Manufacturing survey highlights the labor shortage in the food and beverage industry
By Pan Demetrakakes for Food Processing
When it comes to manufacturing in the new year, the food industry is optimistic, with many looking forward to increased hiring, output and capital expenditures.
That’s the most significant takeaway from Food Processing’s 18th annual Manufacturing Survey, an online poll taken in the last quarter of 2018. The mood is so optimistic, in fact, that getting enough labor — both skilled and unskilled — is one of the biggest concerns.
Asked about staffing plans for 2019, a near-majority – 48 percent – said their companies planned to add to the workforce, while another 33 percent said they will probably maintain current staffing levels. Only 13 percent indicated that they will reduce their workforce this year.
But getting these workers is going to be a problem in at least some places. One respondent wrote that his company’s highest priority will be “maintaining a solid workforce. We have had other companies recruiting in our parking lot.”
To learn more, read "2019 Manufacturing Outlook: Glass Full but Jobs Empty" from Food Processing.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn