technical operator

material handler

sanitation worker

production supervisor

ice cream maker

Hudsonville-Ice-Cream

Overall this job is a pretty Stamford factory job it’s a decent job there’s good things and bad things about it theres specific things that should be knowledgeable to you before you apply and things that stick out and I will list them below: 

-overtime there is lots of overtime available and you can work as much as you want. This is a pro or con for some people because well there’s a lot of mandatory overtime.
- unstable schedule there is days where you have to stay extra hours or come in early because of how your shift or even other shifts go if the machines are bad you just have to work more I didn’t like this aspect at all because I could never make plans before or after work and really couldn’t make plans for Saturday because we just never knew if we would have to work or not
-management management is definitely out of touch in some aspects they don’t seem to understand why employees do things certain ways machines aren’t perfect and they simple can’t always run like they are suppose to a lot of management try’s to implicate changes without understanding how it will fully affect people’s jobs and they also won’t ask why employees are doing things the current way 
-pto/sick days this is probably the worst thing at this company and definitely the worst out of any company I’ve ever worked for you get barely any pto and you get 0 sick days if you call in sick you will hear about it from everyone because the company is understaffed and they discourage you from taking sick days or calling in. 
- breaks/break room I think that this was very very good at this company the break room is nice soda machine, coffee machine, free ice cream, ovens, microwaves very very nice also nice chairs and couches and you get 1/2 hour paid and 1/2 hour unpaid which is pretty fair I think.
-clocking in early you have to be in uniform so before your actually shift starts you need to be in uniform and ready to work they allow you to clock in early so you are paid to get dressed and you can grab a coffee or something and talk to people before your shift actually starts and get paid to do so this was very very nice because It kinda encourages people to come 10-15 minutes early so they can have a cup of coffee or a snack and talk to their co workers 
-incentives the bonuses aren’t amazing (4% of your yearly earnings was the mid year bonus for 2023) however you do get sometimes gift cards or cash for attending company wide meetings one meeting we all got 250$ gift cards.

Anyways thanks for reading hopefully this answers some questions there is definitely some majors cons to this place but their is also some good benefits overall the company is very clean, it’s mostly professional, and the pay is pretty good.

Typically you come in, stretch and get a run down of the day from your manager or team lead. Once you get your assignment for the day, you head to that production room and take over for the previous shift. If you are new, you will frequently be thrown into a position where you are supposed to do something that you have never done before and are expected to figure it out as you go. If you are like me and want to do your job to the best of your ability, you will rarely be able to because you will just be trying to figure out the process on your own the majority of the time. You will be told that there are people to lean on and ask for help, but my experience on 2nd shift would lead me to tell you otherwise. Rarely was there someone knowledgeable that was ready, willing, and able to provide you with help you may need. The majority of nights, I had to work through my breaks because there weren't enough people with knowledge of running the vats that could take over for me.  Also, a lot of their processes are not optimized. There are times when you will have to put literal tons of an ingredient into vats one 40lb pail at a time over the course of your shift. I do not shy away from lifting heavy objects, but when you are asked to lift and dump over 150 (no exaggeration) 40lb pails in one shift, you are putting your body at serious risk of deterioration, no matter how good your lifting posture is. Overall, my short time here was miserable. I wouldn't recommend anyone work here unless you are very desperate and are able to get in on 1st shift where there is more support. 

HR was extremely good at getting me in the door, but after that it was like you are a cog in a machine that takes your soul. The company looked like the culture was great, it looked like they have a plan for you, and it looks like they have a lot of money. It all looks that way by design, because after a while the cracks start to show. Worked mandatory Saturdays at least once or twice a month, days are long, breaks aren’t guaranteed especially the last one, and it always feels like they expect more out of you. They have no promotion or raise policy. No promotion guidelines. They are a cheap. Was told I wasn’t getting a bonus because of my hire date, and my whole crew was in the same boat as me. Honestly they have good intentions I really believe that, they give you one day off at least; Sunday. I just think the owners are taking advantage of employees time away from their families, and they pass on the costs of business to the employees. They are cheap (again). They talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. In six months you will be making the same as what you started and they will never appreciate your effort in a way that makes it economically better for you, but hey at least they give you free ice cream. 

Hours are unbearable. They tell you that it’s a 9 hour day but it’s actually 10 1/2 to 12 hours. Production WILL drive you to insanity. Everyone starts with a great go getting attitude but always goes poor the longer you are there due to the Environment and management. When your attitude goes poor because of the environment THEY create. You will have your bonus cut or taken away. It’s always chaos. Management will blame the workers for machinery issues. No structure. No accountability from anyone in the office. PTO is absurd. If you have a family emergency or any issues outside of work. Pray they will let you leave. Not a family company! If you want to waste your life away for a judgemental corrupt God complex company that will do nothing but lead you on. Work for Hudsonville Ice Cream 

I thought I would give Hudsonville Ice cream a try after hearing it was a good company to work for but man was I wrong. They do not care about your personal life and always expect the most from you and provide very little support. Their PTO policy is a joke because they only give you an hour of PTO a week and it is earned. They give you no hours to start with and if you miss work your hours are negative which will affect your review. They always get your hopes up with false promises of a bonus only to let you down. Be prepared to always need uniforms that they somehow never have available. They claim to be all about their employees when in reality it's all about the money. There is a reason why they are always hiring. 

HIC provides a great working atmosphere that allows for real teamwork across all departments.  Despite the growth and growing pains, management remains humble and accessible.  HIC leaders are very open about current and future state operations while being  generous in showing their appreciation for everyone’s hard work.  The company provides top of the line equipment to use and responds quickly to ideas and solutions.  I’ve been very impressed with the culture and HIC’s commitment to being a leading employer in SW Michigan.

Every day brings new challenges that require teamwork, communication, and the ability to adapt while keeping operations running efficiently.  Leadership could be more proactive in addressing concerns, setting clear expectations, and ensuring consistency across the team. The culture has room for improvement by fostering trust, consistency, and stronger support between leadership and employees

Get everything you're told in writing, because you will be sold a bag of lies. You will live here, not get a bonus and work almost every weekend. Management has expanded the facility so fast and have gotten so greedy you will be expected to miss lunches and work from home just to keep up with your work load.  And you will be expected to perform 2 or 3 jobs for no additional pay. The maintenance manager is terrible and they won't deal with it.  He will always treat you like you are lazy and lying. 

The Culture  that the company claims to have very is forced and the office staff are very deluded and distant from what actually happens on the production floor. As with most companies they are far more concerned with numbers and the bottom line rather than their employees well being.
They claim to want to keep their people and yet do the bare minimum to make sure you stay.

Work hard play hard.   Employees that are willing to do what it takes are rewarded often.   Doesn't matter if you're a janitor or the owner or somewhere in between, everyone knows each other. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Technical operator 5 salaries reported	$21.00 per hour
Material handler 20 salaries reported	$23.70 per hour
Sanitation worker 3 salaries reported	$22.00 per hour
Production supervisor 19 salaries reported	$23.95 per hour
Ice cream maker 11 salaries reported	$22.00 per hour

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