Empowering the Frontline: The Key to Thriving in the F&B Industry

As automation, AI, and other technologies transform the food and beverage (F&B) industry, companies are recognizing the importance of engaging their employees to drive performance, safety, and operational excellence. Rising generational expectations, labour shortages, and a post-pandemic shift in work attitudes are placing fresh emphasis on employee development, inclusion, and purpose. Equipping employees to thrive alongside new tools is a cultural challenge that requires a strategic investment in upskilling and engagement.

Key Takeaways:

• 79% of Gen Z and 75% of millennials would consider leaving a job without upskilling opportunities, highlighting the need for employee development in the F&B industry.
• Engaged employees drive performance, and highly engaged teams deliver 23% higher profitability, 14% greater productivity, and at least 18% lower turnover, according to Gallup data.
• The cost of employee disengagement is staggering, with a total of $8.8 trillion globally, and the F&B industry faces labour shortages and high turnover.
• Companies like Starbucks and PepsiCo are embedding upskilling and engagement into their growth strategies, investing in tuition reimbursement, digital skills training, and university degrees to build stable and adaptable workforces.
• Leadership is crucial in driving performance-driven cultures, and companies must develop leaders who coach and inspire trust, recognize contributions, and foster open communication.
• A case study from dss+, a global leader in workplace safety and performance, showed that a safety culture transformation program led to a 28% reduction in recordable injuries and $3.1 million in cost savings.

Statistics:

• 23% of employees worldwide are engaged, while 77% are disengaged, resulting in a staggering $8.8 trillion in lost productivity (Gallup)
• The F&B industry faces a labour shortage, with an added challenge of high turnover rates, with some quick-service restaurants experiencing turnover rates of over 100% (National Restaurant Association and Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Starbucks reduced employee turnover to 58% in the US and Canada in 2023 and 49% in 2024, significantly lower than the typical fast-food industry average (National Restaurant Association and Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• PepsiCo offers over 100,000 frontline employees access to high school completion, digital skills training, and university degrees at no cost (consultdss.com)

Sources:

• Gallup: "State of the Global Workplace: Employee Engagement Trends"
• National Restaurant Association and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• consultdss.com (website)
• dss+ Safety Cultural Transformation case study
• consultdss.com (website)