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Canadian Quality Milk On-Farm Food Safety Program - Centre ...

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<strong>Canadian</strong> <strong>Quality</strong> <strong>Milk</strong><br />

• Motivation and job satisfaction for staff, because training and ongoing managerial<br />

support will help them meet new challenges.<br />

Even the best-planned program will not work unless hired help and family members<br />

understand the principles and practices of a HACCP-based system. Training helps staff<br />

learn:<br />

• Who does what.<br />

• What the:<br />

- Rules and policies are.<br />

- HACCP-based system is all about.<br />

- Standard operating procedures are.<br />

- Corrective action plans are.<br />

• When SOPs and preventative best management<br />

practices are to be implemented and records kept.<br />

• Why the HACCP-based system is important.<br />

• Where the CCPs are in the operation.<br />

• How to apply SOPs, corrective actions, etc.<br />

Hiring and retaining a workforce can always bring new challenges. Hiring workers who<br />

do not speak your language or who have a different cultural background can bring about<br />

a variety of new issues and demands. Some things to consider are:<br />

• Do not segregate staff who speak your language from those who do not. Staff<br />

morale will be better if you include all staff in training sessions and staff meetings<br />

– you may even find that during these sessions everyone learns new words and<br />

phrases from each other, which will improve every day communication.<br />

• Be prepared to have a translator or someone on staff who can speak both<br />

languages present during training sessions and staff meetings. The meetings<br />

may be slow at first, but, over time, the benefits will outweigh any delays.<br />

• Be aware that some cultures are more male-oriented and some workers may<br />

need time to adjust to having a female supervisor, or vice versa. Be prepared to<br />

give your staff time to adjust to you, as you will need time to adjust to them. Be<br />

patient and yet firm in your messaging.<br />

• If you hire a group of foreign workers, depending on the culture, the group may<br />

develop a class-system within itself. Understanding this group dynamic will help<br />

you spot and solve problems before they gain momentum.<br />

• Understand cultural needs and work with them, not against them. This will<br />

ensure things run more smoothly without any surprises, for example, some<br />

cultures require separate toilet facilities, while others may need time to<br />

accommodate religious needs. Knowing your “farm culture” and having a shared<br />

respect for these needs will ensure a happier, more successful workforce.<br />

June 2010 9—3

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