June 30 , 2022 The Beacon • 25
Now is the time to make an investment in employees
Hello Coshocton County . I know many involved in agriculture have had a lot of worries on their minds this year . Front and center of course are the challenges our La Nina weather patterns have presented . Other stressors include our recent power outages , supply-chain shortages , high fuel and fertilizer prices , eroding capital , inflation , and the constant struggle with labor .
Today , I would like to share some thoughts on one of these issues : labor . In the May edition of OSU Extension ’ s Farm Office Live webinar , Dr . Margaret Jodlowski provided an agricultural labor update . She reported many farm and nonfarm businesses are struggling to attract and maintain good employees . Jodlowski also said summer job postings are 40 % higher than in February , and that labor wages continue to rise .
Many Ohio farms have primarily relied on family members to provide the necessary labor . However , as farm businesses grow in size and complexity , our workforces are expanding to include nonfamily labor . Operating a highly competitive farm operation requires the talents of many people , especially when field and animal activities are being conducted simultaneously . So to meet today ’ s labor challenges , how can your farm become an employer of choice ?
Recently , two extension colleagues from Michigan State University completed a study on the effects of employer management on employee recruitment , satisfaction , engagement and retention on large U . S . dairy farms . Stan Moore and Phil Durst identified six common management areas as weaknesses on many dairy farms .
The areas identified were failure to specify goals , failure to encourage employee input , employee-to-employee problems , lack of communication , failure to provide training and failure to provide specific positive feedback . They found employees who had a good relationship with their employer and who understood goals , directions and how their work fit into the accomplishment of those goals were more likely to be satisfied in their jobs .
So how are you doing with your labor management ? This summer I would encourage you to take some time to think about the ways you can enhance your employeemanagement program . Are job duties and expectations clearly defined ? Should an employee handbook be developed ? Are we providing coaching and instruction at opportune times ? Do we hold employee meetings ? How can we increase the skills of our employees ?
In what ways can we improve the working environment for our employees ? In what areas would we like our employees to improve and how can we help them improve ? How can we remove employee dis-satisfiers such as unsafe equipment , unreasonable rules and policies , and conflict with co-workers ? How can we encourage and reward initiative , innovation and new ideas ?
It is no secret motivated employees are more productive . Dr . Bernie Erven , OSU professor emeritus , often cited an employee paradigm that states : “ You can buy people ’ s time . You can buy their physical presence at a given place . You can even buy a measured number of their skilled muscular motions per hour . But you cannot buy the devotion of their hearts , minds or souls . You must earn these .”
How are you doing in keeping your employees motivated ? Have you taken time to ask your employees what motivates them ? Many employers would be shocked to learn good wages and job security are not necessarily the ultimate motivators .
A study conducted some time ago by George Mason University showed the top-three motivators for employees were interesting work , appreciation and feeling in on things . Granted with today ’ s inflation , competitive wages are a crucial part to being an employer of choice . Have you checked to see how your wages compare to other industries in your region ?
Some employees are internally motivated while others are motivated by external rewards . By listening to employees , you can develop strategies to reward and motivate them . Some of these strategies could include verbal praise , free meals , work uniforms , annual salary increase , free gas , tickets to a ball game , unexpected paid time off , bonuses ,
flexible work schedules , special gifts for special occasions and extra vacation days . And never forget how far a sincere thank you or compliment can go for any employee including family members .
If you are looking to add to your employee management tool box , I would encourage you to check out the University of Wisconsin-Madison ’ s “ Becoming the Employer of Choice ” resources at https :// farms . extension . wisc . edu / programs / becoming-the-employerof-choice /.
Good luck as you continue to negotiate and manage through these topsy-turvy times . And remember to keep employee management as a top priority . The investment you put into your employ-
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