Procurement professionals must possess certain skills to carry out their duties effectively. In this regard, the basic organizational training programs do not always prove to be sufficient for their needs. Procurement agents require supplemental materials for support and growth. There are several third-party training programs available for procurement practitioners. But, they do not address the needs of a particular team. Creating custom training materials or an internal training program ensures that your training is per the company processes and covers the vital aspects.
Evaluate Your Team’s Strengths Before Building a Training Program
You must proceed by examining the team to learn about their current skill sets, strengths, and weaknesses. A custom-developed survey process or an external assessment will allow you to conduct skill assessments seamlessly.
Surveys help gather data in a concise and consistent format. But remember that their responses do not always reveal the whole picture. You must supplement those results with performance evaluations, in-person follow-up interviews to the survey interviews, and experience from daily interactions.
Read: Boosting Procurement Performance – Methods to Incorporate
Whether a third-party or an internal team member will conduct the evaluation, the content must suit your business’s requirements. While examining procurement agents you need to consider a few key areas. It includes sourcing experience, category management, analytical skills, strategic thinking, negotiations, and communication.
Consider How to Provide Training Materials to Your Team
Leverage the results obtained to create a custom training plan that addresses skill gaps and enhances the expertise of the procurement subcontractors. Depending on your staff size, there may be diverse levels of competence in these different areas. Thus, form a training program with prerequisite courses that develops the present skills as they advance.
You can use the more advanced courses as a motivator for top-performing executives. Try to leverage these performers to support the training execution by actively participating in the presentations and sharing their experiences.
You should consider another vital component to the training program; how training will be deployed. Does your organization contain an LMS that the staff explores at their own pace? Or will you present all the courses in-person? Each of these delivery methods has its pros and cons. But, consider the materials before taking the final decision. Subjects such as negotiations and communication may not be as productive when presented digitally. But, Microsoft Office training can finish seamlessly.
Moreover, do not consider the program complete even after the creation of the materials and execution of the training sessions. Ensure there are constant reviews of the materials and that they align with the organization’s goals and objectives as it grows. Also, you must conduct a similar skill examination every few years. New procurement agents may have joined the team after the first evaluation. It is crucial to do a thorough team checkup to identify new areas of improvement or create other courses.
To flourish in the changing procurement environment, you must invest in specialized training to develop your team’s skills. Competent procurement subcontractors will take your business to new heights of success.
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