www.bifa.org


Profile


BIFAlink STAFF DEVELOPMENT AWARD


Albacore believes that people are a company’s most valuable asset. That is why we are proud to sponsor the


Staff Development Award for the 11th year. Albacore supplies and supports efficient


and reliable IT systems which ensure productive, empowered and satisfied staff.


Prior to COVID-19 restrictions, group training sessions were a regular feature at Morrison Freight


Keeping up to speed


This year’s winner of the BIFA Staff Development Award, Morrison Freight, overcame the difficulties of both the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit preparations while sustaining vital investment in its employees.


After all, happy staff equals happy customers


and import training and Customs essentials; and 16 have completed hazardous cargo awareness training. Many have also completed training on drivers’ hours and the EU working time directive.


Keeping up to speed “We like to keep everyone up to speed,” Ryan said. “It is a constant focus for us: the better equipped your staff are, the better they can do their job. You have to send them out as fully armed as possible in order to get good results, so we make sure that between them, the members of any department can cover all the skills and knowledge that department needs. “And we, the directors of the company, invest


Like many businesses, Morrison Freight furloughed some of its personnel during 2020. Director Darren Ryan said staff worked from home in April, with a staggered return beginning in May. Groups of staff were rotated on the furlough scheme in later months. Furloughed staff completed training courses


that not only kept them engaged while out of the office, but also ensured they would return to work feeling confident and ready to provide excellent customer service. This emphasis on staff development helped


Morrison Freight to weather the storm of COVID-19 – and is an essential part of the company’s ethos. Ryan explained: “Investment goes into


employees. They feel valued and stay with the business to develop their careers. As a result, they get further training. This leads to better service for customers and boosts loyalty. That translates into sustainable business growth, realised with increased profit – which gets reinvested back into the staff.” Of Morrison Freight’s 20 employees, six have


completed NVQs in business techniques; four are first-aid trained; all have had BIFA-led export


May 2021


in ourselves too. You have to invest in yourself in order to push the company forward, and to make sure you know what everyone else is talking about – as well as being aware of what your staff need to learn.” For example, Ryan has completed the NVQ


Level 2 qualification in Customs and the Transport Management CPC. He is qualified as a dangerous goods safety advisor and has recently achieved a distinction in the BIFA BTEC Intermediate Award in Customs Export & Import Procedures course. Both he and fellow director Lee Steward were


Morrison Freight directors Darren Ryan (left) and Lee Steward


Perpetual preparation


Speaking in early February, Darren Ryan said: “The forecast for January was pretty dire – we expected business to drop by 40% because of Brexit – but we did a lot better. In January we were only 15% down year on year and our February results are actually stronger than the same month last year.” He attributed that result to Morrison


Freight’s advance planning, which has occurred in increments over several years.


once apprentices themselves, so they have been in an ideal position to mentor the two apprentices that have done the NVQ in international trade and logistics with Morrison Freight.


“Doing it that way you almost forget what


you have got in place, and then when the change happens, you are ready to go,” Ryan observed. Among its preparations, Morrison Freight


obtained its AEO certificate in 2019; it has also been granted a transit guarantee, which is in extremely high demand and provides peace of mind for its clients. Ryan added: “We have had a big focus on


Customs training, including an e-learning course in early February.”


19


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24