A few years ago, food manufacturer Land O'Lakes had a radical idea: What if it let part-time employees pick their own schedule?
In early 2022, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arden Hills, Minnesota-based maker of dairy products and animal feeds noticed a sea change in employee priorities: people wanted flexibility.
So, the company rolled out the Flex Work program for employees working 16-30 hours per week. Workers set the hours they can work, and Land O'Lakes figures out how that fits into production. Most of these positions are in operations and supply chain roles at the company's factories, but they also have positions in housekeeping, office clerking and sanitation—and no previous experience is required.
The pilot project debuted at the Land O'Lakes facility in St. Joseph, Missouri, and the company said the response was "overwhelming," with more than 100 applicants in the first few days. The roles are ideal for parents being pulled in 100 different directions, college students looking to pay rent or retirees looking to stay busy. According to the company, some employees who started in Flex Work have even transitioned to full-time roles.
Current positions available in the program include a Flex Production Operator in Neosho, Missouri; a Flex Housekeeper in Hillsboro, Wisconsin; a Maintenance Technician in Saint Joseph, Missouri; and a Warehouse Operator in Black River Falls, Wisconsin.
According to a report in Fortune, it was a now-retired chief supply chain officer who championed the concept. Basically, the exec said the company needed to move beyond the mentality of "that can't happen in manufacturing environments."
The company has some 60 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. , but plans to roll the initiative out across all 140 of its domestic locations.
Land O’Lakes said that views and applications for flex roles are about 25% higher than for traditional roles, and turnover is significantly lower. Turnover among flex workers is 12 points lower than among recently hired full-time talent.
While it may not make a career, Flex Work could be a solution for people looking to make a little extra cash and companies looking to fill gaps on the floor.
