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What sort of people work for the firm?

Because the unemployment levels in Melton are so low (0.2%), Kettleby Foods has to be flexible in where it recruits its workers from. In addition to the large local workforce, Kettleby Foods recruits from further afield mostly within the European Union. There is a cosmopolitan feel about the workplace with a wide range of nationalities and ethnic groups working at the factory.

Kettleby Foods use recruitment agencies to source workers from abroad. It is possible that up to 100 Polish or Portuguese workers can be recruited at a time. The workers are provided with accommodation for the period in which they are employed - often up to a year at a time. The factory also tries to keep such groups together as it help the workers to settle in, makes them feel comfortable with their surroundings and builds their confidence. This can cause problems and so the day to day management of the staff by the shift managers and team leaders is very important in spotting potential problems before they get out of hand and cause disruption to the production process.

One problem the factory faces is in dealing with absence. Absence rates vary between 2 and 5% per day and in some areas this can cause problems. If the production line needs 12 staff but one or two are away, they have to be covered. Kettleby Foods does this by recruiting temporary staff from local agencies. These agencies know that regular staff may be needed and so work closely with the personnel team to ensure an appropriate and steady supply of temporary staff.

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