By Bruce Wills
Everyone knows farming involves long hours and as farms tend to be far from the cities.
This means the prospects of commuting are limited and is why many farm jobs provide accommodation on-farm.
To attract good quality workers you generally need three things.
Of course, you need to be a good employer who invests in staff by way of training and development.
You also need to pay your staff well for contributing to your farm’s success and, for three-quarters of farm employees, provide a place they can call home.
Our 2012 Rabobank-Federated Farmers Farm Remuneration report, which is free to members, generally showed farmers are getting with the programme to professionalise human resource practices.
A few years ago we were shocked by how few members had written employment contracts so went hard promoting them.
Today, we have got that up to three-quarters, but it needs to go much higher. Thankfully, Federated Farmers employment contracts are now the industry standard.
The general state of farm accommodation has caught the eye of our Taranaki sharemilkers chairperson, Michael Prankerd. I happen to agree because farm houses are not only a farm asset, they form part of the employment package we offer to staff. Providing good housing, along with being a good employer, helps to attract and retain the staff we need.
There is another dimension, being the changing face of farming.
Increasingly, people are making a career out of farming instead of slowly building equity to buy their own property. While ‘roughing it’ may have been the norm in the past, it no longer is today. People want to be proud of where they live and we need to consider this is not only a place for employees to grab some shut-eye, it is a home for their family too.
It is the family who will spend most of the time in these homes and arguably, have the biggest say on whether a prospective employee joins your farm, or a valued employee suddenly moves on.
So, what’s the answer?
Farm housing has to be included in weekly and seasonal jobs.
Ensuring houses are well maintained inside and out, with such basics as water blasters, lawn mowers and even giving staff time to keep their properties neat and tidy, ensures they will be well looked after. Paint, paper and carpets do not last forever, nor do kitchens and bathrooms. In other words, as houses are an asset they need their own asset plan. Farmers should not underestimate the willingness of staff and their families to contribute sweat-equity, backed up by professionals where needed.
The upshot is leaving a job can be easy, but leaving a home you and your family genuinely like, is more difficult.
Most farm houses built before 2000 are eligible for a government grant to help them become insulated. Living in a fridge not only leads to increased time off from illness, but probably contributes to staff turnover.
Another common problem we can face is water quality and even water pressure. Attending to these issues can help make ‘coming home’ a pleasure.
Do not forget farm houses need some basic safety aids too; smoke alarms are often mandatory in rental properties and even extinguishers are cheap and effective. In recent weeks, I know of two farm houses seriously damaged by fire, but damage to one was lessened thanks to fire alarms.
Also, have regard for the children of your staff or sharemilkers.
The Federated Farmers Sharemilkers Agreement was amended last year with new provisions for stock proof fences around farm housing. We also incorporated provisions to create a safe place for children at the milking shed while their parents worked. For other farmers, provisions like these seem sensible to attract and retain younger families to your farm.
Another thing to look into is internet access if possible.
Isolation can be a big factor, so having the ability to access Skype or even just Facebook and Trade Me helps to lessen it. The internet is also of growing importance to education and professional development. The Federation is on the Government’s back and the providers’ to up their game in this respect.
Most of what is needed will not cost the earth if planned and will go a long way to keeping top-performing staff.
Having well rested and motivated staff that will stay with you for the long haul, is to me, good for business.
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Bruce Wills is the President of Federated Farmers. You can contact him here »
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