For Canada’s diverse artisan beverage industry, including wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries, the workforce shortage is one of the top challenges to sustaining and growing their businesses.

Although these businesses have various needs, limited budgets, and seasonal requirements, they recruit workers with similar skill sets. A recent feasibility study by the Business Alliance for Artisan Fermenters and Distillers (BAAFD or “the Alliance”) suggests job sharing between different types of beverage producers may be a viable solution to finding the workers they need.

Sandra Oldfield, a wine industry consultant, and founder of Tinhorn Creek Winery in Oliver started the Alliance in 2018 with Carolyn MacLaren, a specialist in leadership management and organizational change. The Alliance is unique in Canada, offering support to approximately 600 artisan beverage producers in BC by helping them build capacity and strengthen their operations.

“Post-pandemic, labour force shortages are affecting all sectors, but the agriculture and hospitality sectors are among the most seriously affected,” says Oldfield. “In addition, the industry is often fragmented, and most businesses cannot afford to hire full-time employees. But efficiencies can be realized when one type of producer such as a winery interacts with a brewery, for example, to share a key worker.”

“A collaborative approach to recruitment can also smooth out seasonal staffing issues that occur when the industry ramps up staffing for the spring through fall months, then lays people off during the winter,” adds Oldfield.

The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) supported the feasibility study through its Innovating and Advancing Key Sectors funding stream. “More than half of BC artisan producers are located in the Southern Interior and their economic impact is significant,” says Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC. “Helping address their staffing issues can benefit communities throughout the region.”

Focus on High-end Skills

The study looked at the viability of beverage producers sharing fractional employees who provide specialized skills or management services to multiple organizations on a part-time or project basis, as well as permanent part time employees, shared employees, or contractors. It focussed on high end skilled positions including CEOs, CFOs, bookkeeping, sales and marketing managers, and on-site store managers. Cooperative job-sharing works best for small businesses with under 10 employees, while larger businesses tend to need full time workers to fulfill senior roles.

A “Deep Probe” into Job Sharing Opportunities

“The ETSI-BC funding enabled us to do a deep probe into sharing human resources,” says Oldfield. The research consisted of an informational seminar attended by 35 artisan beverage producers in August 2023 followed by in-depth interviews with individual business owners. The research outcomes were shared with producers at the Alliance’s annual Fortify Conference and Tradeshow in November.

“Producers have shown a desire to explore hiring fractional, managerial employees and are understanding the potential for cost savings through cooperative models,” says Oldfield. “The greatest challenge is the perception that all employees seek full time employment. This is not the case for all workers. There are many semi-retired and retired individuals who have relocated to the Okanagan Valley who want to offer their experiences and knowledge through part-time work.”

Businesses are also concerned about the capacity of a potential recruit, how to define the job role at the start, overcoming trust issues, and the ability to manage several part-time employees.

Oldfield adds there is further potential to connect with other sectors in the region to amplify the sharing of talent. An individual who works in marketing for a beverage maker in the summer may be able to transition to work for a local ski resort; their talent is retained in the region and benefits different sectors while providing them with career opportunities.

A survey will be conducted in mid-2024 to determine the success of the proposed job-sharing initiative, with additional information presented at the November 13, 2024, Fortify Conference in Penticton.