All businesses, including those in the poultry processing sector, need to change and adapt. They need a flow of new ideas and ways of working, but this may be easier said than done when employees that may be highly dedicated have been with a company for a long-time. All companies need to usher in the new.
The modern poultry industry is not that old. Many businesses in the sector can trace their roots back to small farms and hard-working families. Those families’ efforts were the foundation of the business that we know today.
Whether as owners or employees, many working in the industry have followed in the footsteps of their parents or grandparents. In many cases, where individuals started the business, their descendants, with the benefit of experience and specialist education, carried the enterprise forward, applying what had been learned.
Similarly, children tend to follow in their parents’ footsteps when a business is the main employer locally.
Whether there is a connection or not to those already working within the company, generational succession brings new ideas and ways of working, but it must be handled with care both in terms of those that are exiting the company and those entering.
Those employees established in the company, and who may have dedicated their lives to its success, will eventually need to retire. Businesses can help them to do so, easing them into retirement in the best way, and encouraging them to pass on their skills and knowledge to the next generation.
All members of the team will eventually need to retire. Long serving members of the workforce should be recognized and their experience passed on to those entering the company. Wavebreakmedia | iStock.com
The new generation
Should a potential employee’s academic performance have been outstanding, they should be invited to visit the facility where their parents work.
The opportunity can be used to detail the contributions that their parents have made and how the changes that they may have brought about continue to be felt. Any recognitions that the parents may have won must be detailed, along with how employee creativity and innovation have helped the business to thrive.
These young visitors also need to be taught about the technology that is used within the plant, along with any productivity issues that may exist, with emphasis placed on the need to resolve any problems as quickly as possible.
During the visit, note needs to be taken of the areas of interest and the talents that characterize these potential new employees as these can be later drawn on.
It is worth remembering that the new generations like to prepare at home, and not only through schooling, learning in ways that may be new to older generations, and gaining skills through those with whom they interact, not simply academically.
Should a contract be formalized, it must be followed up with regular reviews of what the new employee may have learned and achieved
Making the most of new recruits
New hires need to be transitioned into the company with care to ensure that the skills and aptitudes that individuals possess are not overlooked.
Today’s recruits need to show themselves to be multi-skilled and to have a can-do attitude. New hires should be allotted to certain areas of the plant depending on their skills, and where an action plan can be developed.
They may then be organized into small teams of four to eight and given challenges and tasks to complete. Regular meetings must be held to demonstrate progress, with section managers making recommendations for successful project completion.
During any project’s R&D stage, participants should receive symbolic payment, and all expenses must be covered. As importantly, participants need to be made aware of the fact that it is they that have grabbed the company’s attention and that, should they allow it, they can become one of the organization’s stars.
Projects must be carried out in parallel with any academic obligations, should these new employees have them, and during vacation periods these individuals should be encouraged to work full-time and given additional challenges. During this period, they should be offered full pay.
Should the results of this work placement exceed expectations, the company may decide to sponsor an individual’s education, asking them to apply any knowledge and experience acquired in the company, but the needs of the individual should never be overlooked.
Monitoring is crucial as the company is making significant investment in the individual.
In some cases, it may be decided that the partnership between company and individual cannot continue. In these cases, the company can still support them to become contractors within the industry. This will benefit the industry as a whole and may lead to dividends in the future.
