Companies can attract and retain more skilled workers by providing career pathways for upward mobility and possibilities for financial gain.
In fact, a recent study found that 70% of workers are interested in learning about career growth opportunities during the hiring process, and more than 50% would be more likely to stay in their current job if given the chance to explore other internal opportunities.
For an agriculture company, promoting from within, upskilling and creating a people-first organizational culture are three ways to facilitate employees’ professional development. Mix in transparent communication systems and you have a foundation for supporting workers’ ability to bring their full potential to their job and a company’s ability to put the right people in the right roles.
Valued Employees Stick Around
Upskilling and promoting from within demonstrate value for employees, increase engagement and promote company loyalty.
Hartley Produce, with Onions 52, has been certified by Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) since 2017. Maribel Mendoza began working at the company nine years ago as an employee in the shipping department. She was promoted to food safety manager after 3 1/2 years and reports that having the quality of her work noticed by management and rewarded with a promotion made her “feel like a valued employee.”
According to Mendoza, all Hartley Produce supervisors started out in entry-level positions like sorters, stackers and general labor, and knowing that Hartley Produce promotes from within was a factor that drew her to first apply with the company.
“The fact that employees stick around for 14, 17 or 21 years, that’s a testament to the company. I have worked at other places with extremely high turnover, and the fact that Hartley Produce can keep employees happy for 25 years says something,” Mendoza said.
EFI-certified Windset Farms® is another organization where you are likely to meet a supervisor who has moved up from another position after acquiring skills on the job. To support employee growth and development, human resources personnel track the new skills and growth interests for employees during annual employee appraisals. When new positions open, the company is able to first review the skills and qualifications of its own workforce before opening the position externally.
According to Windset Farms Human Resources Specialist Erika Castro, “The majority of our supervisors were farmworkers at one time and have risen to the role of supervisor. We look for people who not only know the work, but have the ability to communicate well with employees and guide by example.”
Organizational Culture Lays a Foundation for Growth
Fostering a people-first organizational culture with strong communication systems that build trust and invite employee feedback is crucial for successful team building.
EFI-certified Stemilt Growers is another organization focused on creating strong connections with employees and laying out career pathways that will help with recruitment and long-term retention of skilled workers.
According to Vivian Page, Vice President of Human Capital for Stemilt Growers, as agriculture employers move beyond basic compliance with social standards they can begin to establish relationships with the supervisors, managers and employees of the company. This people-first approach prioritizes creating a connection with each employee, communicating about potential career pathways, and inviting feedback to ensure employees are on board with the growth plan.
“The companies that know how to do that and do it well will be the ones that are able to get ahead because they will attract the right talent for the organization,” Page asserts.
“We implemented EFI because we wanted to empower our workers, increase job satisfaction, provide growth opportunities and keep them with us for many years.”
– Shawn Hartley, owner and Vice President of Onions 52
Individual Opportunities Contribute to Industrywide Solutions
EFI can attest that the desire for upward mobility is present at all levels of the agriculture industry, as farmworkers on EFI-certified farms have expressed interest in a credentialing system that would support economic advancement and professional growth.
The EFI certification program lays a foundation for employee growth and development by providing training in the soft skills of communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution, and by contributing to the creation of an organizational culture of respect that incorporates worker voice on all levels of an operation. Creating a culture that invites and respects worker voice paves the way for more effective communication and trust between employee and employer.
As pathways for growth and development benefit individual employees and companies, the result is a strengthened and resourced workforce that is better able to rise to meet the industrywide challenges that come with technological advancements, global supply chain pressure and labor shortages.
To find out more about how EFI can help your fresh produce company attract and retain a skilled workforce, reach out to Madelyn Edlin or send an email to info@equitablefood.org.
