Background

Folgers Coffee operates two major manufacturing plants in New Orleans where employees work demanding 12-hour rotating shifts. The existing pay and promotion system required employees to complete lengthy written assessments in order to advance. Although the intention was to measure knowledge and accountability, the process became a major source of frustration. Employees questioned why they had to complete long written assignments when their day-to-day performance, attendance, and metrics were already well known by management. The Pay and Progression Team was asked to research the problem and redesign the entire system so that it better reflected the realities of shift work and employee performance.

Challenge

The main challenge was to rebuild the pay and progression structure in a way that felt fair, transparent, and manageable for employees who were already working long, physically demanding shifts. The previous approach created unnecessary stress and blocked employees from receiving timely raises. Workers consistently reported that the process felt disconnected from the actual work they performed. Folgers needed a system that supported quick early-level advancement, reduced unnecessary paperwork, and still offered a structured way to evaluate leadership as employees moved into more senior roles.

Solution

Over six months, the team interviewed close to one hundred employees across multiple shifts, roles, and tenure levels to understand what aspects of the current system created the most frustration. Using this research, we developed a new progression model that relied on peer observations, supervisor evaluations, and operational performance rather than lengthy written assessments. Early-level employees could now move through Levels 0 to 2 based on reliability, training completion, and performance metrics without the burden of writing long answers after a twelve-hour shift. Higher-level employees from Levels 3 to 5, who are expected to demonstrate leadership and operational decision-making, continued to complete reflective assessments aligned with their responsibilities. Both employees and management agreed that this structure created a more balanced, fair, and effective system.