KANSAS CITY — Developing the next generation of leaders for the baking, food and agricultural industries will mean sifting through the workforce to find those with leadership qualities, including “soft skills,” a volunteer attitude and the ability to adapt to a changing workforce and increasing use of technology. Programs to develop those future leaders rank high as well.

Equally important, companies need to retain workers.

“The future of the commercial baking industry is dependent upon attracting, training and retaining highly skilled talent at all levels of the workforce,” said Christina Donnelly, senior director of strategic communications and initiatives at the American Bakers Association (ABA), Washington.

In the 2022 Workforce Gap in US Commercial Baking Study, almost 90% of baking company respondents said they had a focus on an improved work environment and culture to bolster retention, as well as utilize a formal on-boarding process, Donnelly said. Fifty-seven percent of respondents saw outlining career pathways for employees as a retention strategy among baking companies, up from 35% in the 2016 study. Research for the ABA and American Society of Baking study was conducted by Cypress Research Associates LLC.

“The key is to create career pathways for workers and communicate them during on-boarding as well as during performance review,” said Stephan Girard, senior director of education and workforce development at PMMI, a Herndon, Va.-based association for packaging and processing technologies. “Setting goals with the workers and checking in with them on their progress regularly keeps them engaged and valued. Communication is key.”

Janet Fisher, assistant director for Women in Agribusiness, Washington, added, “At Women in Agribusiness, we believe that employees need to be heard and recognized for their achievements, as well as sincerely guided through the unknowns, to ensure they stay in the sector and flourish. Continuous education, transparent communication, timely rewards, and some fun and exciting opportunities to grow along the way keep workers engaged.

“Also, agriculture is omnipresent and offers many pathways for career enrichment, so helping employees see and understand the multitude of career opportunities in ag is a must. The annual Women in Agribusiness Summit is a great way to explore these opportunities, gain industry know-how and network with those in a variety of different ag disciplines.”

Leadership qualities

When seeking potential leaders, Richmond Baking Co., Richmond, Ind., looks for workers who have “soft skills,” said Ian Lady, assistant vice president of operations at More Than A Bakery/Richmond Baking Co., referring to skills such as communication, time management, problem solving, work ethic and positive attitude. The company has started a mentor program internally.

“All of our members of senior leadership were assigned a young leader to meet with periodically to help develop and coach,” he said.

Potential leaders include “workers who take ownership of their job, care about their performance, show initiative, engage in improving processes to increase productivity,” Girard said.

Leadership candidates exhibit a myriad of qualities, Fisher said.

“At the top of the list are the desire for continuous learning, formally and through daily operations; being adaptable, flexible and comfortable with change; and possessing a strong desire to connect with ag industry, following news and connecting with leaders, and understanding their role in the evolving broader sector.”

She identified other leadership qualities that Women in Agribusiness recognizes: accountability, the ability to admit mistakes and ask for help when needed; determination and multitasking; creative thinking and problem-solving; excellent communication skills (verbal, written and in-person); the ability to listen, understand and provide guidance and clear direction to subordinates/others; proactive planning; and the ability to handle situations requiring swift, immediate action.

Similar thoughts were shared by speakers at the ABA’s NextGen Baker Leadership Forum, held Sept. 30 to Oct. 1 in Washington.

“Look for someone passionate and committed, or someone noticing the problems, so we can engage them in the solution,” said Larry Marcucci, chief executive officer of Alpha Baking Co., Chicago. “Every day, people are willing to tell me what’s wrong, but I want the person who is resolving the problem. It might not be the perfect solution, but they took initiative.”

Miguel Moreno, CEO of Roskam Foods, Grand Rapids, Mich., said he seeks workers who volunteer.

“I look for those people who say, ‘Don’t worry about it; we’re getting it done,’” he said. “We can always improve, but what we need is people who are focused on the final objective and raising their hand to make things happen.”

Leadership programs

This year, the NextGen Baker Leadership Forum sold out, with 78 attendees.

“The NextGenBaker program is ideal for emerging leaders from across the baking industry, including suppliers and bakers,” said Pippa O’Shea, senior manager of events and programming at the ABA. “This program is a unique opportunity for companies to invest in their rising leaders from all facets of the business (R&D, operations, safety, administration, marketing, sales, engineering, etc.) by sending them to a professional development experience built specifically for the commercial baking industry. The training is tailored to equip participants with essential skills and insights needed to navigate the complexities of today’s marketplace and drive success in their organizations.”

Programming focuses on four key areas:

• In professional development, NextGenBaker activities develop leadership skills with insights from experts inside and outside of the baking industry.
• In public policy engagement, members learn how public policy discussions impact the baking industry and about the value of participating in the political process.
• In relationship building, participants engage in networking events with baking industry leaders.
• In industry trends education, members receive updates on baking industry trends to remain aware of potential impacts to their companies and opportunities to contribute to business innovation and growth.

SNAC International, Arlington, Va., also has programs to develop leaders.

“For the past decade, we’ve partnered with Georgetown University to offer the Emerging Leaders Program, a free-to-members, 2.5-day educational experience,” said David Walsh, vice president of membership and communications for SNAC International.

The program includes a foundational course and an advanced 2.0 version, both led by Georgetown faculty. Key topics include building teams, leading effective teams, cultivating networks and mastering decision dynamics. Since the program’s launch in 2013, nearly 500 emerging leaders have participated.

“For established leaders, our annual Executive Leadership Forum attracts over 100 snack industry executives to address pressing topics such as sustainability, AI (artificial intelligence), workforce challenges and evolving consumer preferences,” Walsh said. “We also champion leadership diversity through our WinS (Women in Snacks) initiative, launched in 2018 to enhance the pipeline of female leaders. This summer, we hosted the inaugural WinS Summit, open to both men and women, with sessions on writing your own rules for success, advancing professionally, amplifying your voice, and navigating critical leadership conversations. Additionally, WinS programming is featured throughout SNAC’s major events, including SNAXPO and the Executive Leadership Forum, to further its mission of supporting and advancing female snack professionals.”

PMMI has two leadership development programs to help employees assist future leaders, Girard said. One focuses on the individual’s leadership style and creates a development plan to help them achieve their goals. The other program, called SheLeads: Navigating Leadership for Women, helps women stepping into management roles in a male-dominated industry.

Leaders of the future

Industry leaders need to keep updated on a more diverse workforce and technological advancements like AI.

“New industry leaders have to be more sensitive to issues like diversity and the environment,” Girard said. “It is very difficult to recruit workers into the industry and retain them. Leaders have to make workers feel valued and that they can thrive in the industry. While AI is daunting to some because it is a newer technology, I believe leaders should embrace the new innovations and learn how to harness them. Technology is one of the keys to increased productivity.”

Richmond Baking’s Lady added, “One thing our leaders are really good at is being flexible. If we have family members that have aspirations for learning new equipment or different positions, they work really hard to allow for these opportunities. We have recently gone through a major automation project, and one of the things that we are discovering is the increase in technical skills that are needed to operate the equipment, and our leader’s ability to be flexible has allowed automation startup to be successful.”

The ABA’s leadership development for front-line professionals training addresses modern demands on plant-level supervisors, offering skills to those stepping into supervisory roles, O’Shea said.

“The three-day course equips participants with the tools to navigate the complexities of a changing workforce, emphasize sustainability in daily operations and leverage technological innovations to improve productivity,” she said.

Fisher added, “Changes are coming swiftly to the ag sector, and those who are adaptable and keep pace with change and new ways and paths are prepared to lead. We at Women in Agribusiness fully embrace diversity in the workforce and believe, as research shows, that more varied viewpoints at the top bring measurable results in the bottom line. As for AI, we are still experimenting with this technology and will have to see where it leads, but suffice it to say that knowledge and understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of AI will help many grow in leadership roles.”