By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
American companies have been using a variety of incentives to recruit and retain workers.
Tyson Foods is handing out $50 million in year-end bonuses to its employees.
Tyson spokesman Derek Burleson says the bonuses in part are a thank you for all those employees who kept coming to work, even during the coronavirus restrictions.
“These are going to be one-time bonuses, ranging anywhere from $300 to $700 based on their seniority and those are going to be distributed beginning this month and, again, we’re just really excited to be able to say, ‘Thank you’ to our team members and recognize all of their hard work,” Burleson tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Tyson has spent more than $500 million in wage increases and bonuses for frontline workers over the past year.
Tyson employs more than 700 workers at its St. Joseph food processing plan, working three shifts. Tyson also runs a plant in Kansas City.
Burleson says it’s no secret a workforce shortage has forced companies to re-think how best to keep good workers.
“I think it’s an issue and a challenge for companies in a number of industries,” Burleson says. “Again, what we’ve tried to focus on is making sure that our wages are more than competitive, making sure that we’re offering benefits that are unique to Tyson Foods and really set us apart.”
It isn’t all about money.
Tyson says begun a number of initiatives to retain its workers. The company began the Upward Academy program five years ago. The program helps workers develop life skills, such as financial and digital literacy. It offers classes in English as a Second Language, high school equivalency classes, and help in qualifying for United States citizenship. Upward Pathways works within the processing plant to develop the skills of workers and help workers qualify for various job certifications. Another program, 1+2 Maintenance Training helps workers earn maintenance jobs.
Flexible work schedules attract some workers and seems especially popular in some of the more rural settings. A pilot program in the Amarillo, Texas plant experiments with providing free child care.
Burleson says it’s no secret getting good workers is difficult right now and he’s not sure when the workforce shortage will ease.
“It’s difficult to speculate, but I know that again we’re doing everything we can to invest in our workforce and make sure that Tyson Foods is the employer of choice in those communities where we operate.”
Tyson operates food processing plans in Concordia, Dexter, Monett, Noel, and Sedalia as well, employing 5,600 Missouri workers with an annual economic impact of nearly $800 million.