Companies that invested in staff training have suffered less through the recession, according to a study by Skills for Logistics.
The Sector Skills Assessment report found that 41 per cent of companies that did not invest in training have seen business profitability decrease during the last 12 months. The figure for companies who have trained staff is only 28 per cent.
Some 84 per cent of employers claimed that staff were more efficient after training, and the report highlighted the savings in fuel, repairs and insurance that are related to efficiency within the logistics sector.
Dr Ross Moloney, head of intelligence at Skills for Logistics said: “The latest report confirms the reality that training staff produces bottom line benefits. Traditionally, tough times have always provoked the temptation to haul back on training programmes. However, once again this is revealed as a false economy.”
The report suggests that as a sector, logistics is generally missing out on potential savings from training. Only 41 per cent of companies with ten or fewer employees offer training, but these small companies account for 84 per cent of logistics businesses.
The report predicts that the largest challenge facing the sector will be the required driver CPC training for over 300,000 HGV drivers and 200,000 van drivers over the next five years.
