Scientific paper ID 1974 : 2020/3

The competitive power of enterprises in the field of railway freight transport depends entirely on the quality of the transport services they offer, which involves modernizing their manufacturing activity and managing the development of human resources effectively. One of the main sources of creating competitive advantages is the level of competence of staff potential whose formation is based on knowledge and experience of employees. This involves the successful functioning of a system for training and improving employee qualification, which creates favorable working conditions and gives employees an opportunity to fulfill their potential and contribute to the transport organization’s prosperity. The goal of the present paper is to substantiate the necessity for more effective functioning of the system for human resource development in enterprises which operate in the field of railway freight transport. For this reason, the paper provides a definition of the nature of the terms “staff development and “staff training”, as well as an analysis of the staff structure of “BSR – Cargo Freights” Ltd., which is the largest railway freight carrier. Based on the drawn conclusions, recommendations for managing the development of human resources have been outlined and the main points of a system for the development of staff potential have been indicated as part of a general strategy for sustainable development of railway freight transport.