Why and How does the Logistics Industry Need to Adopt Digital Learning?
The world of supply-chain is constantly changing. Logistics interlinks to every functional area of most organisation — directly or indirectly. The logistics industry is one of those sectors that rely both on textbook and practical theories. And this the major challenge of supply chain education. Proper training translates to employees better understanding the nuances of logistics and helps them to further their careers in this sphere. It is vital to efficiently train your staff in supply-chain since it is one of the most significant factors that differentiate you from your competitors. Organisations additionally need to push their vendors to develop and adopt innovative measures in their logistics.
Now, who determines the success of the logistics industry? Of course, the people working in it! Indeed, advancements in technologies such as automated on-site software and cloud applications have accelerated supply chain operations. However, the complexity of most logistics operations continues to defy IT. Only human interventions can diagnose patterns, discover links, and decide on the right trade-offs between different supply chain dimensions. And this is necessary for optimal overall profitability and customer satisfaction. Now, employees need to receive the proper knowledge to perform the functions mentioned above appropriately.
Therefore, today let us examine the significant challenges faced by the management in training their employees in the logistics industry. And we will also explain how corporate learning can address these issues.
Effective learning that addresses real-life problems
Especially when it comes to the logistics industry, prolonged and generic or only theoretical training sessions do not suffice. Courses that consume too much time do not offer much practical benefit. The apt solutions will adopt short, practically oriented training sessions. The distributed knowledge must be instantly applicable to address business and work-related issues.
Organisations can seek the help of trainers, instructors, or workgroup leaders who hold expertise in supply-chain. Only they can impart the most relevant and practical education on current, vital current issues. You can additionally seek the guidance of resources such as universities, education establishments, business press journalists, or supply chain theorists and modellers. In short, a comprehensive supply chain course should be a combination of all of the above elements. You can also consider including mathematical models in your modules to help employees understand and predict logistics performance before practically applying the acquired information in real-life scenarios.
The right way to incorporate all of the resources above is to go for a blended corporate training platform model, a mixture of offline and online learning sessions. While you can disseminate theoretical knowledge via short educational modules, aka microlearning, you can enlighten employees about practical applications through on-the-job workshops or instructor-led training.
The quantitative measure of the effectiveness of supply chain education is how well learners and participants can solve their problems after attending a session. Of course, you can help them imbibe critical logistics issues through group discussions and practical exercises. With the incorporation of online training, you can embed live classes and interactive presentations.
Complement them with fun and rewarding assessments plus gamification features. This approach will allow participants to engage at different levels and gather the required knowledge for direct application afterwards. Additionally, social media elements in digital training enable professionals to come together in a non-competing yet industry-relevant virtual platform. They can share issues and insights.
Addressing the time constraint
When it comes to the logistics industry, we also need to consider the time needed to participate in training classes. For instance, if an employee is spending an hour in a learning session, s/he is away from his/her work station for that entire time period. This means loss of precious hours and a cut in productivity. Yes, the investment in supply chain education is important. However, enterprises rely on their employees to be present and available for their duties at work. This is where the concept of microlearning and mobile training comes in handy.
Short sessions that focus on only the “need to know” items aid learners to concentrate only on that information, which is required to complete a particular task. On the other hand, mobile learning, which is accessible anywhere and anytime, allow employees to absorb knowledge on the go — without wasting time at their workstations. Platforms like PlayAblo offer online learning that can optimise both micro and mobile learning. The solution can receive constant updates with industry knowledge that addresses the burning issues of today. This technique translates to an apt balance between effective knowledge transfer and overall productivity back at work. Finally, a combination of video, audio and text content with study guide books and exercises lead to maximum educational impact.
Maximization of the longevity of results
As it is true with most sectors, even in the logistics industry, employees tend to forget the acquired knowledge if there is no action taken later. Even with the most engaging, effective methods during the session, much of the information gained then evaporates afterwards. One of the online learning methods to solve this issue is microlearning –which delivers information in short bursts, thereby leading to enhanced retention. Again, online learning management system offered by PlayAblo allows learners to revisit any module at their own pace and place — if they wish to refresh their knowledge. Furthermore, refresher courses are another vital tool that helps employees recall information they might have forgotten. Weekly e-Classes can keep supply chain professionals and other interested parties on track.
Polishing the skills of supply chain experts
You will also have professionals who will know almost everything about the supply chain in the logistics industry. What can you teach them? Well, seasoned supply chain executives and managers form a significant chunk of the supply chain education market. They harbour an appetite for gathering new knowledge that rivals that of those just entering the field. They know how the industry is evolving. One of the significant challenges is how to equip them with new information relevant to the modern era. To address this issue, you can organise online sessions for your senior workforce, enabling them to interact with a broader cross-section of other leaders in the think tank. Digital sessions with different industry leaders allow cross-pollination of ideas, concepts and practices — in addition to business networking.
Yes, digital learning is a methodology that can help you address all of the five challenges in the logistics industry. PlayAblo‘s experts have the expertise in creating comprehensive online training programs targeted to address the requirements of cross-domain organisations. If you need further clarification, you can contact us instantly!
