WASHINGTON - National Gratitude Month might be approaching its end but that doesn’t mean companies across the produce industry aren’t still feeling its effects. Equitable Food Initiative rounds off the month by explaining the benefits seen by workers and employers when workers feel valued.
“Taking a farmworker’s job for granted is a miscalculation we see too often in this industry, and the result can be loss of skilled labor,” remarked LeAnne Ruzzamenti, Director of Marketing and Communications. “Recruiting and retraining during a labor shortage takes a lot of time and funds that could be used in countless more productive ways, not to mention how turnover undermines progress in organizational efficiency and safety standards.”
According to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey, cited by EFI in its release, psychological well-being is a very high priority for workers. In fact, 92 percent of workers report it is somewhat or very important to them that their organization values their emotional and mental well-being.
For many seasonal and guest workers, comparable jobs close to home are not an option, and commercial farming organizations in the United States and Canada represent the best opportunity for career and financial growth.
“It’s sometimes difficult to understand challenges that don’t affect us directly,” Ruzzamenti noted. “Bringing farmworker voices to the table helps them to feel heard, builds trust, earns loyalty, and benefits both the farmworker and their company by helping everyone be seen and valued to create a common language for success and respect.”
Another aspect to consider is turnover. The Work Institute reports that turnover of an employee can cost up to one-third of their annual salary when considering the time and costs of all employees associated with recruiting new talent, interviewing candidates, arranging travel, onboarding, obtaining credentials, on-the-job training, the expense in dollars and time to correct mistakes, and slower than usual performance due to unfamiliarity.
“Lower turnover saves an incredible amount of time and money for companies,” Ruzzamenti added. “We’re proud to say that most EFI-certified farms boast high retention rates.”
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