Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), nearly 100 years old, has gone through countless changes over the years. From its roots as a chemist cooperative, API has grown to become a national pharmacy distribution network with chains of pharmacies, wareh
by Site Staff
December 28, 2005
Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), nearly 100 years old, has gone through countless changes over the years. From its roots as a chemist cooperative, API has grown to become a national pharmacy distribution network with chains of pharmacies, warehousing and distribution centers, hospitals and dental programs. However, one thing has remained consistent over the years: the company’s loyal workforce.
Even though API maintains a stable workforce, the company’s sizable growth required the leaders to address infrastructure consistency issues. In order to improve the overall management at API, it recently launched a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to unify its various sectors and locations, and its 5,000-plus employees. However, because the average employee is older than 45, API’s workforce had a relatively low level of computer skills. Therefore, a comprehensive learning and development program was deployed before the official ERP system launch.
Jenny O’Farrell, national learning and development manager for API, formulated a blended training platform to efficiently yet fully equip the workforce with the technical knowledge and skills required to successfully implement the new ERP system. “We calculated that if instructor-led training sessions were only used, it was going to cost about $1.8 million and our training team would have to be away from home for six months at a time traveling from state to state,” she said. “Also, the cost would have been just enormous to pull workers off the floor because we are a pharmaceutical company and the consumers’ need for their prescriptions is always there. So we realized that successful adult learning and retention would be attained through blended learning.”
According to O’Farrell, the training process took approximately 10 weeks to complete at each API facility. The training began with a brief instructor-led orientation to clearly communicate the overall goals and objectives of the process, to alleviate any of the anxiety employees felt and to introduce the general facets of the Movex system. “There was a lot of apprehension of course, as with any challenge, because a lot of people thought their jobs might be at risk, a lot of people thought they weren’t going to be up for learning this new ERP,” O’Farrell said. “We had to allay their fears, and once they went through the change process—denial, resistance and exploration—the employees were smoothly adapting and learning the new system.”
After the initial orientation, employees went through a four-week accelerated computer basics course, which familiarized them with Windows and the Internet. Once the basic PC skills were established, employees began their actual Movex training through many different e-learning tools and experiential learning. “Role playing, situational learning, customer/distributor scenarios and many other processes were a large part of the Movex training process,” O’Farrell said. “We wanted them to have as much interactivity as possible in small chunks so that knowledge and skill retention would be high.” The trainers also played a strategic role in and after the training process. Trainers intermittently performed facility check-ins with employees to gauge their progress and performance as well as provide just-in-time learning, coaching and mentoring when needed.
Because this was API’s first company-wide learning effort, O’Farrell said that trainers ran into some minor bumps, but the overall success of the training initiative outweighed any conflicts that arose. “Sure, we have had hiccups and there have been days that you want to tear your hair out, but that is just part of the process,” O’Farrell said. “The workforce is just so excited that they can actually work on and operate computers, and most of the people we have been training in the warehouses and customer service sectors have never been on the Internet before. People were just getting such a buzz going on the Internet and finding out what it is all about. But from a business point of view, Movex has streamlined our processes and we now have a lot more information available for the stakeholders as well.”
–Cari McLean, carim@clomedia.com