In an era where machines are taking over so many production jobs, one family-owned food production company is still making things the traditional way – by hand. This organization has been producing frozen foods for some of the largest CPG and private label brands in the U.S. for more than 20 years.
Operations Manager, Samuel A. has been with the company from the start. From its inception, the organization has relied on skillful hands to make delicious food. That means increasing production volume requires being able to grow and maintain the right workforce.
“We try to make everything handmade and avoid using machines. That’s part of the success that we have. For the past 3 years, we have been trying to grow. We have a lot of goals. Last month, we even launched our own product.” – Sam A. Ops Manager
A Modern, Contingent Workforce Provides Flexibility and Reliability
The company currently relies on Total Talent Resources for 80% of its production workforce. Having an experienced partner handling talent pipeline, recruiting, hiring, and workforce maintenance allows the company to focus on operational excellence and growth plans.
“They are very reliable. If we request 5 people, they are here the next day. If someone doesn’t show, they let us know or they provide another person. It’s been great.” – Samuel A. Ops Manager
On-Site Support Elevates the Team Experience
The company has been leveraging Total’s services since 2002, and the relationship continues to evolve. Partnership Plus On-Site (PPOS) is a unique model that takes contingent workforce management to a new level. With the PPOS arrangement, Total’s own management team maintains a presence on-site to support the contingent workforce.
“That helped a lot in managing people working with us. Also, the presence of Total personnel in the company provides more security to the employee. They can ask questions right there, get answers, and the relationship with our employees and Total is really positive. They can feel that ‘someone is here that takes care of ME’. That is very important.” – Sam A. Ops Manager
- For Operations, having quarterly feedback meetings has proven important to keep the relationship running smoothly and ensure that any concerns are promptly addressed.
- For contingent workers, having Total in their corner is a morale boost. The Total team even throws a holiday party every year with gifts and prizes for the workforce.
In Sam’s words, “Total’s people are reliable, friendly, and professional. They show up and show they care. This has created a very good work environment.”
For a deeper dive into PPOS, read this case study with an Illinois Manufacturer
Good Retention Practices Keeps Production Moving
Unlike many production line jobs, the work done by the contingent workers requires some finesse. This means not everyone is suited to the task. “We have a very particular skill required. All our foods, such as taquitos, are made by hand and not everyone can do this job at the start. Some take more time to get that skill.”
According to Sam, working with Total to find people with the right aptitude and a willingness to learn has been a very good experience. When new personnel come in, they tend to stay. With any production and supply chain job, recruiting trainable and floor-ready associates makes a big difference in retention and overall productivity.
Learn more about Total’s approach to successful Contingent Staffing here
What’s Next for This Client’s Talent Acquisition Strategy?
For this food brand, growth means adding more specialized and leadership talent to their team. “We are facing some needs that are not just about general labor. We also need professional talent like quality control and production managers that have more skills. That’s the direction the business is taking. We want people who have the right experience and who have accountability. Talent at that level can be hard to find. We are relying on Total Talent to help source the right candidates for those positions.”
Did You Know? Many of the best professionals in supply chain are passive candidates, which can make it very hard for the average company to actively recruit them. The Total Talent Search team has the network and connections to identify these high-value candidates and bring them to the table.
Learn about our recruitment process for leadership positions here.
With so much at stake for growth-oriented companies, putting talent in the right hands makes all the difference!