Without proper operational management, any retail business is doomed to fail. It’s one of the core competencies that can make or break your organisation. But what do you do if you or your employees don’t have the skills needed to handle it? If you don’t implement the necessary employee training and development, you will be forced to hire additional employees or give up on your dream.
At Cloud Assess, we know how important it is to ensure that there are no skill gaps looming in your workforce. Our free operations management courses will equip you with the skills you or your employees need to navigate operations management in the retail industry, enabling a deep understanding of the daily activities within the sector.
Explore key concepts in operations and project management, learn business strategy practices and gain the practical skills necessary for continuous improvement. Here are the 10 best online operations management course in our course library:
1. Complete Operational Tasks Course
The food and beverage industry can be particularly fast-paced and demanding. As the operations manager, you will be dealing with sanitation concerns, customer service issues and opening/closing procedures among others. Managers must be able to maximise efficiency in the workplace through proper communication, cleanliness and work scheduling. This free online course will equip you with the time and operations management skills you need to handle operational tasks in the food and beverage industry. You’ll be able to streamline your work processes, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, elevate your hospitality and maintain safe and hygienic practices at work.
Scope:
- Maximising Efficiency Through Work Schedules and Communication
- Safe and Hygienic Practices in Hospitality
- Cleanliness and Tidiness in Hospitality
- Utilising Organisational Procedures and Technology in Food and Beverage Operations
- Anticipating and Resolving Operational Challenges in Hospitality
Best for: Operations manager, Restaurant managers, Cafe employees, Supervisors in the food and beverage industry, Head chefs, Business owners
Cost: Free
2. Organisational Skills Course
Daily business operations involves overseeing a number of tasks and concerns throughout the day. Organisational skills help in gaining strategic foresight in leadership, enabling managers to effectively increase productivity while coordinating time and resources to best achieve organisational goals. Through this online course, you’ll be able to manage your time effectively and prioritise your tasks as a leader.
Scope:
- Organising and managing resources
- Time management and prioritisation as a leader
- Fostering an organised and productive work culture
Best for: Current and aspiring managers, Leadership roles, Operations managers, and Business owners.
Cost: Free
3. Basic Kitchen Operations Course
Whether you’re the head chef in the kitchen or the overall operations manager in a restaurant, you will need to understand how the kitchen operates. Understanding basic kitchen operations will help you organise your daily operations, leading to faster turnaround times, increased customer satisfaction and decreased mistakes. In this basic course, you’ll learn the different kitchen operations common in most restaurants and cafés. This will help you understand how a kitchen operates during the lunch rush or dinner service, which is useful when managing the roles and tasks of your staff.
Scope:
- Introduction to Kitchen Safety
- Culinary Tools and Equipment
- Food Preparation and Organisation
- Recipe Reading and Execution
- Food Presentation and Plating
- Time and Task Management
- Cleaning and Sanitation
- Troubleshooting and Problem Solving
Best for: Kitchen staff, Head chefs, Restaurant managers, Food and beverage industry professionals, and Restaurant/Cafe operations managers.
Cost: Free
4. Cash Handling and Register Operations Course
Retail shops, cafes and restaurants typically hire cashiers to oversee cash handling and register operations for the business. As an operations manager, it is your responsibility to supervise all aspects of the business, including cash handling. It helps to know the proper techniques for handling daily cash flows for swift transactions and accurate balancing. This free course will help you in managing your staff who are responsible for manning the register and accounting for daily cash transactions. You’ll be able to assess their skills in handling the role and provide them with knowledge on proper cash handling techniques that will minimise losses while speeding up transactions.
Scope:
- Importance of Cash Handling
- Cash Handling Techniques
- Counterfeit Detection
- Till Balancing
- Error Rectification
- Loss Management
Best for: Cashiers, Store managers, Operations managers, and Accounting roles.
Cost: Free
5. Compliance with Regulations and Standards Course
Each industry has its own set of regulations and standards that all companies must legally abide by. By handling the operations management in your workplace, you are tasked with knowing, understanding and following these regulations to ensure your organisation remains compliant. This free online course will equip you with the knowledge you need to ensure compliance in your organisation. By understanding compliance and its common processes, you can effectively design operations strategies that will keep your workplace in line with industry standards.
Scope:
- The Importance of Compliance with Regulations and Standards
- Understanding Compliance
- Complying with Regulations and Standards
- Processes and Strategies for Ensuring Compliance
Best for: Compliance officers, Operations managers, Supervisors, Leadership roles
Cost: Free
6. Inventory Management Course
Every business, from small to large enterprises, store sets of inventory for daily use. These may include products being sold, raw materials or items that help carry out services. Handling inventory can be stressful, especially when there are thousands of SKUs that need to be properly documented and filed. As an operations manager, you need to oversee the inflow and outflow of your inventory to minimise losses. This free course on inventory management will help you understand the need for a suitable system for your business to track and document your inventory. This way, you and your team will be able to optimise your inventory, check for items in low supply and minimise spoilage.
Scope:
- Importance of Inventory Management
- Key Concepts and Terms
- Inventory Management Methods
- Best Practices for Optimising Inventory Levels
Best for: X, Y, Z… [list real professions]
Cost: Free
7. Workplace Problem Solving Course
Every workplace will have its fair share of issues and concerns. With industrial organisations, operations management involves dealing with potential workplace problems like site safety and supply chain issues. Managers need to know what to do when faced with different problems. This free online course covers the common problems faced in the industrial setting and what you can do to solve them. You’ll find the best strategies to rectify issues in the workplace as well as the best practices to prevent these from happening again.
Scope:
- Problem Solving Process
- Strategies for Workplace Problem Solving in an Industrial Setting
- Best Practices for Workplace Problem Solving in an Industrial Setting
Best for: Operations managers, Project managers, Team leaders, Supervisors, Management positions, Senior positions, Business owners
Cost: Free
8. Leadership and Supervisory Skills Course
Operations management is a leadership role. Besides organisational skills and strategic foresight, operations managers must have leadership skills as well. This will help you establish your own leadership style in the workplace that will foster productivity and growth within your team. Our leadership and supervisory skills course will get you manning the helm of your ship. You’ll learn to apply the different leadership styles to your workplace and determine which type is most suitable for your team. You’ll also learn to make managerial decisions and solve problems as they arise.
Scope:
- Leadership Styles and Their Applications
- Effective Communication in Leadership
- Motivation and Inspiration
- Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
- Ethics and Leadership
Best for: Leadership and managerial roles, Aspiring managers.
Cost: Free
9. Adaptability and Flexibility Course
Being adaptable and flexible to different scenarios can help you to manage your work better and bring structure to your daily operations. Flexibility enables you to keep up with the evolving market and adapt to the changes in the demands of your industry. This course will help you understand the importance of adaptability and flexibility in the workplace. You’ll be able to better adjust your operations strategies to account for changing environments and to establish contingency plans for any problems that may arise.
Scope:
- Understanding Adaptability and Flexibility
- Developing Adaptability and Flexibility
- Applying Adaptability and Flexibility
- Action Planning and Reflection
Best for: Project management roles, Operations managers, Business owners, Individual professionals
Cost: Free
10. Complete End of Shift Duties Course
Operations management doesn’t end once dinner service has finished. Operations managers in the hospitality industry are tasked to oversee the end-of-shift duties, which may include general cleanup, debriefing meetings and preparations for the next day’s shift, among other duties. This course will guide you through the necessary end-of-shift duties done at the end of the day. You’ll learn to navigate the end-of-shift requirements for the hospitality industry and manage the preparations that you need to get ready for the next day’s work. As a manager, you’ll learn how to properly debrief your team and discuss important information with your team members.
Scope:
- A Comprehensive Guide to Hospitality Excellence
- Navigating End-of-Shift Requirements in Hospitality Services
- Maximising Debriefing Sessions in Hospitality Services
Best for: Restaurant staff, Hospitality roles, Shift workers, Operations managers, Team managers, Leadership roles
Cost: Free
Other Soft Skills and Management Courses
If you’re looking for more courses related to Management and Leadership, check out more of our curated lists:
- Top 10 Power Skills Courses for Team Leaders and Management
- 10 Best Free Courses for Leadership and Soft Skills
- 10 Soft Skill Courses to Upskill Your Employees
You can also browse our complete Course Library to find many more free training and assessment opportunities.
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