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| (The views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly those of the author.) | ||
 Today the challenges that food and beverage manufacturers face with regards to Human Resources (HR) is as diverse as the products they produce. A unique world within its own, human resources is much more than making sure that all of the T’s and I’s are properly crossed and dotted on W-4s and I-9s. HR’s expansive breadth of responsibilities in the food and beverage manufacturing industriesinvolve such issues as bridging language and cultural barriers, developing, implementing and supporting both existing and new company policies and procedures, battling turnover rates, eschewing worker injuries, and keeping abreast with labor laws including their amendments. To be truly effective, HR personnel must also understand the wide world of food and employee safety, be preferably bi-lingual and have a solid grip on all pertinent governmental regulatory agencies. Human resources are just that. It’s finding, focusing and cultivating the resources that are available for the benefit of the company as well as the employees themselves. Regardless if companies are union or non-union, there is a proven pathway for all of these sources of humans that will lead to unearthing each person’s inherent and unique qualities, aptitudes and ultimate potentiality. This antidote’s common denominator smoothly glides over geographic borders, language barriers, deep-seated cultural differences and seemingly draconian labor and regulatory laws. It’s merely respecting, hearing, listening, training and persistently educating the people that you’ve elected to employ. A rather large segment of workers in the Food Industry are of Hispanic, Latino and Asian decent. These generally low skilled workers normally have had no subsequent experience involving Quality Control/Assurance including the more intricate systems of HACCP, SSOPs and the burgeoning SQF and BRC Systems. Neophyte workers will only do what there are instructed to do and in some instances even less. Unless otherwise trained, apprentice employees will quickly adapt and skew to the unfavorable working habits that may already exist, which will undoubtedly be mimicked by the next wave of newly hired workers. Depending on the specific food segment involved, newly hired and existing employees are consigned to competently and dexterously manufacture, package and ship a vast kaleidoscope of cooked, frozen, perishable and/or fresh foods and beverages. It’s an established norm in the food and beverage processing sector that science based HACCP and SSOP systems are supported by a melting pot of Good Manufacturing Practices. But what foundation do GMP’s rely on? Its people. It’s not only the production line people, but also sanitation, shipping & receiving and maintenance people as well. After all, they are the ones who prepare and ship the product, clean the facility, and apply repairs to the equipment on a quotidian basis. If people are the foundation for a company’s success, and they most certainly are, then well planned hiring, training and educating practices need to be in place and working. If a company wants to constantly improve its position in its given industry, it must focus on its people. Educating workers will help to inveterate self worth. Self worth connotes self-esteem. Self- esteem amplifies individual morale that naturally manifests itself into improved productivity and augmented longevity with employers. However, not all companies recognize these basic, timeless and perpetual human principles. What has been your experience? |
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| September 2011 |
Steve Sayer has been involved in the meat and poultry industry for 30 years. He spent his first 20 years at Alpha Meat Packing, located in South Gate California as Vice President of Operations. Alpha Meat Packing, a former purveyor of case-ready lamb, pork and beef products for retail stores was recognized by CAL/OSHA with having an exceptional industrial safety and health program and for maintaining injuries and illnesses below industry averages. For the last 10 years, Steve has been an independent industrial safety and food safety consultant/auditor for meat, poultry and seafood facilities including restaurants and industrial refrigeration companies. As President of S&R Consulting, he’s assisted companies with reducing reportable injuries and illness resulting with millions of dollars being saved with associated workers compensation costs. He’s represented businesses at OSHA hearings/conferences resulting with monetary reductions including successfully appealing safety code citations cited by OSHA. Steve is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and the National Meat Association. Since 1994, Steve has been published in nationally distributed magazines covering both OSHA and food safety topics. He’s written and implemented: injury and illness prevention programs, hazardous waste management programs, human resource manuals, HACCP, food defense, and animal humane handling programs included in technical proposals for the National School Lunch Program. When not consulting, Steve likes to go the gym, coach NJB youth basketball and read world history. Steve and his wife Terisita have two boys and reside in Aliso Viejo, California.
