyday life. The strategies are related to the vision of the market and trends, and the changes that impact the business – they relate to the way in which the information available in the market on analysis and planning, people management, marketing and other knowledge is explored. Behavioral skills are those that facilitate the relationship with other ventures, with suppliers and customers – it is the way to undertake, negotiate and lead people and teams. These skills are linked to the way of being and interacting. Anyway, they are part of the attitude towards business and behavior as an entrepreneur.
For the training plan in logistics, only technical skills are considered, that is, those that are part of the operational activity of your business.
• Preparing a training plan
The first step is to know how the structure of the company or the area to be analyzed works. It is necessary to know whether the activities are already well defined and, if not, to map the jobs in the areas involved.
By analyzing the mapping of jobs and understanding the processes intrinsic to their activity, a model of technical competences can be formulated that involves this knowledge and skills. This matrix defines the required “ideal” competencies for each individual in each position. The competences must be grouped in the processes and described, by specialists in the subjects, in increasing levels of knowledge, aiming at a uniform understanding and the reduction of the subjectivity of the scale.
- Field information collection
The competences, separated according to the processes, are sent to the employees, in the form of a questionnaire, which are differentiated between managers and employees. Managers answer the questionnaire defining the importance of each competence for the functions performed by their teams. In addition, they define the desired and current levels of competence for the functions performed by their teams. Employees answer individual questionnaires about their perception of the current levels of competence of the team they are part of.
Qualitative data can be added to the quantitative information obtained through the questionnaires, based on interviews with managers and other employees involved in the process. Qualitative data can be further enriched by also using interviews with internal and external customers and suppliers.
The interviews must be direct, with open questions, based on semi-structured scripts, prepared according to the characteristics of the areas approached and transcribed immediately, in order to guarantee the full understanding of the information and enable the articulation of the facts raised and the shortages in terms of training.
Both questionnaires and interviews have their advantages and limitations. The questionnaires have at least three specific restrictions: a) sending the questionnaire does not guarantee receipt of the answer, so it is necessary to calculate the sample size so that the error is minimal, that is, that the number of responses is representative in relation to the population; b) in order to have reasonable estimates, it is necessary that the questionnaire has a relatively small number of questions, in order to avoid fatigue and lack of interest on the part of the informant; c) the difficulty of resolving supposed doubts regarding the items of the questionnaire may lead to a reduction in the sample, since each blank answer represents one less informant in relation to that item, thus being able to reduce the accuracy.
The interviews also have at least three methodological limitations: a) the interviewee may lack motivation to answer the questions; b) providing false answers for personal or political reasons; c) possible influence exerted by the interviewer. This person should conduct the interview in a way that “does not bias it”.
The verification of the answers to the questionnaires results in synthetic information, which is easy to map. The interviews, as they allow a freer exposition of the subject addressed, provide results of high richness in the appreciation of the process.
• Data analysis
The analysis of data obtained from the collection of information, carried out through interviews and questionnaires, still needs to be guided by specialists in the area, in order to assess the compatibility of that information with the needs of the company and the reality of the market.
The survey of training demand per job position leads to the identification of competence gaps between the formulated model and the reality verified in the questionnaires, in addition to their training priorities.
As for the quantitative analysis, exemplified by figure 4, the numbers are obtained through averages of the answers, with their due crossings. The “importance of competence” is defined by crossing the evaluations of the managers' questionnaires and the specific knowledge of the team of subject matter experts. The “current level” is that presented in the questionnaires, originated by the self-evaluation of the employees and by the evaluation of the managers in relation to their team. The “necessary level” is the one obtained by crossing the evaluations of the managers' questionnaires, interviews and the specific knowledge of the team of specialists. The “gap”, as mentioned earlier, is the result of the difference between the “necessary level” and the “current level”. Finally, the “training priority” results from multiplying the “competence importance” by the “gap”.
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| Figure 4 - Identification of gaps and training priorities |
| Source: Center for Studies in Logistics – 2004 |
Completion of the project
From the analysis of the data, training programs can be elaborated, being molded for specific workstations.
The identified demands are thus prioritized according to the hierarchy of training needs, based on the specific needs of employees, including managers of the respective areas covered.
Training programs aimed at training in logistics must be practical and have the content pre-established by the training plan, thus avoiding unnecessary investment. Each one of them must be indicated in the light of the desired technical requirements, observing the suitability of training offers on the market, the possibility of applying in-company programs and the feasibility of using internal multipliers.
Based on the magnitude of the gaps and the criticality of the functions, the priority activities for carrying out the training plan can also be identified.
Figure 5 schematically represents the main stages of the training plan:
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| Figure 5 – Skills improvement model |
| Source: A Skills-Based Analysis of the World Class Purchaser |
- Applicability
Due to the dynamics of the market and the need for continuous learning on the part of employees, a training plan, once elaborated, must be implemented as soon as possible, since today's need, in relation to an individual or a team, it probably won't be the same as tomorrow. The information captured is very rich, but loses its realistic value over time.
Many companies, even those satisfied with the results of projects carried out or contracted, do not immediately give due importance to them. By “shelving” this type of project, little by little, the information deteriorates and, if implemented late, although it will be considered important, the reflection of training will not have the same weight.
CONCLUSION
The growth of the world's population, the commitment to improving the standard of living and the constant increase in consumer demands tend to be the main drivers of a worldwide demand for logistics services. The ability to manage information will thus be the key to helping companies develop complex and cost-effective solutions to provide new services to customers. As technology advances at an accelerated rate, the impact of development on logistics processes will be large and important. Thus, the speed of decision-making will be increasingly enhanced, as information is developed, processed, formatted, and moved at ever-increasing rates and at lower costs.
In this scenario, competence in logistics will be increasingly valued as a strategic resource. Fierce competition will force companies to look for new ways to remain competitive. Companies will increasingly realize that long-term differentiation through products and services will not always be possible because, in most situations, this effort will be quickly copied by competitors. However, in cases where a product becomes a commodity, the deciding factor between alternative suppliers may be the level of logistical support, as a growing number of companies have realized the potential of gaining competitive advantage through a logistical service. higher. Therefore, competence in logistics will be increasingly required, and its deepening, through adequate training, is the best way to successfully reach new markets and meet the – ever-increasing – demands of customers.
According to an evaluation by Coppead's Center for Studies in Logistics, the emphasis on the development of plans aimed at training in logistics, which has been applied by companies considered to be cutting-edge, clearly demonstrates the importance of this model for the optimization of processes and, consequently, for the improvement of corporate results.
In this way, training in logistics is essential to reach the appropriate levels for the company's internal demands and the requirements of the competitive market. The formulation of a training plan that fulfills the necessary requirements to optimize the technical standard of employees is essential for the development of effective initiatives for cost reduction, increased service level and agility in decision making.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Establish, Inc./Herbert W. Davis and Company – http://www.establishinc.com
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