<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">By Matt Riesenbach, Product Management Director, </span></i><a href="https://www.ecisolutions.com/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">ECI Software Solutions</span></i></a></p>
<p><strong>Key takeaways:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>
<strong>Bridging the skills gap:</strong> Food manufacturers are facing a growing labor shortage, with nearly 2 million roles in jeopardy. Reskilling, upskilling, mentorship, and credentialing programs are crucial to retain talent and equip workers for evolving digital and compliance demands.
</li>
<li>
<strong>Technology as an engagement tool:</strong> Automation and digital tools can enhance job satisfaction by removing repetitive tasks and providing real-time insights to frontline employees. Successful adoption necessitates transparency, early staff involvement, and robust change management led by supervisors.
</li>
<li>
<strong>Future-proofing through people and processes:</strong> Long-term success hinges on fusing modern technologies with a culture of continuous training, flexibility, and open communication. Companies that invest equally in systems and their workforce will be best positioned to stay competitive.
</li>
</ul>
<hr/>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The struggle for staffing in the food manufacturing sector is well-documented. According to Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, approximately </span><a href="https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/manufacturing-industrial-products/supporting-us-manufacturing-growth-amid-workforce-challenges.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">3.8 million</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> new workers will be needed by 2033, with up to 1.9 million positions at risk of remaining unfilled under current trends. The recruitment of new talent is a pressing challenge, paired with the necessity to retain existing staff. PwC’s 2023 </span><a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/library/pulse-survey/business-reinvention.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pulse Survey</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> suggests that 71% of leaders see talent acquisition and retention as a “serious or moderate” risk to their businesses in the near future.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Understaffing complicates meeting production timelines and maintaining food safety and quality compliance. Simultaneously, the digital revolution is reshaping food production processes. Equipping employees with the necessary knowledge and support to stay updated is crucial for future success.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Strengthening the Skills Pipeline</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A notable knowledge gap arises from the generational shift in manufacturing. Experienced workers, carrying years of valuable knowledge, are retiring, while new hires seek immediate advancement but often lack practical experience. This situation can stifle growth opportunities without a proper learning framework in place, ultimately hurting retention.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To address this gap, reskilling and upskilling are vital. Bain & Company’s 2024 Factory of the Future research indicates that readiness to adopt digital technologies, lean operations, and sustainability practices could raise productivity by at least 30%. This involves combining soft skills, such as teamwork, with technical training in automation, compliance, and data analysis. For example, a line worker may need to collaborate across shifts to troubleshoot a packaging machine while understanding its automated controls. Similarly, quality assurance personnel must not only communicate effectively with production teams but also utilize data analysis skills to detect early signs of issues.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Implementing clear credentialing can demonstrate how skill development leads to career progression. Additionally, mentorship programs linking seasoned employees with newcomers and on-demand training modules that fit within shifts are impactful strategies to enhance motivation and retention.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Engagement through Technology</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Company culture improvement involves more than just embracing new technologies; it requires a balance between employee engagement and the modernization of outdated processes. Automation and digital tools can eliminate repetitive tasks, enhancing job engagement and satisfaction. For instance, </span><a href="https://tandemfoods.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Simply Natural</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a TruFood Manufacturing subsidiary, reduced its warehouse staff from </span><a href="https://resource.ecisolutions.com/c/deacom_case_study_trufood?x=x98nN_&_gl=1*dfcr43*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3NTcwODg3NjQuQ2p3S0NBandsT3JGQmhCYUVpd0F3NGJZRGVNVjJkMGRlUkZFUXJIZDZ6dXdEbnN3Y1JmZ2QyckphcUx6SUhPeGY5NzBVbHdqOW5XMTh4b0NaNjRRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*MTc3NzIyNzgzNC4xNzUzODkyODYw"><span style="font-weight: 400;">10 to 7</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> following a digital inventory view implementation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Real-time dashboards monitoring yield, efficiency, or quality enable line workers to make immediate changes without waiting for supervisor input, fostering a sense of contribution to plant performance. Businesses that involve frontline employees in technology rollouts generally achieve higher productivity than those implementing tools without staff input, as noted in </span><a href="https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/ai-at-work-momentum-builds-but-gaps-remain"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BCG’s 2025 AI at Work report</span></a>.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Promoting transparency helps employees understand the reasoning behind technological advancements and how these innovations integrate with their roles. This awareness leads to improved employee engagement and smoother adoption of new tools.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Effective change management is essential; even well-designed training can fail without it. Change can be challenging, particularly within industries reliant on legacy systems. Leading manufacturers prioritize three strategies:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Empowering frontline supervisors and plant managers to champion acceptance across teams.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Engaging employees early in the process to build trust and address concerns.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clarifying the “why” behind changes so staff understand the advantages for both the company and their careers.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The key to progress for food producers lies in framing digital adoption as a pathway to growth and job stability instead of a disruption.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Future-proofing the Workforce</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">AI, automation, and interconnected systems are transforming operations, making hybrid skills essential for roles like quality control and supply chain management. Flexibility in job roles can widen the talent pool, even if restricted to non-production positions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Manufacturers that emphasize ongoing training, open communication, and flexibility will position themselves favorably for lasting success. Beyond utilizing modern systems, motivated, skilled employees will drive innovation and maintain competitiveness.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Technological solutions alone will not resolve the labor shortage in food manufacturing; success involves a dual commitment to refining processes and investing in people. By bridging the skills gap, fostering retention, and ensuring that digital transformation delivers value company-wide, businesses can secure their position in the future of food manufacturing.</span></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-27479" src="https://foodindustryexecutive.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/b55f2d3d-d2f5-4263-8d5b-8717edc3811a-author_headshot-MR-150x150.jpeg" alt="Matt Riesenbach" width="150" height="150"
srcset="https://foodindustryexecutive.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/b55f2d3d-d2f5-4263-8d5b-8717edc3811a-author_headshot-MR-150x150.jpeg 150w,
https://foodindustryexecutive.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/b55f2d3d-d2f5-4263-8d5b-8717edc3811a-author_headshot-MR-300x300.jpeg 300w,
https://foodindustryexecutive.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/b55f2d3d-d2f5-4263-8d5b-8717edc3811a-author_headshot-MR.jpeg 400w"
sizes="(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px"/>Matt Riesenbach is the product management director at </span></i><a href="https://www.ecisolutions.com/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">ECI Software Solutions</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a global provider of cloud-based business management software and services. He has been with ECI Software Solutions and its Deacom ERP Software for Batch and Process Manufacturers for nearly 10 years.</span></i></p>
<span class="et_social_bottom_trigger"/>
