Why Investing In the Professional Development of Agricultural Workers is in Everyone’s Best Interest

Valuing farmworkers’ professionalism, expertise and contributions to the supply chain can look like providing opportunities for growth and development on the job.

Data show soft skills training, even in blue-collar jobs, can lead to increased productivity that comes from resolved conflicts, better communication and shared solutions.

Consider the findings of a study from MIT Sloan School of Management, which found that in-factory training in problem-solving, communication and decision-making for factory workers yielded a 250% return on investment in just eight months. The study revealed an overall increase in worker productivity, faster turnaround on complex tasks and improved employee attendance.

The researchers interviewed the factory workers at the end of the study and found that those who’d been trained had marginally larger incomes and better opinions of themselves as workers. They were also more likely to request training in hard skills.

At EFI, we have seen that when agricultural workers receive training in communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution — soft skills that improve teamwork and overall performance at work — innovation and productivity increase in the field, greenhouse or packing shed and positively affect workers’ personal lives and communities.

Rethinking how work is done and investing in the professional development and career pathways for agricultural workers raises the bar on working conditions, productivity, product quality and quality of life.

Check out these stories about the impact of training from EFI Leadership Team members:

• Silvia Zaragoza found the motivation to pursue her literacy journey after completing EFI training.

• Bernardo Reyes saw the labor-management collaboration that resulted from EFI training positively affect productivity and how it feels to come to work. 

• Claudia Acosta reports increased confidence in communicating with her co-workers.

• Cristian Lopez has seen how understanding the supply chain as a whole affects quality and that engaging more workers to contribute solutions to problems at work has made it easier to be successful.

• After going through EFI Leadership Team training, Teofila Canongo now trains other farmworkers on her farm in sexual harassment awareness and prevention.

As Farmworker Awareness Week comes to a close today, we want to remember that the skill and expertise of agricultural workers keeps the food supply chain stable, plentiful and safe. It's in everyone's best interest — farmworkers, growers, retailers and consumers — to consider and give value to the benefits of offering farmworkers growth and development opportunities in the fresh produce industry.

Learn more about EFI's customizable workforce development training.