Manufacturing, processing, packing, and distributing safe, nutritious, and high-quality food has always been a challenge, requiring constant evaluation of and updates to existing food safety programs. With regulations and local laws changing quickly, new employee onboarding, and more, it’s crucial for companies to invest in the food safety training needed to meet standards. When workers at any level are improperly trained or unsure of best practices, it doesn’t just hurt efficiency — it could also compromise food safety throughout the operation, resulting in recalls, lost revenue, and tarnished brand reputation.
Adopting a beginner’s mindset to food safety is key to improving adherence, because openness to learning and the desire to perfect performance are exactly what it takes to identify food safety issues and follow food safety protocols effectively. To that end, food safety training courses can benefit seasoned, long-time employees as much as it does new hires.
As experienced staff members retire at higher rates, and key positions are filled by less experienced workers, food safety training is critical to quickly getting employees up to company standards. At the same time, workers who have been at a company for multiple years can benefit from courses that reinforce the basics while building on their knowledge and experience, as well as familiarize them with new best practices.
Training becomes even more important as regulatory scrutiny continues to grow, demanding high standards from frontline workers and accelerated mid-management preparation.
Education and training are no longer optional. Some provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that were previously non-binding are now binding, including rules around education and training.
Now, all employees who manufacture, process, pack or hold food are required to have specific education, training, and/or experience that qualify them to perform their assigned duties. Management must also ensure they receive training in food hygiene and food safety principles, as well as on the importance of employee health and hygiene in relation to food, facilities, and roles assigned to them.
However, employers must find creative solutions to overcome two important challenges in the current economic climate: how to effectively train employees, and how to pay for it.
Forgoing food safety training and continued education is a risk no company can afford. In addition to violating FSMA, failing to invest in employee development training could increase turnover. What’s more, you run the risk of food safety breaches, as well as potential recalls, foodborne illness outbreaks, lost sales, and eventually, severe damage to your reputation.
A different course of action in the current business climate might be to reevaluate how best to spend your already constrained training budget. Here are some ideas:
Food safety training must always be a priority in order to protect public health and your company’s reputation. These online trainings could be exactly what you need to build up expertise and skill in your workforce:
Learn more about AIB International’s other food safety training offerings here.