<p>By: Carol Abel, Vice President, Education, FMI</p><div class="mg-image–circular" style="float:right;margin:10px;"><img alt="grocery leader" src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/grocery-leader.jpg?sfvrsn=38aa900b_1" sf-size="100" /></div><p>According to <a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/food-retailing-industry-speaks"><i>The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2022</i></a> report,
workforce and talent top the list of challenges facing the food industry. With a turnover rate of 48% among food retailers and a 29% turnover rate for suppliers, it’s easy to understand why workforce is on the minds of so many food industry
professionals. We know that leadership is key to retaining talent and that is where the
<a href="https://www.fmi.org/future-leaders">Future Leaders eXperience</a> and the <a href="https://www.fmi.org/events-education/certificates-and-development/food-retail-leader-certificate">Food Retail Leadership Certificate</a> can help. Here’s how:<br /></p><ul><li>FMI held focus groups with current and former food industry employees and learned that immediate/frontline managers can make a strong impact on employee satisfaction.
<p> </p></li><li>Our survey of <a href="https://www.fmi.org/events-education/certificates-and-development/food-retail-leader-certificate">Food Retail Leadership Certificate</a> recipients showed that 64% of respondents indicated that the program, which first starts with the <a href="https://www.fmi.org/future-leaders">Future Leaders eXperience</a>,
“improved my skills to coach and help develop my teammates” and 53% indicated that it “improved my skills as a leader for my peers.”
<p> </p></li><li>Retention of quality frontline leaders is also important and 98% of respondents indicated that they are still working for the same company as when they completed the <a href="https://www.fmi.org/events-education/certificates-and-development/food-retail-leader-certificate">Food Retail Leadership Certificate</a>.
<p> </p></li><li>Most survey respondents (59%) indicated that they have increased responsibility and 48% indicated that they’ve moved to a higher position after completing the certificate program. <br /></li></ul><p>I urge you to consider the importance of developing your leaders to both retain them and increase the satisfaction of other workers in your organization. <a href="https://www.fmi.org/future-leaders">Future Leaders eXperience</a> Online classes start April 20
<sup>th</sup>.<br /></p><p><a class="button" href="https://www.fmi.org/future-leaders">Future Leaders eXperience</a></p>
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