Baking & Snack - March 2020 - 12

editorial
Finding new ways to fill the gap

About four years ago the American Society of Baking and
the American Bakers Association commissioned Kansas
City-based Cypress Research to conduct a study called
"The Workforce Gap in US Commercial Baking: Trends,
Challenges & Solutions." It was the first time I'd heard the
term "workforce gap," but it would not be the last.
I bet I've heard it a thousand times now, and here's
what I've learned: Cypress' predictions in 2016 were spoton ... and we still haven't found the answer.
But to be honest, solving the workforce puzzle is a little
like curing the common cold. The best we've been able to
do is mitigate the symptoms. The world has changed a lot
since the days of the "dough heads," and the gap is about
more than a sinking unemployment rate and increased
wages. Consumer expectations are changing as fast as -
if not faster than - worker expectations.
Shoppers have options, and that's keeping the
producers on their toes. But the workers have
options, too. So, now what? That's the milliondollar question.
Of course, the easy answer is automation;
it's been a game-changer. Today, there are full
production lines so automated that all they
need is someone to flip on the switch, and in
many cases, that's all it takes to get a quality
product out the door.
But what about that person turning on the
line? How long can someone remain fulfilled if his
or her only responsibility is flipping a switch? And what
comes before the switch ... or after? Baking is an art and
science and a labor of love, even when it's automated.

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12 Baking & Snack March 2020 / www.bakingbusiness.com

The next stage in closing the gap will be about the succession and longevity of our industry. It's time to start
thinking about who will carry the craft into the future.
Last year, the Baking Industry Alliance (BIA) began as
a partnership among several industry associations. While
it was created to tackle a host of issues, its first strategic
alliance was formed with USO Pathfinder to help service
members and military spouses preparing to transition
into the civilian workforce.
I attended the BIA's first baking industry-focused
Employment Readiness Workshop with USO Pathfinder
at the Ft. Riley, KS, Army post, and I witnessed solutions
in action. Baking industry professionals had the opportunity to meet with military service members and extol
the benefits of commercial baking (read more about this
event and the BIA in this month's Newsfront). In terms of
skills, commitment and work ethic, it's a near-perfect fit,
which may have come as a surprise to the service members in attendance. For many of them, baking wasn't even
on the radar.
That means there's more work to be done.
The BIA will partner with USO Pathfinder again in
May at Ft. Hood in Texas. I encourage you to consider
attending and help promote employment in the baking
industry to this worthy group of individuals. And in the
meantime, think about the other untapped labor pools
that you may be overlooking. Baking companies market
their products to fickle and even cynical consumers ...
why not do the same for a new crop of workers?
- Joanie Spencer, editor
jspencer@sosland.com

EDITORIAL
Editor
Editorial Director
Managing Editor
Senior Editor
Digital Media Editor
Associate Editor
Contributing Editors:

Joanie Spencer
Dan Malovany
Nico Roesler
Charlotte Atchley
Anna Wiber
Karlee Renkoski
Donna Berry
M. Hikmet Boyacıoglu

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Baking & Snack - March 2020

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