How is your chain or store attracting and retaining talent? What types of employee career growth programs do you have in place to assist employees and new hires on their career path?
We have online training however labor is so tight that I rarely get to take advantage to do so. And by the time I get home I am so exhausted that I don't feel up to it to go online from home.
The current employer has made no real vested interest on purpose. Aside, from trying to offer Ft hours and benefits( but notvstarus mind you) to a select group that qualify, they want PT clerks and clerk/cutters..
It's becoming a big problem at our chain. We're bleeding talent. No apprentice program, no incentives for the young workers who have no hope to be anything but clerks. Meanwhile they're working us old guys into an early grave. Add to that the young generation is a different breed... Am I the only one having a difficult time motivating them? The young guys are the worse. Some of the young women are far better workers...
It's becoming a big problem at our chain. We're bleeding talent. No apprentice program, no incentives for the young workers who have no hope to be anything but clerks. Meanwhile they're working us old guys into an early grave. Add to that the young generation is a different breed... Am I the only one having a difficult time motivating them? The young guys are the worse. Some of the young women are far better workers...
Meat cutting does seem to be becoming dominated by women over here. My last 3 meat managers were women.
I remember a day when employees would jump at the chance at working in the meat department. I use to have clerks come up to me and ask if there was any chance to get a transfer into the meat department. I think back then journeyman meat cutters were respected and the pay spread was there too! There was always an excitement in the meat room, with much more comradery. The meat room was like a home within a business. So much was happening in that room, sure it was hard work but there was always time for a little fun. At break time we gerneally all hung together and we always ate good. LOL
All that being said, when I was just starting out with the A&P Bridgeport Conn. I was told A & P had a meat cutting training school in Springfield Massachusetts. The meat school was on the second floor above a store and everything cut would go back into the store below. I never seen this training school but possibly someone in our membership may know about it.
The point I am trying to make is that there isn't any legitimate meat cutting training programs offered by supermarket companies in the U.S. that I know off. On the other hand the major meat packers do offer legitimate progressive training programs.
Ive heard about it from a cutter i used to work with. He work in bridgeport in the late 60's early 70's possibly at A&P. He ended up at A&P/Walbaums/Fresh Market and has since retired when they closed his store. send me a message and I will throw his name out to you.
the 18 year old law and child labor laws in general has hurt the retail meat trade in my opinion. used to be you looked at the bagger stand and seeked out the ones that had the hustle in them. gave them a chance and moved them up. now they cant work more than x amount of hours . cant work past a certain time. cant use a box crusher. cant clean equipment.
and by the time they turn 18 they dont want to work that hard for entry level wage in meat department. the constant increase in min. wage has made a generation of cant and wont work for it ..( not all of them) just getting harder and harder to find them.
Ive heard about it from a cutter i used to work with. He work in bridgeport in the late 60's early 70's possibly at A&P. He ended up at A&P/Walbaums/Fresh Market and has since retired when they closed his store. send me a message and I will throw his name out to you.
Thanks for the information. Who knows I might know the guy. I was a relieve manager for awhile up there and worked several stores. My home store was Bridgeport on Main St. a block from I-95, the meat managers name was Nick Pavia. My meat managers name when I first started in Strafford Conn. was Lou Wells. He was from Ansonia and Nick was from Bridgeport. I worked in the Milford store, Strafford Store, Bridgeport store ( I think there were more stores in Bridgeport). I also worked the Westport store.
