Competency-Based Planning: The missing Link in Logistics Productivity

In Logistics, relying on employee availability as the primary scheduling criterion often leads to avoidable inefficiencies; shifts may appear fully staffed yet still lack the capabilities needed to run safely and productively.

A more effective approach is to consider the underlying requirements behind each role and align people to tasks in a way that supports smoother operations.

In this article, we explore why a competency-based approach to planning is essential in logistics, and how workforce software helps organizations to implement it.

What Is Competency-Based Workforce Planning?

Competency-based planning changes the focus from simply filling shifts to the capabilities required to perform the work. Instead of assigning employees solely because they’re available, managers look at the specific skills, qualifications, and proficiencies that each task demands and match people accordingly.

Instead of, “How many people do we need on Tuesday morning?” planners ask, “What type of work needs to be done, what competencies does it involve, and who is genuinely equipped to do it well?”

This creates a much closer alignment between operational requirements and the teams deployed to meet them.

To support this approach, organizations must clearly define the competencies associated with each role or activity, such as equipment licences, safety training, product-handling requirements, or proficiency with certain systems. Once this competency framework is mapped, planners can create schedules in a structured manner.

Why Do Logistics Operations Need Competency-Based Workforce Scheduling?

In logistics and warehousing, having the right capabilities on each shift is what determines whether operations run safely and efficiently. Warehouses depend on a wide range of specialized roles such as forklift operators, reach-truck drivers, and hazardous-materials handlers, all of which require specific training, certification, or experience.

When staff schedules are built primarily around headcount and availability, these critical skill differences are easily overlooked, which creates several operational risks.

The Risks of Mismatched Competencies

Safety Risks

In the EU, transportation and storage ranks as the sector with the second-highest number of fatal accidents, surpassed only by construction. In 2023 27.1% of fatal workplace accidents in the EU were caused by a loss of control of a machine, tool or transport/handling equipment. Incidents related to forklifts in particular are present across the EU; to give one example, 90 accidents per year occur in Poland (causing 100 injuries and 10-15 fatalities). In the US, forklifts caused 67 workplace fatalities in 2023.

When employees are assigned to tasks involving equipment they’re not properly trained or certified to use, the chance of safety incidents increase significantly. Likewise, hazardous goods must only be handled by employees trained in appropriate protocols.
Assigning unqualified employees to such tasks can also expose the business to asset damage and operational shutdowns.

Compliance Risks

Mandatory skill or licence requirements are often tied to regulatory frameworks or client contracts. Failing to meet these obligations can result in penalties or breach-of-contract disputes.

Competency-based scheduling ensures that only employees who meet the legal or contractual requirements are allocated to restricted activities.

Performance Risks

Skill mismatches have a measurable impact on productivity. When employees lack experience with specific machinery, handling protocols, or workflow requirements, tasks take longer to complete and are more prone to error. These delays disrupt throughput and create knock-on effects; over time, these small inefficiencies compound, eroding service levels.

Assigning an inexperienced or unqualified employee to a critical task increases the likelihood of error correction and service delays. Therefore, while cross-training is valuable, the middle of a time-sensitive shift is not the moment for trial-and-error learning.

Managing Complex Customer Requirements

Logistics providers may operate in environments where each client has distinct products, handling rules, and compliance expectations, all of which must be reflected in labor management.
One facility might manage sterile medical devices requiring specific handling protocols for one customer, frozen goods that limit employee exposure time for another, and high-value items requiring authorized access for a third.

Competency-based planning lets managers assign the right employees with the right skills or authorizations to each customer’s tasks. When schedules are created using WFM software, the documentation needed to prove compliance is also generated.

More Benefits of Competency-Based Planning

Better Quality Control

When tasks are consistently performed by people with the appropriate experience, error rates naturally decrease. Over time, this improvement in accuracy contributes to stronger service delivery and customer satisfaction.

Improved Employee Engagement and Job Satisfaction

Competency-based planning can improve the employee experience. In fact, a report by the OECD explains that skills use is positively correlated with being “extremely satisfied” at work. It’s also associated with greater retention and better relations between management and workers

When frontline workers see that their skills, certifications, and strengths are acknowledged and used appropriately, they’re more likely to feel valued rather than treated as interchangeable resources.
Effective skills use also reduces two common sources of frustration for staff – being asked to perform tasks they aren’t trained to handle and being assigned work that they’re significantly overqualified for.
Over time, competency-based planning supports professional growth. When staff get to use their skills consistently, they may be more likely to pursue further training, broadening the organization’s skill base on the whole.

Workforce Agility

Competency-based planning improves organizational agility, which is essential in logistics as demand can fluctuate suddenly. Industry-wide worker shortages
also make it critical to effectively deploy existing talent.
When planners have complete visibility of who can perform which tasks, they can redeploy staff quickly without violating any rules.

This strategy also reveals skills gaps that might otherwise go unnoticed. If only one employee has a critical certification or if a certain workflow depends heavily on a small subset of staff, managers can identify these vulnerabilities proactively and train additional staff.

How MANUS WFM Software Enables Competency-Based Planning

Our workforce management solution supports competency-based planning at multiple levels. Here’s how it works.

Skills Tracking

MANUS WFM maintains detailed records about the competencies each employee has, including information on certifications and technical skills, so it’s always clear who’s qualified for which tasks.

Multi-Level Planning

Our workforce management software supports multi-level planning; as well as scheduling based on competencies, staff can be allocated based on the needs of specific customers or projects. The system filters and suggests only those employees that fit the criteria for the task in-question.

Integration with WMS

MANUS WFM integrates with Warehouse Management Systems and other operational platforms to exchange data in real time. For example, a WMS can feed order forecasts or special handling requirements into the workforce management system so that planners know exactly what skills are needed where, and when.

Management by exception

MANUS WFM uses a manage-by-exception approach, automatically flagging potential issues. For example, if someone tries to schedule an employee whose license is about to expire, the software will notify managers or prevent it. This minimizes the number of administrative tasks that HR teams have to engage in.

Conclusion

Mismatching workers’ skills, experience, and certifications with task requirements presents risks in terms of safety, compliance, and productivity. On the other hand, competency-based planning truly ensures the right people are in the right place at the right time.

Advanced workforce management tools support this approach and make it easier to handle the requirements of multiple customers. Other benefits include enhanced quality control, workforce agility, and improved employee sentiment. Geavanceerde workforce management-software ondersteunt deze aanpak en helpt logistieke bedrijven en dc’s efficiënter te werken, servicelevels te verhogen en medewerkers meer waardering en ontwikkelkansen te bieden.

To learn more about how MANUS WFM supports competency-based planning for international logistics organizations, contact us today.