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An investigation on workplace competencies : warehouse workers' perceptions
Author
Ng, Sor Cheng
Supervisor
Hu, Chun
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to conduct a training needs assessment on a group of 26 warehouse workers from the Distribution Centre of XXX Logistics Pte Ltd to determine the types of workplace competencies which they perceived they would need to learn so as to increase their productivity level. Of these, 17 of them were aged over 40 and 19 of them had less than secondary school education. The warehouse manager was also keen to find out if there was a positive correlation between what he and the workers perceived as critical work skills that would need immediate training interventions. Against this background, this study addresses the following questions:
1. What are the workers' perceptions of each workplace competence as specified by the manager?
2. Which workplace competencies do the workers need to be trained in order to help them to improve their work performance at the warehouse?
3. Are there differences in the ranking of workplace competencies between the workers and manager?
4. To what extent do 'age' and 'education' influence the workers' perceptions of their workplace competencies?
The manager identified the 7 workplace competencies for the study: 'Initiative and Innovation', 'Teamwork', 'Problem-Solving', 'Learning to Learn', 'Communication', 'Self-management' and 'System Thinking' skills. A 40-item questionnaire was used for the study. In answer to Research Question 1, the findings showed that the workers perceived they had 'Initiative and Innovation' skills but lacked 'Teamwork', 'Problem-solving', 'Learning to Learn', 'Communication', 'Self-management' and 'System Thinking' skills. In answer to Research Question 2, the findings showed that the workers needed to be trained in 'Problem-solving' and 'Communication' skills in order to improve their work performance at the warehouse. For Research Question 3, the study showed that there was a positive correlation between the perceptions of the manager and workers with respect to the rankings of the workplace competencies from the 'most critical in need of training' to the 'least critical in need of training'. They agreed that 'Problem-solving', 'Teamwork' and 'Communication' skills were the most critical work skills that required immediate training interventions. For Research Question 4, the study found that there was a positive correlation between the 'age' and the 'educational levels' of the workers and the way they assessed their competencies. In general, the 'older' and the 'less education' workers perceived they were not as competent as their 'younger' and 'more educated' co-workers, except for 'Self-Management' skill.
These findings would be used to develop a two-year learning roadmap for the workers to address the gaps in their workplace competencies.
1. What are the workers' perceptions of each workplace competence as specified by the manager?
2. Which workplace competencies do the workers need to be trained in order to help them to improve their work performance at the warehouse?
3. Are there differences in the ranking of workplace competencies between the workers and manager?
4. To what extent do 'age' and 'education' influence the workers' perceptions of their workplace competencies?
The manager identified the 7 workplace competencies for the study: 'Initiative and Innovation', 'Teamwork', 'Problem-Solving', 'Learning to Learn', 'Communication', 'Self-management' and 'System Thinking' skills. A 40-item questionnaire was used for the study. In answer to Research Question 1, the findings showed that the workers perceived they had 'Initiative and Innovation' skills but lacked 'Teamwork', 'Problem-solving', 'Learning to Learn', 'Communication', 'Self-management' and 'System Thinking' skills. In answer to Research Question 2, the findings showed that the workers needed to be trained in 'Problem-solving' and 'Communication' skills in order to improve their work performance at the warehouse. For Research Question 3, the study showed that there was a positive correlation between the perceptions of the manager and workers with respect to the rankings of the workplace competencies from the 'most critical in need of training' to the 'least critical in need of training'. They agreed that 'Problem-solving', 'Teamwork' and 'Communication' skills were the most critical work skills that required immediate training interventions. For Research Question 4, the study found that there was a positive correlation between the 'age' and the 'educational levels' of the workers and the way they assessed their competencies. In general, the 'older' and the 'less education' workers perceived they were not as competent as their 'younger' and 'more educated' co-workers, except for 'Self-Management' skill.
These findings would be used to develop a two-year learning roadmap for the workers to address the gaps in their workplace competencies.
Date Issued
2004
Call Number
HD30.28 Ng
Date Submitted
2004