FWD Column: Prioritise young talent for the future

We all have a responsibility to ensure wholesale thrives and that involves creating a culture to attract and retain talent, says Lyndsey Cambridge, FWD’s Head of Engagement and Communication

All of us working within the wholesale sector carry a degree of responsibility to ensure it continues to thrive as a critical route to market for brands. Part of that responsibility is contributing to create a culture of inclusivity, diversity and equity in order to attract and retain the very best talent in the food and drink industry.

As a trade association, one of our roles at FWD is to keep up with emerging trends, be on the pulse with what matters to those entering the job market and steer our members accordingly. That’s why we have launched our sector-wide mentorship this autumn, now in its second year.

Offering wholesale’s Future Leaders (FWD’s forum of 100-strong under 35s) the chance to be partnered with a senior leader from the sector is unique. And it’s something we are incredibly proud to be facilitating.

Getting ahead early on in your career can feel tough. There are so many elements of a business and the working world, let alone getting to grips with the complexity of the wholesale channel, that can leave people feeling frustrated and flustered.

Powerful

Taking the mentorship outside of the confines of an individual’s own workplace and exposing them to the diversity of thought and wisdom of experience from another can be a powerful thing.

There is a saying that ‘it takes a village to raise a family’; I’d argue that the same can be said for developing the future leaders of our sector. It comes back to that responsibility piece. Many studies have been carried out in recent years that show employee wellbeing, development and investment in colleagues are increasingly some of the most important benefits that a company can offer a workforce. We all care about how we are treated; we all want to feel valued and that our contribution to our businesses make a difference. Job satisfaction now goes way beyond salary; we want more from the 9-5. And why not?

Being part of a mentorship scheme is just one of the strings sitting on that satisfaction bow. It would be wrong to say with any certainty that these schemes are transformational to any one individual in its entirety, but it is part of the tapestry, part of the village which raises and develops valuable
talent in order to support the future-proofing of our sector.

Unique time

That’s not to say that mentors don’t benefit from generously giving their time and sharing their expertise with those keen to follow in their wake. Gen Z and soon Gen Alpha have so much to teach our existing leaders. We are in a unique time where we will shortly be operating in a workplace with five generations in it, making for a potential hot-bed of friction. Learning to gel and bridge generational differences within a team is a key skill that can be garnered from this process.

Investing in young talent is something we at FWD are passionate about. Our members have identified this as key to their business’s success, and many have excellent programmes in place to attract and retain such talent. Pricecheck is one of those businesses I’d highlight as being market-leading in this space. CEO Debbie Harrison has led the way on implementing a strategy of bringing in young talent and supporting those colleagues on their career journey. There are many examples of how wholesale is turning with the tide; choosing to put employee development and nurturing talent front and centre of their agenda.

It’s not just a nice thing to do, it’s the right thing to do in order to future-proof wholesale and ensure our great sector is a place where talented colleagues come and, crucially, stay.

Future Leaders Forum FWD FWD column Lyndsey Cambridge mentoring Skills and Development talent