Article [2] Logistics Staff Getting Trained for Facing Crisis

 

Introduction

 

Global perspective, reverse logistics, logistic collaboration, system dynamics, limited capacity, technology revolution, intermodal transportation, JIT, customer satisfaction, special cases, transshipments and integrated distribution are the mainly found issues in logistics sector (Yang, X., 2013.). Ship delays, port rotation, freighter cancelation, Port Shut off, Seasonal climate change and multimodal freighter delays are the common distribution causes. Delays is a very common factor in shipping industry.

 

As per Svensson (2002) logistics industry is the bridge between the suppliers to customers where the raw material being shipped from the Suppliers warehouse till being brought to the manufacturer, then after the finished goods being processed it will be delivered to the end customer. Due to the volume of the cargo that are being shipped all around the world and congestion in the ports delays and shut out is a very common factor in the industry itself.

 

Reason for Issues in Providing uninterrupted Logistics Function

 

Supplychainbrain.com (2021) indicates that there are several reasons and factors that disrupts the flow and service of the logistics provider. This does not restrict to the fact that the shipper and consignee decision and delays are also a factor to be considered in the delays of getting the logistics function to go on a flow.

1. Nature: Strom, Rain, Snow, rough weather in the ocean, natural disaster (landslide, earthquake) are the basic reasons which tamper the schedule of the logistics delivery program.
2. Trade Action by Logistics and Port Staffs: Port staffs, Logistics Staffs (Haulage drivers, truck drivers, fork lift operators, laborers and Custom House Agents) and Trade actions of related parties to logistics
3. Labor Laws in Each Countries: Europe Union has certain labor laws and restriction which limits the truck drivers to limit their work hours from 8-10 hours. Also port staffs work on a work schedule and have their break hours and other requirement which they tend use regardless of considering the urgency of the shipments.
4. Political and Economical Instability: Like Ukraine War and Israel-Gaza conflict can cause major disruption in the supply lines. Also the shipping route in that sector can be affected due to these issues.
5. Domestic violence and conflicts: Sri Lanka had a major economical crisis which ended in having a major fuel crisis that had crippled the local logistics solution to a major halt. The result was exports had drastically dropped due to the shipper being unable to get their goods to port/airport on time. As well as ships and aircrafts couldn’t re-fuel in Sri Lanka as lack of fuel.
6. Accidents and Breakdown: Vessels meets accident during transit and berthing. This might not only cripple the subject vessel but also might have a major disturbance to the port and also the cargo that vessel is carrying. Major breakdown of a vessel on transit may be the biggest major issue a vessel might face, as it might hold the vessel and also arise major cost factor to get it run back.
7. Safety concern regards to the Health and Safety: COVID-19 pandemic is a very good example which was a great effect in the logistics sector. Los Angeles Port was a better example for a great logistics breakdown due to the COVID-19 as the port had a huge number of vessels being held on outer harbor due to the spread of the virus between the staff working inside the port.

 

Human Factors for Facing of Issues in Logistics Industry

 

Crisis management in Logistics sector is a major skill for any employee in this industry. Service Hiccup is a very common thing in this sector. A small issue or an incident can bring a major outcome in the whole of the logistics solution (Choi, T.M., et al., 2016). Giving a proper training and encouraging them to face the situation without any resistance can help to handle the situation and to overcome from the situation by reducing the delays and obstacle that might arise (Svensson, G., 2002).

 

Mainly there are a very few key elements that an employee needs to get trained in the field to address the issues.

 

• Communication: Communication is first and foremost skills which any employee needs to get trained.  Effective communication can help employees to have eradicated barriers in communicational issues between co-staffs, customers, external parties and internal parties. The communication with the foreign nationals and foreign agents is the most complex and language barrier one, where the international language is being a bigger barrier. Each country has its own language, the usage of English had been limited and because of such many are facing language barrier when communicating with a foreign national. Even the most developed countries face difficulties in communicational issues. Sri Lanka is also a best example whereas the communication within the different ethnic community had been a barrier. Many had been facing this communicational barrier which results in having continued issues.

 

• Brainstorming: Identifying the issues, finding the root cause that created the issue, finding the best and suitable remedy for that issue, creating a path to stabilize and to rectifying the issue as well as creating the path to be followed to avoid such issues to arise in the future.

 

• Dexterity: Agility is a key important element an employee needs to portray. When crisis situation such as COVID-19 pandemic, economical crisis, political instability, war and natural disaster are situation which are not predicted. Yet when such situations comes in the day to day work of a logistics partner, they need to have the will power to overcome the situation and to get through the situation to have the logistics service to continue.

 

• Team-effort: Teamwork of the staffs of an organization is a very important and crucial thing during crisis situation. COVID-19 was an eye opener for many organizations, where staffs with limited numbers had been called on timely routine to work. Regardless of their position many had performed the companies duties during such crisis time.

 

Methods of Training the employees

 

Course Conducted thru Online Platform: Staff training program thru online platform is a most easy and flexible method that can be used in term of cost efficiency. Regardless of the SME becoming more competitive and having their overheads being cut down. Companies are yet getting their staffs with high level of potential output to get the proper training related to the industry.

     

Workshops Organized by Private Institution or Government Bodies: Workshops and training program organized by private institution and government bodies to have the industry updates and knowledge directly from industrial experts. This can motivate and give an expert knowledge being taken from the necessary person so that the previous experience can be used for their future exposure to such situation.

 

Simulator Based Training: Simulator is something that is being pre created based on a situation of one such that is being based to train the staff. This method is a pre defined one where new staffs who are joining the industry can get themselves trained easily.

 

Effective training for staffs who are working in the industry of logistics and shipping is necessary for overcoming situation and issues in their day to day work. Giving the staffs to get exposed to such training can get them to see the effective communication, Brainstorming, Dexterity and team-effort so that their better productivity can be obtained.  

How to train your organizational staffs will be based on the company’s policies and financial strength. Also depending on the organizations services that they render and the staffs level of knowledge will be the factor that decides the mode of training. Training the staff at any method can be benefit for both the company as well as to its employee’s.

Apart from the training it is more crucial to understand that not only the training can help the staffs to overcome the issues, but also they need to have the necessary resource within their organization as well, that can help them run the day to day activities.

 

As per Gupta, A., et al., (2022) the human resource is a most important element in the logistics industry. Regardless of the AI Technology and robotic advancement had taken the lead role in reducing the human interference in the day to day to work of a logistics industry, Regardless how developed a country can be yet the human resource and its effectiveness is having its place in the logistics industry. Human capital to have its presence and to have the continuity to have a successful outcome, proper training and development thru the methods that are being highlighted can be used to have the staff outcome to be updated.

 

References

 

Choi, T.M., Chiu, C.H. and Chan, H.K., 2016. Risk management of logistics systems. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 90, pp.1-6.

 

Gupta, A., Singh, R.K. and Gupta, S., 2022. Developing human resource for the digitization of logistics operations: readiness index framework. International Journal of Manpower, 43(2), pp.355-379.

 

 

Svensson, G., 2002. A conceptual framework of vulnerability in firms’ inbound and outbound logistics flows. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 32(2), pp.110-134.

 

Yang, X., 2013. A review of distribution related problems in logistics and supply chain research. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 2(4), pp.1-8.