September/October 2021 - 17

LABOR OPERATIONS
One of the best ways to retain
employees is by cultivating a positive
company culture.
expectations have gotten a lot higher, " said Charles Cutler,
GC Farms' director of operations.
" Quality used to mean assuring food safety, " he said.
" Now it's about achieving product perfection. That's why
we have made a big shift in the last couple of years from
manual sorting to automated sorting. This has taken our
product quality to a higher standard, allowed us to reduce
and stabilize our labor force, and reduced our labor costs
for sorting on our Hollister line by 75%. "
Additionally, investing in equipment designed with
usability in mind makes it easy to train new staff, which
is especially advantageous in factories where high staff
turnover is the norm.
Cultivate company culture
High staff turnover in factories is pretty much a given,
but it doesn't have to be. One of the best ways to retain
employees is by cultivating a positive company culture.
This means taking care of employees through benefits
and fair pay packages, but also the greater community
and environment. Marketing a positive company culture
can also impact sales, as more consumers wish to support
businesses that treat their employees, farmers and the
environment well.
California-headquartered Amy's Kitchen, for example,
has developed a company culture that focuses on quality,
community and environmental conscientiousness. The
company offers benefit programs that they say are a direct
reflection of the family-focused culture they represent.
Their website says they offer generous benefits packages
that are designed to keep their employees physically,
emotionally and financially healthy. Benefits include
affordable healthcare, retirement savings plans, paid time
off, tuition reimbursement, scholarships and discounts on
Amy's products.
Focus on employee happiness and values that resonate
with them is what keeps them from shopping for a new
job. " It makes me happy that food and employee safety
are important at Amy's because it's important to me, " said
Thy Oun, tofu team lead, who has worked at Amy's for 13
years now.
While labor challenges are always front of mind, especially
in current conditions, there are solutions to minimize risk:
invest in automation, think vertically, work closely with
equipment suppliers, and cultivate a company culture that
retains employees.
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SORTING SOLUTIONS
FOR THE VEGETABLE INDUSTRY
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15

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September/October 2021

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