What labor shortage? We’re going to unpeel the layers of why one sweet-onion grower has to turn away workers. What are they doing right?

Today’s episode is conducted by Equitable Food Initiative and is about driving worker morale and engagement by building personal relationships.
Jessica Pedroza, office and human resources manager of Pacific Agra Farms in Walla Walla, Wash., shares her approach and beliefs about how starting relationships with workers from a place of respect and building personal relationships over time has yielded many positive results for their farming operation. Although it's a short sweet-onion growing season of only 2.5 months, they have many employees return each year and have to stop taking applications because they get more than they could possibly need — while many of companies nationwide have experienced the pain of labor shortages the last couple years. 

This might sound like a simple solution, but it’s not an easy one. Building and maintaining real relationships takes dedicated time, consistency and a true caring nature.

Kindness and respect can really make a difference in your staff satisfaction and performance; company culture; and ultimately — bottom line.

To find us:
Our websites: com, thepacker.com and ProduceEDU.com.
Email: news@thepacker.com and artists@producemarketguide.com
LinkedIn: PMG: Produce Market Guide and The Packer
Instagram:@packernews and @producemktguide
Facebook:@ProduceMktGuide and @PackerNews
Twitter:@produceretailer and @thepacker

To find Equitable Food Initiative:
Facebook: @EquitableFoodInitiative
Instagram: @EquitableFood
Twitter: @EquitableFood
LinkedIn:Equitable Food Initiative

What labor shortage? We’re going to unpeel the layers of why one sweet-onion grower has to turn away workers. What are they doing right? Today’s episode is conducted by Equitable Food Initiative and is about driving worker morale and engagement by building personal relationships. Jessica Pedroza, office and human resources manager of Pacific Agra Farms in Walla Walla, Wash., shares her approach and beliefs about how starting relationships with workers from a place of respect and building personal relationships over time has yielded many positive results for their farming operation. Although it's a short sweet-onion growing season of only 2.5 months, they have many employees return each year and have to stop taking applications because they get more than they could possibly need — while many of companies nationwide have experienced the pain of labor shortages the last couple years. 
This might sound like a simple solution, but it’s not an easy one. Building and maintaining real relationships takes dedicated time, consistency and a true caring nature.
Kindness and respect can really make a difference in your staff satisfaction and performance; company culture; and ultimately — bottom line.
To find us:
<ul>
<li>Our websites: <a href="https://www.producemarketguide.com/">com</a>, <a href="https://www.thepacker.com/">thepacker.com</a> and <a href="https://produceedu.com/">ProduceEDU.com</a>.</li>
<li>Email: <a href="mailto:news@thepacker.com">news@thepacker.com</a> and <a href="mailto:artists@producemarketguide.com">artists@producemarketguide.com</a></li>
<li>LinkedIn: PMG: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/produce-market-guide/">Produce Market Guide</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/thepacker">The Packer</a></li>
<li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/packernews/">@packernews</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/producemktguide/">@producemktguide</a></li>
<li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ProduceMktGuide">@ProduceMktGuide</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/packernews">@PackerNews</a></li>
<li>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/produceretailer">@produceretailer</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/thepacker">@thepacker</a></li>
</ul>
To find Equitable Food Initiative:
<ul>
<li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EquitableFoodInitiative">@EquitableFoodInitiative</a></li>
<li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/equitablefood/">@EquitableFood</a></li>
<li>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/EquitableFood">@EquitableFood</a></li>
<li>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/equitable-food-initiative/">Equitable Food Initiative</a></li>
</ul>

Tip of the Iceberg features conversations between members of the fresh produce industry and the editors of trade publications The Packer and PMG. Topics will include current events and provide insight into the opportunities and challenges for different segments of the industry today, including growers, marketers, wholesalers, foodservice operators, retailers and more.

Tip of the Iceberg features conversations between members of the fresh produce industry and the editors of trade publications The Packer and PMG. Topics will include current events and provide insight into the opportunities and challenges for different segments of the industry today, including growers, marketers, wholesalers, foodservice operators, retailers and more.

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