faces of the frontline: manufacturing’s all stars

When Jennifer Allen joined KIND, an impact-led food manufacturer, back in 2020, she immediately stood out for her positivity, drive for excellence, and desire to do the right thing. Her commitment to growth inspired her to take ownership of Redzone and not only streamline operations but also drive adoption among the team. 

Her willingness to help and find solutions that both solve business challenges and make processes easier for the team has earned her the designation of Redzone Compliance Champion in 2022. As the Production Supervisor, Jennifer continues to challenge the status quo and inspire excellence in others, making her the perfect employee for our Faces of the Frontline spotlight.

Leading by Example

Jennifer has never been the one to sit on the sidelines and wait for things to happen. As soon as she joined KIND, she voluntarily took ownership of Redzone, the #1 connected workforce solution. With this versatile tool, she created over 70 product datasheets across two shifts, 10 different business units and eight languages to help the team deliver consistent quality on the manufacturing floor: “She didn’t have to take this [Redzone] on. She could have easily sat back and let others create all these datasheets. But no, Jennifer dove right in on that first day of compliance kickoff week. That’s just what she does,” says (person, position 4:07). 

Jennifer is not only a self-starter, but her exacting standards mean she always strives for excellence. “If it’s not right, it’s not going to be pushed out to the floor,” adds (person, position 4:43). These high expectations, alongside her friendly disposition and great communication skills, have made her an indispensable team member at KIND.

A true leader knows how to strike the perfect balance between driving growth and catering to the needs of others. Jennifer is exceptional in being a people person while consistently delivering results across the business. When the team asks for help, she immediately creates a project in Redzone and comes up with just the right solution. Keeping everything in one place has made it easy for the team to collaborate and learn from one another: 

“We’ll come and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got a project for you. How can we get this into Redzone?’ And Jennifer thinks about it and she comes back with a solution that meets the requirement as well as making it easy for the employees to execute.” (person, position, 00:29)

Catalyst for Change

Jennifer’s colleagues are quick to emphasize her positive attitude even in the face of a challenge. That full commitment to doing things right regardless of how difficult they are has rubbed off on others and inspired them to do better as well: “When they see that she’s willing to commit and do it the right way and give a hundred percent effort, then it translates to them, and they want to give the same effort,” says (person, position 3:11)

This can-do attitude has completely transformed how the team responds to change. Whereas in the past, employees were reluctant to go paperless, having Jennifer on the manufacturing floor has boosted their confidence and made them more receptive to new ideas: “We’ve gone from, ‘oh man, I don’t want to go paperless’ to ‘hey, this is easy.’ One of the reasons they adapted so well was because Jennifer was there.” (4:43)

Inspiring Excellence in Others

What makes Jennifer special isn’t just her drive to excel but her commitment to elevate those around her to do the same. “For me, what has stood out is not just her ability to absorb the information and apply the principles that Redzone gives us, but her desire to share and make everybody else around her better,” says (person, position 1:46).

Her commitment to the business and her co-workers expands beyond the production lines. She’s since transferred her knowledge from packaging production to the bakery, spreading the effects of her work across different parts of the business: “She was able to take the knowledge that she learned in packaging production and bring it over to the bakery and help us there as well.” (person, position 2:28)

When asked to describe Jennifer, her colleagues are quick to highlight her spicy and dedicated personality as well as the high expectations she has of herself and others. This blend of personality, drive, and a single-minded focus on growth makes Jennifer not only a true asset on the manufacturing floor but also a natural-born leader who can lead the business to success.

Want to know more? Read about more Faces of the Frontline, and their stories stories in our ebook.