Baking & Snack - March 2005 - 43

Personnel Preparation
new line by fall of 2005 - a very
robust schedule.
MINDSET MATTERS. The current variety line produces multiple
pan sizes including wide 24-oz for
dense loaves, 20 oz, 1 lb (16 oz) and
sandwich. Plans are to add more
pans and pan sizes after the renovations. Capital dollars will be spent to
expand and automate pan storage
and retrieval. The plant handles 700
SKUs, 300 of which are produced at
the plant. Other products such as bagels and muffins are shipped into a
local distribution center from other
SLBG plants.
Variety production begins in one
of two Baker Perkins (APV Baker)
horizontal mixers, followed by a variety of makeup equipment. Pans of
proofed dough travel through a Burford seeder that applies various toppings based on the variety then load

46 / BAKING & SNACK / March 2005

Two years ago, Sara Lee Bakery Group initiated a relationship with an
outside assessment firm to help reverse a major dilemma that affects
much of the baking industry today - turnover.
"Most baking companies have their highest turnover during the first
six to 12 months of an employee's tenure," said George Moore, vicepresident administration and diversity, Sara Lee Bakery Group, St. Louis,
MO. "Training and administrative costs can get out of hand, and morale
of other long-standing employees is affected by the revolving door of
new workers."
SLBG began working with ePredix, Minneapolis, MN, a human capital
management company, in March 2003. "We spent several months developing assessment tests for each job family in our bakeries," Mr. Moore
said. "It was an excellent exercise for all involved, and it was necessary to
assure that ePredix' assessments measured the essential requirements of
each job family."
One of the company's issues, according to Karen Van Curen, human
resource manager at Orangeburg, was that it was not hiring employees
with skill sets needed for a manufacturing maintenance or sales position.
The new assessment program begins with a broad-context online questionnaire to be filled out by an applicant. "Initially, it wouldn't matter if
the applicant were applying for a dough mixing or packaging position,"
Mr. Moore explained. "The applicant would be assessed as a machine
operator. ePredix provides assessments that predict and improve job
success at all levels. Experience and aptitude, along with attendance and
stability, are initially gauged. If they pass this phase, they are referred for
a plant interview or further testing on instrumentation, math, reading or
other needs of the particular job function."
"We all know working conditions at most bakeries are hot, with long,
mixed-schedule work hours - not the most pleasant environment," Ms.
Van Curen concurred with Mr. Moore. "What this program does is provide
more predictable fit for the type of work and work environment we offer.
If the candidates make it to an interview and pass a routine background
check and drug screening, they are
provided a bakery tour and usually
ᮤ ᮢ Various mandrels (white tubular bar at left)
offered a position."
can be inserted depending on the bread variety
To date, the pre-screening apand type of toppings needed, allowing precise
placement of on each loaf (inset).
titude testing program has been
implemented in 12 SLBG locations with nearly 700 production
and 200 sales applicants taking
part. According to Mr. Moore, the
program is near the end of its test
phase. He plans to roll out the
program to all bakeries beginning
this July and to be fully vested at
all sales and production facilities
by July 2007. "What we have found
to date are employees who stay
with the company longer, have
more potential for advancement
and require less initial supervision
because of the stringent pre-testing process," Ms. Van Curen noted.

Baking & Snack - March 2005

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