EFI Helps Growers Attract and Retain Workers
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, agriculture’s labor shortage is at a crisis level. Statistics from the New American Economy indicate that the agricultural workforce is shrinking and aging, and the number of new immigrants arriving to work in the field has declined by 75% in recent years.
With no end in sight, what can you do to ensure you can easily recruit and retain employees? Become an employer of choice by increasing worker satisfaction. Farming operations that have implemented Equitable Food Initiative’s (EFI) workforce development programs are reporting both easier recruitment and increased retention of their workforce, even among seasonal workers.
Jackie Vazquez, Director of Operations for GoodFarms’ Watsonville District, says that since introducing the EFI model on her farm she has has had a much easier time recruiting workers. Word has spread quickly of the positive work environment that GoodFarms is offering, and Vazquez has seen a marked increase in the number of women joining her team.
“Through the training and EFI team, we have taught the whole workforce to take ownership and be ambassadors of change,” Vazquez explains. “This has led to a big culture change where we work on problems together. We ensure that women are treated respectfully – we have zero tolerance for sexual harassment. Because of these changes, workers are referring their spouses and female family members, and we now have a higher percentage of women working with us.”
The EFI training teaches skills around communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution, and the EFI Standards define expectations around respect, continuous improvement and worker rights. The management/worker collaborative Leadership Team that is put in place on each farming operation, first for training and then to continue to work to ensure compliance with EFI Standards, brings these skills and expectations to the overall workforce. These components of the EFI Program lead to collaborative and respectful work environments that create an engaged workforce, stronger relationships and increased worker satisfaction – all of which can lead to being an employer of choice in a tight labor market.
Kathryn Ault, Vice President of Customer Solutions for NatureSweet Tomatoes, notes how an investment in socially responsible programs, like the EFI Program, can produce good outcomes. “It’s about a lot more than just a return on investment, but our investment in our associates has produced the best and most productive team in the industry. We have associates who are committed to the quality of our product and to our high food safety standards. It is easy to attract and retain our associates, which means we aren’t spending an inordinate amount of time on recruitment or training. Having a stable, well-trained workforce makes us a stable company and produces the best-tasting tomatoes.”
To learn more about how the EFI Program supports being an employer of choice, visit www.equitablefood.org/certification.
Written by LeAnne R. Ruzzamenti, Director of Marketing Communications for EFI
