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Chapter 22 Management and Sanitation
Because many jobs in the food processing
and foodservice industry (including cleanup)
do not require previous formal training or
education, many unskilled workers select the
food industry as the area of their first employ-
ment. High school and college students fre-
quently work in the food industry. The age
and multiple interests of these employees have
been blamed for the high employee turnover
in the foodservice industry.
Most management personnel in the food
industry will agree that the rapid turnover
rate of sanitation employees can be attribut-
able to a lack of training and education. This
condition has apparently contributed to a
lower salary scale, especially among food-
service employees. Therefore, management
has a challenge in recruiting and training
employees for the sanitation operation.
Another challenge, sometimes difficult to
accept, is the need to give sanitation a pro-
fessional and exciting image so that employ-
ees will proudly and enthusiastically accept
their responsibilities related to maintenance
of a hygienic operation. Management plays
a key role in the effectiveness of a sanitation
program.
Sanitation employees are paramount to
food safety. Turnover of sanitation employ-
ees should be minimized. A stable and well-
trained team should cross-train new employees
to attain maximal efficiency and reduce plant
downtime.
The sanitation team is a valuable asset.
Through its efforts, future production prob-
lems can be prevented. The team should be
recognized for its efforts to inspire more pro-
ductivity. If the sanitation team is perceived
as a necessary expense, that is how it will per-
form. Employees tend to perform at the level
of their employer expectations. Carsberg
(1998) stated, “If you give enough people
what they want, then you will be assured to
get everything you want.” The sanitation
team needs to know that through its work,
the manufactured food will be clean and safe.Management requirements
The success or failure of a sanitation pro-
gram is attributable to the extent that man-
agement supports it. Management can affect
the success of a sanitation program. The dis-
cussion that follows will suggest the key role
that management plays in the organization
and implementation of an effective sanita-
tion program.Management Philosophy
Unfortunately, too many managers in the
food industry are not convinced that an