Post by Trade facilitator on Oct 2, 2023 16:08:20 GMT 1
Most times farmers or intending farmers think about farm requirements, produce, resources and farm structures which they view as the most important factor of having a farm... However, the most valuable and important resource of all is human resource which is usually given very little attention.
As farms grow in stock and other operations, employing the right people on the farm is one thing, and effectively managing them is another.
The key to managing these employees is to make a difference between a failed farm and a successful farm.
STRATEGIES AND STEPS TO MANAGE FARM STAFF
Below are some steps to effectively manage farm workers:
Communication: A good communication strategy should be established to communicate information and instructions to the manager and other members of staff on the farm. Poor communication causes challenges.
Empowerment and Training: Conduct training and show them how things ought to be done and introduce them to the farm culture. Let employees be given induction, onboarding sessions especially the new ones on how things go on the farm plus key components of the farm culture right from the word go.
Chain Of Command: Let there be a person delegated for reports to the owner, for instance, the manager, not just any staff on the farm should have direct access to the farm owner. And vice versa, not anyone can show up and give instructions to the employees.
Streamline the salary, allowances, bonuses if any. There should be a clear specification of salaries.
Clearly Drafted Contracts: Just as Vision, Mission and Goals of the farm are clearly stated. Contracts between employers and employees clear and precise written down contracts. These can be drafted in a language well understood to the employee. Better that this be put in his or her local language especially for the semi-skilled and unskilled workers. This helps to avoid conflict in future.
Roles and Responsibilities: Each role and responsibility of each worker should be clearly stated. It is better for employees to know their respective roles and responsibilities especially where there's more than one employee. This makes it easy to get a good record of how each one is executing their duties.
Visitations: Always visit the farm from time to time. Do not leave the farm completely to the mercy of the farm staff. Do not always notify them when coming or don’t have specific days known of your visit to the farm. It is not a good management practice to notify employees of your visit.
It is Better to come unannounced sometimes, especially on days of the nearby open market. When announced or scheduled, the reality on the farm may never be known to the employer.
Relationships: Let there be good relations, PR with community/neighbours as a source of security, market, good will for people and animals/crops on farm. Employees on the farm should not hold conflicts or poor working relations with neighbours on the farm. This is detrimental mainly to their employer as his image and security for the farm are put at stake.
Incentives and Rewards: Surprise rewards for work well done, say end of year, end of season party, games if they like and freely mingle with them. This helps them relax, refresh minds, feel appreciated and hence motivated. The employer may gain a lot during this free session. This could happen once or twice a year and does not need to be exaggerated in scale and cost.
Monitoring: Monitoring workers and their execution of duties is important but avoid policing and micromanagement on the employees. Employees don’t feel comfortable when their employer follows up on small details, small personal things especially when they are not concerned with his job or conduct at work. Therefore, a certain degree of free personal space left for employees can do for them.
Understanding and Empathy: Understand their personal issues (loss, ill-health, emergencies etc). During this time, employees may need support and understanding of their employers. They may need a day or a few days off work, moral comfort, and if possible, financial support.
Familiarity: Avoid employing people because they are friends and relatives. Look for skills, competence, trustworthiness and capabilities. Research indicates that more than 60% of friends and relatives employed on farms either disappoint their relatives or cannot develop these farms at all as they see it as a family enterprise, but not a commercial establishment.
Vision and Mission: Have a clear vision and make every employee understand it and work in that line. The plans for development of the farm in a year, two years, five years should be explained to the employees so that they work to contribute to the vision and mission.
Tools and Equipment: There should be adequate work tools and equipment for farm staff to execute their duties efficiently.
Transparency and Honesty: A culture of transparency should be inculcated between employers and employees to build a heightened level of trust.
Guidance and Counseling: Talk to them (members of staff) on general topics, from farm growth to personal individual growth, dreams, aspirations, goals etc. It helps in relationship building between employers and employees.
Time Management and Schedule: Having a work schedule is very necessary. There should be time for breaks. Employees have a right to have time to work and time to rest. Don’t make them work without resting.
Staff Management and Welfare: Check how managers handle and manage other staff. As much as the farm manager communicates and reports directly to the employer, it is a responsibility of the farm owner or employer to make sure other members of staff are being treated right within the work environment.
Conflict Resolution: Tackle conflicts and issues on time. So they don't blow out of proportion and affect the work environment and productivity. Whenever there are conflicts on the farm, amongst employees or with the outside community, the employer should intervene as quickly as possible as this can put lives, produce and property at risk.
Sense of Belonging: Let the farm be seen as mutually beneficial (to you and them), but not exclusively beneficial to you alone. Let there be a culture of seeing the farm as an ecological niche for the employee and employer and let it be clear that both losses and success of the farm is a score for both parties. This develops a sense of commitment, ownership and hard work. This is called a Psychological contract.
Farm produce can also be shared amongst members of staff after harvest. Workers should occasionally taste farm produce. This motivates them and makes them feel they are not only employees but also beneficiaries on the farm. This gives them some sense of belonging and it is very beneficial and narrows the gap between employers and employees.
Safety Measures and Risk Management: Provide safety equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for work on the farm and set compulsory safety measures to be observed on the farm at all times. Also make personal budgets to cover training and capacity building, response in treatment of accident on the farm and in line of duty.
Payments: All payments of wages or Salary and other benefits matching productivity, market rates, inflation rates. When salary is not researched and matched with these, it ceases to be useful and motivating hence a worker may not be productive anymore.
Trust Worthiness: keep your word and promises. It is better to practice what you say. Let what was agreed in contract negotiation, at appraisals and meetings with employees be fulfilled. This will build confidence in the farm employees, hence improved performance.
Discipline and Disciplinary Actions: As much as indiscipline shouldn't be taken lightly, forgive workers and give them second chances on minor errors and misconduct. As long as they are not repeated or done with intent, some of them can be forgiven, with the employee guided and given a second chance. It is important to note that not all errors, mistakes and omissions will be punished severely with termination of appointments. But disciplinary actions and warnings should be taken to avoid such in the future, and also, so other members of staff will take note.
Fair working conditions:. There should be a good working condition and environment for workers; For instance, the place for resting, where workers sleep or their lockers be conducive to encourage and make them work well. Not a place where occupational diseases and other hazards will take advantage of them.
Job Rotation: Practice Job rotation, retention strategies and succession planning. Rotate workers from one section or department to the other. This helps them break boredom and monotony, increase motivation and performance and also acquire different skills to be able to replace others in case one is away, resigns or dies.
Mandatory Meetings and Discussions: Periodic meetings with team and individuals. Employers should not overlook the role of monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual meetings with individuals and teams to discuss progress, review performance and decision taking vis-à-vis the previous meetings and targets.
Laying-Off Workers: When there is gross misconduct and misgivings on the part of a staff or staffs as the case may be, which needs to be laid-off, it should be done diplomatically and without sentiments, as keeping that employee(s) may not only run you down business wise, but may also corrupt other member(s) of staff. It should be done and brought to the notice of other members of staff if necessary so everyone takes correction and thread with caution.
Happy Endings: Employees won't work with you forever. Part ways/separate with employees on a good note. Since employees must reach a point and have to go, all outstanding dues, allowances and benefits if any should be cleared when they are leaving. Because good relationships go a long way and you may need it at some point.
Exit interviews or discussion: Whenever employees are leaving the farm by retiring, resigning or otherwise, it is to the benefit of the employer that he gets to the bottom of the reason why they are leaving. This helps the employer in designing solutions and staff retention measures.
As farms grow in stock and other operations, employing the right people on the farm is one thing, and effectively managing them is another.
The key to managing these employees is to make a difference between a failed farm and a successful farm.
STRATEGIES AND STEPS TO MANAGE FARM STAFF
Below are some steps to effectively manage farm workers:
Communication: A good communication strategy should be established to communicate information and instructions to the manager and other members of staff on the farm. Poor communication causes challenges.
Empowerment and Training: Conduct training and show them how things ought to be done and introduce them to the farm culture. Let employees be given induction, onboarding sessions especially the new ones on how things go on the farm plus key components of the farm culture right from the word go.
Chain Of Command: Let there be a person delegated for reports to the owner, for instance, the manager, not just any staff on the farm should have direct access to the farm owner. And vice versa, not anyone can show up and give instructions to the employees.
Streamline the salary, allowances, bonuses if any. There should be a clear specification of salaries.
Clearly Drafted Contracts: Just as Vision, Mission and Goals of the farm are clearly stated. Contracts between employers and employees clear and precise written down contracts. These can be drafted in a language well understood to the employee. Better that this be put in his or her local language especially for the semi-skilled and unskilled workers. This helps to avoid conflict in future.
Roles and Responsibilities: Each role and responsibility of each worker should be clearly stated. It is better for employees to know their respective roles and responsibilities especially where there's more than one employee. This makes it easy to get a good record of how each one is executing their duties.
Visitations: Always visit the farm from time to time. Do not leave the farm completely to the mercy of the farm staff. Do not always notify them when coming or don’t have specific days known of your visit to the farm. It is not a good management practice to notify employees of your visit.
It is Better to come unannounced sometimes, especially on days of the nearby open market. When announced or scheduled, the reality on the farm may never be known to the employer.
Relationships: Let there be good relations, PR with community/neighbours as a source of security, market, good will for people and animals/crops on farm. Employees on the farm should not hold conflicts or poor working relations with neighbours on the farm. This is detrimental mainly to their employer as his image and security for the farm are put at stake.
Incentives and Rewards: Surprise rewards for work well done, say end of year, end of season party, games if they like and freely mingle with them. This helps them relax, refresh minds, feel appreciated and hence motivated. The employer may gain a lot during this free session. This could happen once or twice a year and does not need to be exaggerated in scale and cost.
Monitoring: Monitoring workers and their execution of duties is important but avoid policing and micromanagement on the employees. Employees don’t feel comfortable when their employer follows up on small details, small personal things especially when they are not concerned with his job or conduct at work. Therefore, a certain degree of free personal space left for employees can do for them.
Understanding and Empathy: Understand their personal issues (loss, ill-health, emergencies etc). During this time, employees may need support and understanding of their employers. They may need a day or a few days off work, moral comfort, and if possible, financial support.
Familiarity: Avoid employing people because they are friends and relatives. Look for skills, competence, trustworthiness and capabilities. Research indicates that more than 60% of friends and relatives employed on farms either disappoint their relatives or cannot develop these farms at all as they see it as a family enterprise, but not a commercial establishment.
Vision and Mission: Have a clear vision and make every employee understand it and work in that line. The plans for development of the farm in a year, two years, five years should be explained to the employees so that they work to contribute to the vision and mission.
Tools and Equipment: There should be adequate work tools and equipment for farm staff to execute their duties efficiently.
Transparency and Honesty: A culture of transparency should be inculcated between employers and employees to build a heightened level of trust.
Guidance and Counseling: Talk to them (members of staff) on general topics, from farm growth to personal individual growth, dreams, aspirations, goals etc. It helps in relationship building between employers and employees.
Time Management and Schedule: Having a work schedule is very necessary. There should be time for breaks. Employees have a right to have time to work and time to rest. Don’t make them work without resting.
Staff Management and Welfare: Check how managers handle and manage other staff. As much as the farm manager communicates and reports directly to the employer, it is a responsibility of the farm owner or employer to make sure other members of staff are being treated right within the work environment.
Conflict Resolution: Tackle conflicts and issues on time. So they don't blow out of proportion and affect the work environment and productivity. Whenever there are conflicts on the farm, amongst employees or with the outside community, the employer should intervene as quickly as possible as this can put lives, produce and property at risk.
Sense of Belonging: Let the farm be seen as mutually beneficial (to you and them), but not exclusively beneficial to you alone. Let there be a culture of seeing the farm as an ecological niche for the employee and employer and let it be clear that both losses and success of the farm is a score for both parties. This develops a sense of commitment, ownership and hard work. This is called a Psychological contract.
Farm produce can also be shared amongst members of staff after harvest. Workers should occasionally taste farm produce. This motivates them and makes them feel they are not only employees but also beneficiaries on the farm. This gives them some sense of belonging and it is very beneficial and narrows the gap between employers and employees.
Safety Measures and Risk Management: Provide safety equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for work on the farm and set compulsory safety measures to be observed on the farm at all times. Also make personal budgets to cover training and capacity building, response in treatment of accident on the farm and in line of duty.
Payments: All payments of wages or Salary and other benefits matching productivity, market rates, inflation rates. When salary is not researched and matched with these, it ceases to be useful and motivating hence a worker may not be productive anymore.
Trust Worthiness: keep your word and promises. It is better to practice what you say. Let what was agreed in contract negotiation, at appraisals and meetings with employees be fulfilled. This will build confidence in the farm employees, hence improved performance.
Discipline and Disciplinary Actions: As much as indiscipline shouldn't be taken lightly, forgive workers and give them second chances on minor errors and misconduct. As long as they are not repeated or done with intent, some of them can be forgiven, with the employee guided and given a second chance. It is important to note that not all errors, mistakes and omissions will be punished severely with termination of appointments. But disciplinary actions and warnings should be taken to avoid such in the future, and also, so other members of staff will take note.
Fair working conditions:. There should be a good working condition and environment for workers; For instance, the place for resting, where workers sleep or their lockers be conducive to encourage and make them work well. Not a place where occupational diseases and other hazards will take advantage of them.
Job Rotation: Practice Job rotation, retention strategies and succession planning. Rotate workers from one section or department to the other. This helps them break boredom and monotony, increase motivation and performance and also acquire different skills to be able to replace others in case one is away, resigns or dies.
Mandatory Meetings and Discussions: Periodic meetings with team and individuals. Employers should not overlook the role of monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual meetings with individuals and teams to discuss progress, review performance and decision taking vis-à-vis the previous meetings and targets.
Laying-Off Workers: When there is gross misconduct and misgivings on the part of a staff or staffs as the case may be, which needs to be laid-off, it should be done diplomatically and without sentiments, as keeping that employee(s) may not only run you down business wise, but may also corrupt other member(s) of staff. It should be done and brought to the notice of other members of staff if necessary so everyone takes correction and thread with caution.
Happy Endings: Employees won't work with you forever. Part ways/separate with employees on a good note. Since employees must reach a point and have to go, all outstanding dues, allowances and benefits if any should be cleared when they are leaving. Because good relationships go a long way and you may need it at some point.
Exit interviews or discussion: Whenever employees are leaving the farm by retiring, resigning or otherwise, it is to the benefit of the employer that he gets to the bottom of the reason why they are leaving. This helps the employer in designing solutions and staff retention measures.
