Robin L. Fiddes, SPHR Senior Corporate Human Resource Manager Morningstar Foods, LLC division of Dean Foods, Inc. Dallas, TX

A snapshot of Morningstar Foods’ use of WorkKeys™ In 2003 Morningstar’s Mt. Crawford, VA facility began the use of WorkKeys™ as an internal and external selection tool. By 2005, the Mt. Crawford facility had experienced a 35% reduction in turnover, an 8.5% reduction in absenteeism, and a reduction in on-the-job training time of up to 50%. (2003 vs. 2004) In February of 2005, fifty-two (52) of our employees were awarded Career Readiness Certificates in a ceremony held with our community college partner and the State of Virginia. In 2005, 172 additional CRC’s were awarded to our current employees as well as to prospective employees.

What has the CRC brought to Morningstar Foods? In the hiring process, a candidate that brings a CRC to the table will reduce our testing cost by 64%.  In 2005, that would have accounted for a total savings of $10, When hiring an individual that has obtained the CRC, we know that they are going to have the requisite aptitudes for our positions.  The on-the-job training costs for these new hires has been reduced by 50% (or better, depending on position).  Our OJT cost was reduced to between $1, $2, per employee.  During 2005, that savings equated to between $128, to $256, in strictly regular, hourly wages required to pay another employee to handle the OJT for our new hire.

Morningstar Foods’ future plans Implementation of WorkKeys™ testing, as a selection tool, in our other facilities across the nation. 2006Sulphur Springs, TX Newington, CT Murray, KY 2007Frederick, MD TBDfacilities in AL, CA, MN, NY, WI With the growth our company is facing, to have a credentialing tool available in our locations makes the hiring process streamlined -- with a known, immediate return on investment to the business.

Questions? Robin L. Fiddes2515 McKinney Avenue 1200 Dallas, TX 75201