Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1498461
a r t i c l e W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 18 A larm bells about Maine's chronic workforce shortage have been on sur- round sound for decades, and at Wyman's, like every other business in Maine, the issue is always top of mind. Without our 200 full- time year-round employees for our agricul- tural, manufacturing, and administrative teams, and 300 seasonal employees, we can't harvest our crop each summer, keep our processing plant running year-round, or keep nourishing livelihoods in Downeast Maine, just as this family-owned company has done for nearly 150 years. In recent years, we've seen some promis- ing successes in recruitment and retention. The average employee tenure at Wyman's is nine years, nearly twice the industry aver- age of 5.5. More than one-third of Wyman's employees have worked for the company for more than a decade, and 15 percent of our employees have been on board for 20 years or more. A few major initiatives have played a key role in driving that success. And they can be applied to any business of any size in any industry. Create real pathways for advancement. Many of the people who come to us as seasonal or entry-level workers want to build their careers here, so we've developed op- portunities for them to do that. In addition to providing tuition reimbursement oppor- tunities, we've partnered with Washington County Community College to develop a wide variety of professional development courses, so our employees can pursue more education, whether they want to learn Eng- lish as a second language, earn a bachelor's degree, or advance their technical skills to vie for more specialized positions. At our processing plant in Cherryfield, where we clean, freeze and pack wild blueberries, we set up workstations with desks and comput- ers, so employees have a convenient place to study or attend online classes. Value humans, not just resources. MEMIC recently honored Wyman's with the 2022 Award for Safety Excellence, recognizing us for building a culture of care and account- ability. The award, given to just three other Recruiting and retaining an award-winning team B Y T O N Y S H U R M A N C o m m e n t a r y Tony Shurman is the president and CEO of Wyman's, a 149-year-old family-owned Maine company. Based in Milbridge, Wyman's is the top- selling brand of frozen fruit in the U.S. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F W Y M A N ' S Invest in yourself while helping Mainers reach their financial goals, bring their dreams to life, and grow their communities. Start a rewarding career at Kennebec Savings Bank today! BRANCH OUT Craig Garofalo Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer