Introduction

Region: Midwest USA

Industry: Food Production

Roles: General labor, sanitation, production associates

Problem

A national food manufacturer with multiple sites across the US had every possible factor working against it at their manufacturing facility in rural Indiana. Located in a small town, it was far from any major workforce hub. The facility operated in freezing conditions, a constant 40°F, and processed pork from raw meat to packaged product, creating strong smells that made the work environment difficult. Workers were expected to take on 12-hour shifts, often seven days a week, with little notice or flexibility.

Our client had tried using traditional staffing agencies, but they all fell short with their antiquated methods by acquiring workers through brick-and-mortar offices and only being able to pull a very limited pool of workers. The result was always the same: mass turnover, constant no-shows, and growing operational strain. The facility was replacing more than its entire workforce every quarter, with a turnover rate close to 150%. Production teams were burned out from constantly onboarding new hires who rarely lasted more than a week.

That constant churn not only drained time and money, it jeopardized production capacity, hurt morale, and created serious compliance issues. During one audit, a staffing agency failed to provide proper I-9 documentation for several workers on-site, putting the company at risk of legal penalties and client scrutiny. The plant came close to shutting down production lines due to staff shortages.

After these events, the business was scaling after winning a large national contract that required ramping up to over 100 new workers at this facility. They were looking for temp-to-hire services to ensure they could meet the requirements of the contract, but finding full-time employees under these conditions was nearly impossible. Some shifts required availability seven days a week, and in many cases, missing even one day meant immediate termination from the facility. Additionally, the supplier conducted regular audits to verify compliance, particularly around I-9 documentation and e-verify standards. A failed audit wouldn’t just be a compliance issue, it could jeopardize the contract and cost the company millions of dollars.

Sourcing workers willing to work that schedule in such a remote area made everything more challenging. The few candidates local staffing agencies could reach had either already worked there and quit, been let go, or weren’t interested in a long-term career.

Solution

Rather than rely on the same channels that had failed before, Traba took a two-pronged approach with digital channels and a ground-up strategy tailored specifically to the realities of the job and the region. Our team knew this wasn’t just about hiring quickly, it was about finding the right people who could build their career in an environment most workers would walk away from. Rather than wait for workers to come to us, we went to them.

The first step was expanding our sourcing beyond traditional platforms. We broadened our reach and adapted our approach to better align with where qualified candidates were and what they cared about. Instead of relying solely on traditional career fairs, we implemented a more proactive and data-informed strategy to identify, engage, and vet workers with relevant experience; especially those familiar with cold storage environments and GMP protocols. We targeted specific keywords via digital channels and connected with community groups in the area. Clear expectations were set from the start, helping reduce early turnover and avoid the cycle of misaligned placements that had plagued the facility for years.

To support onboarding, our team showed up in person to be consultative. We shadowed shifts, observed pain points, and worked directly with the client’s operations and HR teams to tighten the feedback loop. One major improvement was helping them restructure their schedule. With a consistent workforce in place, they were finally able to shift to a more sustainable model, introducing dedicated weekend teams and reducing burnout across the board. Traba also ensured full compliance. Every worker we deployed had proper I-9 documents and were e-verified, a critical requirement for the client, who faced regular audits and significant financial risk for non-compliance. For the first time, they had full confidence in the integrity of their contingent workforce.

Our client wasn’t looking for a revolving door of gig workers. They needed reliable people who could be trained, learn the processes, and keep production running without constant resets. With other staffing agencies, especially gig-based platforms, the client struggled to get that consistency. Workers would show up, stay for a few days, and leave, which forced the operations team to retrain new hires over and over again, slowing down lines and disrupting output. Traba approached things differently. From the start, we built a pipeline specifically designed for long-term conversion. Every worker we placed was vetted not just for their ability to do the job, but for their likelihood to stay and grow within the role.

Results

Within two months, Traba successfully staffed 60 fully vetted workers at the Indiana facility and retention remained steady throughout the ramp. For the first time in years, the site experienced workforce stability, ending the cycle of short-term placements and constant retraining.

Traba’s fill rate reached 90%, significantly outperforming other staffing partners in the region, where fill rates of 70% were typically seen as the benchmark. With a reliable pipeline in place, the client no longer faced daily uncertainty about whether production lines could operate at full capacity. Our turnover rate decreased 72% from the client’s monthly average. Operational disruptions dropped, and productivity recovered.

One of the most critical outcomes came during a compliance audit. Traba was the first supplier supporting the facility to have every worker properly documented and verified, with 100% of the workforce passing both I-9 and e-verify checks. All required documentation was ready and accessible for auditors.

After seeing this success, the client asked Traba to expand into an additional facility and we’re already growing the team there.