A little experiment

[Err0l]

We were having a conversation earlier at work about how short staffed the dairy industry is and how just about every farm is looking for somebody. I have come up with a totally hypothetical scenario to see how true this is.

Dairyman Dave turns up at your farm gate looking for work. He is clean, tidy, polite and punctual. He is never late or skives off and can be relied on when needed. He can milk, drive tractors and do most farm jobs. So who on here would have work for him be it 2 hours a month or 7 days a week. If we were right at morning coffee, just about every farm will offer him something. Dairyman Dave obviously doesn't exist and there is unfortunately nobody looking for work that I know of but it may give a clue as to how short staffed the industry is as a whole.

 

[Beef farmer]

Ive just let a chap go, as our farming has become more of a simple mans model it has become clear that we don't need much Labour other than at calving. So I would have to let dairy man Dave move on.

That said, our reliance on contractors is heavy

 

[Milkcow365]

I think the people who are saying there’s a shortage of good staff need to ask themselves am I the problem

 

[Beef farmer]

That was going to be my next comment, as dairy man Dave can do everything, perhaps I should take him on,he could then do all our own silage and slurry, milk cows each end of the day And rear the Calve. Work some 90 hour weeks and be a hero, but never see his wife or kids. But then one morning dairy man Dave has moved on and found another job.

 

[Slippery Slope]

How much is the hypothetical Dairyman Dave charging would be my first question. No doubt being a skilled man he'll know his value and therefore would be politely sent on his way at many a farm - regardless of whether or not he was needed.

 

[Bipper]

That's a different issue to a shortage of labour though

 

[Scholsey]

Perhaps the ones who need dairyman dave to work are too busy working to look at forums?

 

[Err0l]

I think the people who are saying there’s a shortage of good staff need to ask themselves am I the problem

Maybe, but we were saying there was an abundance of good jobs not that a particular farm can't find staff if that makes any sense.

 

[Err0l]

How much is the hypothetical Dairyman Dave charging would be my first question. No doubt being a skilled man he'll know his value and therefore would be politely sent on his way at many a farm - regardless of whether or not he was needed.

Not a clue but just lets say the going rate in a particular area.

 

[Milkcow365]

Maybe, but we were saying there was an abundance of good jobs not that a particular farm can't find staff if that makes any sense.

It’s not an issue all the good jobs are filled generally if someone is leaving and you are a good employer you have the next member of staff lined up without advertising

 

[simmy_bull]

If I was dairy man Dave I think I’d be rather short of work around this part of the northeast there’s not many left milking cows.

 

[Grassman247]

People don’t want to work hard anymore it’s as simple as that, we are a dying breed, I regularly have a different person from year to year out of 11 people and it isn’t just our industry, other industry’s I speak to have similar trouble. People want more money, less hours and less pressure from the boss breathing down there neck, it’s as simple as that and if we want people to stay with us we have now started paying more that’s the only way to keep them, to be the best alternative there is.

 

[Clay52]

A big part of the labor shortage around here is because dairy bosses are often good cow people but not great people managers. Their management style often chases good people out of the industry.

I used to think people these days are lazy and didn’t want to work on farms but I’ve changed now. Plenty are happy to work hard on farms but poor managers tend to run them away because people with those attributes tend to get easier jobs elsewhere pretty quickly.

 

[Sandpit Farm]

A big part of the labor shortage around here is because dairy bosses are often good cow people but not great people managers. Their management style often chases good people out of the industry.

I used to think people these days are lazy and didn’t want to work on farms but I’ve changed now. Plenty are happy to work hard on farms but poor managers tend to run them away because people with those attributes tend to get easier jobs elsewhere pretty quickly.

Exactly! To be expected to work a 60-70hr week, including weekend work for £9-10/hr when you could get alternatives is crazy. Who honestly ‘wants’ to do that. I like cows and all, but I also like doing other things.

The trade off for block calvers is that you have more time off when the cows are all dry but you have to work like mad when you are calving.

I’d recommend getting a team dynamics course done with your team. It will help no end. I went on one and it was brilliant. ‘Make me feel important’ is the key to motivating staff.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Can dairyman Dave work in a team environment? Does he have management potential? Leadership abilities or experience? Can he train people? Deal with the stupid things people regularly do? Manage his time well and keep good records? Motivate employees? Put employees in the place that beat suits their abilities? Speak Spanish?

Cow skills and farm experience are nice and all, and they are needed, but that's not what I would focus on.

He would get hired here, because we hire any warm body. But someone like you described is not what I would hire if he did not have some of the qualities I listed. If I was in charge of that.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

A big part of the labor shortage around here is because dairy bosses are often good cow people but not great people managers. Their management style often chases good people out of the industry.

I used to think people these days are lazy and didn’t want to work on farms but I’ve changed now. Plenty are happy to work hard on farms but poor managers tend to run them away because people with those attributes tend to get easier jobs elsewhere pretty quickly.

Your last paragraph is very relevant to my situation here

 

[supercow]

Between Dairies going off and 3 times a day boys going the robot route there's plenty of good staff out of a job in my area, take it that's not the case everywhere.

 

[Blue.]

I think the people who are saying there’s a shortage of good staff need to ask themselves am I the problem

I'd say it's a location thing,I have relations in Cumbria who get a new yts every year and never struggle for staff,they have a high turnover but never struggle,it is a very rural area and you either farm or work in a quarry.

I've a lad work part time and he drives an hour to work and has done for the last 4 years,if he didn't like work he'd have given up long since,another part time milker drives an hour,all to milk for 2hrs tops,same job,he's paid well and treated right.

There is a real shortage of good farm staff in our locality,I'd sooner have staff on part time then it doesn't sicken them or when they are off you don't miss them.

 

[Stinker]

I'd say it's a location thing,I have relations in Cumbria who get a new yts every year and never struggle for staff,they have a high turnover but never struggle,it is a very rural area and you either farm or work in a quarry.

I've a lad work part time and he drives an hour to work and has done for the last 4 years,if he didn't like work he'd have given up long since,another part time milker drives an hour,all to milk for 2hrs tops,same job,he's paid well and treated right.

There is a real shortage of good farm staff in our locality,I'd sooner have staff on part time then it doesn't sicken them or when they are off you don't miss them.

I agree with this. Have far more luck with part timers. It's not money that's the problem just the hours that kill most off.