Building a chain of momentum through produce teamwork
I recall reading a tongue-in-check bit years ago about a youngster whose family moved into a new housing development. His mom allowed him to occasionally visit with the workmen next door while the house was still under construction.
Everyone thought it cute for the young one to hang with the carpenters on their lunch break. That is, until the kid was playing with his own plastic tools alone at home not long afterward and mom overheard her child exclaim to his imaginary play co-worker, “Oh, to #!@*&% with it, let the drywallers fix it!”
Out of the mouths of babes, right?
However, it does conjure up moments of reality in the produce department. I can’t tell you how many times I was working a shift, when a co-worker expressed the same sentiment: “We rotated half the items on the list, save the rest for the opening shift.” It’s said in a moment of fatigue, perhaps. Often, it is giving up, passing the buck or whatever you want to call it.
Just like the little kid echoing the construction workers, deferred tasks happen in the produce aisle. “Save it for the next guy.” At least, that’s the occasional attitude — and it isn’t a good one.
No one likes to walk into more of a workload than usual. It’s a produce manager’s job to nurture exactly the opposite outlook. The produce manager must set the pace all right, but he or she also needs to preach the importance of teamwork, spreading tasks out as best as possible, with everyone doing not only what’s expected, but exceeding expectations.
Related: More insight from Armand Lobato
The overriding message should be, “Take care of the next guy.”
Typically, this means the closing shift stocks the produce department, leaving it in such good condition that the morning shift can, in turn, build good momentum of their own. This generally means setting a top-notch wet rack and getting the load put away promptly. Then, with time saved from having to catch up on stock conditions, the early shift can prep items ahead of time, be it with crisping leafy greens, trimming, cleaning, building displays and more.
The middle and late shifts then walk into a department that’s in good condition, so the closers can likewise keep up the momentum, get things prepped, and in turn, cover the morning crew. Call it one hand washing the other, the foxhole philosophy, or “Scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” It’s about watching each other’s backs.
Most produce managers simply call this good teamwork. It takes time to build this kind of rapport, but once set, everything else works better too. When a manager overhears the crew go from whining about their workload to hustling and talking up taking care of their buddy on the next shift, well, it’s a beautiful thing.
Who benefits most of all? Your customers.
Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years of experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions.
