Business Challenge and the Need for a Training Model
The training model is required for the retail inventory services company RGIS, which operates in the building and personnel services industry. The organization has more than 34,000 employees, and its headquarters are located in Auburn Hills, Michigan (Suneson and Stebbins). RGIS struggles with the lack of trained staff and appropriate technologies to conduct an effective inventory. Due to the low competence of the staff, the company is forced to spend extra time on inventory and is faced with a large number of errors. Thus, the company needs to modernize the system of accounting for goods, as well as conduct the necessary training among employees.
Currently, RGIS is unable to provide good working conditions for its employees due to the constant loss of profits, which in turn leads to a reduction in the ability to attract competent employees (Suneson and Stebbins). The triggering event for the start of the training session is ever-decreasing levels of satisfaction and motivation of employees due to the duration of the inventory, as well as an increase in the number of errors in the process. Given the volume of goods a company handles, inventory is a complex process for auditors. Thus, the primary goal of training sessions is to develop the necessary skills for interacting with technical devices, including a handheld computer.
In addition, employees need to accurately navigate the warehouse space and follow the instructions of supervisors. It is important to actively participate in teamwork to minimize the number of potential errors when counting goods. Finally, it is critical to complete the inventory as soon as possible, which can help reduce errors and overall process time.
Defining the Gap Between EOP and AOP
The triggering event resulted from the gap between expected operational performance (EOP) and actual operational performance (AOP). EOP for the RGIS inventory process is a quick inventory without errors. Depending on the size of the warehouse and the number of goods, as well as the employees involved in the process, the duration of this activity may vary. However, achieving the shortest possible inventory time is a fundamental goal, which is reflected in EOP. Employees are expected to be able to correctly use a handheld computer to record the quantity and value of an item and enter the correct numbers on the ledger.
In addition, employees must be able to quickly navigate the warehouse space and find the sections that the supervisor indicates. The staff must follow the inventory procedures, including identifying the sections to be counted and entering the relevant information into the computer. Thus, EOP determines how the inventory process should be conducted to minimize errors and time spent.
Deficiencies in Actual Operational Performance
However, EOP for RGIS is less than AOP, which leads to the triggering event occurrence and the necessity of training sessions. AOP describes the actual performance of employees and the company in the inventory process. In particular, many employees have a low level of competencies and knowledge necessary for conducting an inventory.
First of all, many of them do not know how to use a handheld computer properly. This includes a limited understanding of device functions for convenient and fast inventory management. Additionally, due to insufficient teamwork and poor communication, employees often do not understand which sections are to be audited, which leads to a large number of errors. The staff also frequently makes mistakes when entering numbers into the computer, which also increases the time of the inventory and reduces its quality.
Work Cited
Suneson, Grant, and Samuel Stebbins. “What Are the Worst Companies to Work for? New Report Analyzes Employee Reviews.” USA Today. 2018. Web.