The world of work isn't business as usual

The world of work
isn’t business as usual

Changes in the workplace force dairy businesses to adjust their human resource management practices if they want to hire the best

By Thomas Maloney and David Grusenmeyer

More and more dairy farm employers report that they can’t find and keep good employees. They’re not alone. A slew of societal factors has combined in recent years to create labor challenges for employers everywhere.
First off, U.S. demographics are changing. Fewer young people are entering the workforce as the number of older Americans in the population increases. Women have taken an increasing percentage of full-time jobs in the last decade. And the number of Hispanic workers entering the U.S. workforce is growing, creating language and cultural issues for employers.

Employee expectations and loyalty have also changed. Employees are more likely to change jobs if they become dissatisfied in their current job or if wages and benefits are more attractive elsewhere. Some of this loss of loyalty stems from the tight job market of the 90s that increased competition for workers and their wage and benefit packages. Yes, it’s a challenging labor market for Northeast dairy farm employers. But progressive and innovative human resource strategies can overcome the challenges. This issue of The Manager presents ideas and tools to help you hire, manage and retain top-quality employees who can be long-term assets for your business.
		*Stephanie Baker, a herd manager at Edgewood Farms, Groveland, N.Y., represents the changing workforce demographics.*

Begin your human resource management revamp by considering four broad points:

Build commitment
    Employees are more likely to be attracted to a business and stay with it if they enjoy their work and can be productive. As an employer, it’s your job to help create this environment by doing at least four things:
    1. Create a vision and a direction for your business. Then communicate that to all employees. This gives them a purpose for their work and helps them to feel part of the organization and its success.
    2. Develop and support the people you employ. Determine their training and development needs. Then work with employees to develop their personal development plan.
    3. Outline the standards for good performance and help employees meet those standards by becoming their supporter.
    4. Communicate the results you expect for jobs. Then provide employees with the freedom and resources to achieve those results.

Build a positive image
    Why is it that one dairy always has a ready supply of qualified applicants, yet the one next door struggles to find and keep good employees?
    The difference may be the image that a dairy business projects to the community and to prospective employees. The following factors can help create a positive image and attract a pool of applicants:
    1. Promote what’s good about dairy employment. Successful businesses highlight the benefits such as working outdoors and with animals.
    2. Maintain the appearance of your business. It acts as one of your most valuable advertisements.
    3. Provide competitive wage and benefit packages. They allow you to compete for the best job candidates.
    4. Employ professional human resource practices.They include your reputation to train, develop and help people succeed.
    5. Keep employees happy. A business’ current employees are its best advocates for attracting new employees.
    6. Create opportunities to promote your business in your community. Many farms successfully use tours, open houses and public service to promote themselves and to create goodwill in the community.

Hire the best
If you want people who possess a desire to grow, develop and be good at what they do, you need to recruit, select and hire them in the first place. But if any warm body with a life sustaining pulse will do, then the next person to drive in the yard will be fine.
Successful corporate employers make strategic decisions prior to hiring. Dairy farm employers can do the same by answering these questions:

What type of person do I want?
Where can I find them?

The hard truth is that employees who will help you move your business forward are probably working somewhere else and rarely out of work.
What’s your plan for finding these individuals? If someone you want to hire is
available when you have no openings on

Soft-sell recruiting
    Few dairy producers are comfortable recruiting employees from other businesses, especially if it’s a neighboring dairy. But that shouldn’t prevent you from showing interest in people who you think can add value to your staff.
    When you meet top employees from other farms or businesses, talk with them and build a rapport. Then hand them a business card and invite them to visit your dairy if they’re in the area.
    Don’t mention job possibilities. In fact, do this when you don’t have openings as well as when you do. By talking with people and extending an invitation, you’re building a relationship. If people you meet ever think about changing employment, they’re more likely to think of you and come knocking.

your farm, how will you respond?
    The best employees always have a choice of where they work, and they’ll opt to work for the best employers. If you have a reputation as a poor, or even average, employer, it’ll be more difficult to find good employees.

Take time to train
    You can’t hire bright, capable people and expect longevity if you tell them, “I pay you to work, not to think. Check your brain at the door.”
    Answer these questions before you hire anyone:

What knowledge and skills do I need on my dairy today?
What knowledge, skills and talents will I need in three or five years?

The best employees want to think, learn, grow and develop. If they can’t do that on your dairy farm, they’ll become frustrated and leave. When the best leave, who stays?

FYI

Thomas Maloney and David Grusenmeyer are senior Extension associates, specializing in human resource management in Cornell University’s agricultural economics department.