Low on Workers, Manufacturers Recruit Their Executives for the Factory Floor Covid, child care and competition from e-commerce warehouses contribute to labor shortages at many factories Yankee Candle executives’ new side gigs include tasks such as packing the company’s products into gift baskets. Photo: Kayana Szymczak for The Wall Street Journal By Updated Jan. 9, 2021 11:38 pm ET Wendy Marcus was midway through a recent meeting with senior leaders at Newell Brands Inc. when word came that she needed to leave immediately. The Newell-owned factory that makes Yankee Candles was once again short on workers, and the plant needed Ms. Marcus, an R&D manager, on the assembly line to help pack the famously scented knickknacks into gift baskets.