The benefits of on-the-job training

When Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC) wrapped up Skills Training Across Canada for Supervisors recently, we talked with participating employers about their experiences with the program and its impact on their workforce. The insights provided a rich data source to shape future programs for the industry and confirmed what the research has been telling us—training employees has a measurable benefit to workplace culture, recruitment and retention, and business productivity.

We all know that the food and beverage manufacturing industry struggles with recruitment and retention. As part of FPSC’s Rapid Results initiative, we heard from 76 per cent of the businesses participating in the Canadian Employer Opinion Panel that their recruitment challenges have stayed the same or worsened. We also heard that recruitment challenges don’t end with finding people, there are a lot of challenges in finding the right people. We heard that businesses are encountering a lack of applicants with proper training, relevant experience, interest in the positions, and appropriate wage expectations.

Additionally, the current labour shortage doesn’t only affect recruitment. Other sectors and employers are also trying to recruit our employees. Employers told us that the two main reasons for employee departures are competition from manufacturers outside of food and beverage manufacturing and outside of manufacturing altogether.

Focus on solutions

Given we know from previous analysis that the industry requires 92,000 new people, in addition to current vacancies, by 2030, we must be solution-focused and that starts with a company’s commitment to onboarding and continuous professional development for all employees.

Once the commitment has been made, the categories of skills training are important. Yes, technical skills in QA and QC, food safety, workplace sanitation, industrial safety and GMPs and SOPs are important, but social-emotional learning, emotional intelligence, and respectful workplace training that provides people with the means to succeed in a high-pressure and often team-driven environment, is a must. Additionally, having a mentorship strategy with coaching touchpoints further offers employees tools to learn and develop.

It is also important to tailor training to the level of the employee and the career path. The new Skills Training Across Canada for Frontline Workers has been designed specifically to support people on the frontline. What differentiates this training from supervisor training is a focus on workplace essentials such as effective problem-solving, digital technology skills, and oral communication, in addition to Acahkos training in adaptability, empathy and resilience.

Regardless of the business’s size, workforce professional development is a big investment for a company. However, organizational-level outcomes such as improvements in an employee’s level of interest in the company’s performance contribute to a sense of belonging, directly impacting retention. There is also an energy in a facility where a commitment to workforce training has been made. We have all felt it. Employees work synergistically and when there are challenges, it is not personal or overwhelming; it is just a problem that needs to be solved. This energy is infectious and always signals positive leadership at the helm. It is the type of professional environment we all want to work in.

Jennefer Griffith is the executive director of Food Processing Skills Canada. Visit www fpsc-ctac.com to register for programs, download labour market information, and access free HR resources.

This article was originally published in the Aug./Sept. 2024 issue of Food in Canada.