More money isn't always the answer - so how do you attract staff to work for you

Lowland1

Member
Mixed Farmer
As an employer, never give an employee a job that you would never do yourself.....
I actually thought that was the main reason for employing people.Having spent a couple of hours delving into the inner workings of a muck spreader and cleaning the sprayer this morning I remembered I have people to do this.
 
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nick...

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
south norfolk
I’d guess it’s damn near impossible to get and hold onto staff.im sure some employees take the pee knowing the boss can’t replace them Aswell but realise not everyone like that.a builder I do groundwork’s for has staff that continually take the pee and do pretty much as they please as long as work gets done.most of em spend more time looking at stuff on phones than working,all take at least double the allotted times for meal breaks and a few turn up late,10/15 mins every day and have left by 3.55 in afternoon.it drives boss mad but he has to tolerate it as he can not find anyone to replace them.its pretty much the complete opposite of 25/30 years ago when boss ruled the roost.now it’s the staff.
nick...
 

Lofty1984

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South wales
I actually thought that was the main reason for employing people.Having spent a couple of hours delving into the inner workings of a muck spreader and cleaning the sprayer this morning I remembered I have people to do this.
That’s the point though you did it so next time when you ask staff to do it there’s no resentment that you won’t get your hands dirty yourself
 

Robt

Member
Location
Suffolk
I agree with some of the above. A thank you goes along way. When it comes to buying machines. If the operator gets to choose then that machine will cost less to run. How many people let their trusted employees do this? . In regards to saying that boss must get his hands dirty and be able to do the jobs. I do t agree. Some people are good with people, some good with animals, some good with machines. If you aren’t good with all three then don’t try to do a bad job at one of them. Let the staff you pay do the job you pay them to do. Ask them how it can be made easier/ more efficient. Take time to listen to them ans actually value their input. You will learn something off everyone you meet. Even if that one thing you learn is how NOT to do the job.
be fair and honest with people. Give them trust until they break it.
 
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I agree with some of the above. A thank you goes along way. When it comes to buying machines. If the operator gets to choose then that machine will cost less to run. How many people let their trusted employees do this? . In regards to saying that boss must get his hands dirty and be able to do the jobs. I do t agree. Some people are good with people, some good with animals, some good with machines. If you aren’t good with all three then don’t try to do a bad job at one of them. Let the staff you pay do the job you pay them to do. Ask them how it can be made easier/ more efficient. Take time to listen to them ans actually value their input. You will leave sometime off everyone you meet. Even if that one thing you learn is how NOT to do the job.
be fair and honest with people. Give them trust until they break it.

Totally agreed regarding machinery. It is obvious that someone who works as a machinery operator is 99% likely to have an interest in machinery and will like having an input into what machine is purchased and used. This is surely a big thing for many operators and possibly a factor in staff retention and also in attracting new staff. I know people are always banging the drum about Fendts and Volvo loading shovels but if I was offered two jobs, one place ran Fendts and the other did not I would be lying if I said it wouldn't sway me at least a little bit when it came to making a decision.
 

Jim75

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Easter ross
I agree with some of the above. A thank you goes along way. When it comes to buying machines. If the operator gets to choose then that machine will cost less to run. How many people let their trusted employees do this? . In regards to saying that boss must get his hands dirty and be able to do the jobs. I do t agree. Some people are good with people, some good with animals, some good with machines. If you aren’t good with all three then don’t try to do a bad job at one of them. Let the staff you pay do the job you pay them to do. Ask them how it can be made easier/ more efficient. Take time to listen to them ans actually value their input. You will leave sometime off everyone you meet. Even if that one thing you learn is how NOT to do the job.
be fair and honest with people. Give them trust until they break it.
You sir have hit the nail squarely on the head 🔨
 
I think it’s just luck off the drawer with staff. Some people are never happy no matter how well u treat them.

I wonder if it is possible to ask why someone might be unhappy.

I'd like to think I would have an open door policy with staff and that they felt they could come to me if they had an issue as you can't do anything about something if you know nothing about it.

My father had a very large payroll throughout the bulk of his career and very very low staff turnover rates. This fact was never understood by head office and I'm not sure I could explain why it was either. He was always very flexible regarding people's on and off times because he knew they were trying to fit it all in with school and family life.
 

RAF

Member
Location
staffs
People have changed .Daddy’s men work for him all there lives . Dedicated to the cause, old school would do anything , paint gates dig the garden on quiet days, u ask anyone do that now .Everyone wants more . Wives are a lot more demanding ( bone idol ) I think social media don’t help has grass all ways looks greener 🙄
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
People have changed .Daddy’s men work for him all there lives . Dedicated to the cause, old school would do anything , paint gates dig the garden on quiet days, u ask anyone do that now .Everyone wants more . Wives are a lot more demanding ( bone idol ) I think social media don’t help has grass all ways looks greener 🙄
Sounds like you want a serf.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
We all need them, we all want them to work for us. Huge amount of choice for anyone looking for a job with stock or land work.

So what works for you - money is not a motivator. Joss Haynes, HAAC, 1980's.

Please share your success stories, as majority of us are very poor man managers😉


don’t micro manage, trust and empower people to “work for themselves”

treat employees as equals

be flexible and consider peoples life work balance

make the workplace as safe, clean and comfortable as is possible

never ask anyone to do a job you wouldn’t do yourself
 

7610 super q

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
Nah I do everything myself just saying times were a lot different. I couldn’t think off anything worse than staff
Yes. Pay a fair wage ( a bit above the going rate ) and leave it at that. The attempts folks seem to go to appease staff are ridiculous. If money doesn't matter, why did Poland empty ?
We only employed casuals, but paid above the going rate, gave them a substantial bonus at Christmas, knocked off at 3pm so they could pick their kids up at school, and let them use the Transit for house removals etc. It always came back with a new dent. Gave them a permanent marker pen to initial each dent in the end.:LOL:
Give them an inch, and they took a mile in my experience.
Glad to be a one man band these days.......
 

Lowland1

Member
Mixed Farmer
That’s the point though you did it so next time when you ask staff to do it there’s no resentment that you won’t get your hands dirty yourself
Honestly there shouldn't be any resentment. People get paid to do a job. I can do most if not all the jobs on the farm but there are a lot of jobs I don't want to do. Tomorrow I won't be forking the muck out before we fix it. Being a boss I'd about being a leader it's not difficult when you've got one man but it gets a lot harder when you've got more. My son can start here tomorrow but it's better he works elsewhere to learn about being an employee. But just be fair that's all that necessary.
 

Lofty1984

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South wales
Honestly there shouldn't be any resentment. People get paid to do a job. I can do most if not all the jobs on the farm but there are a lot of jobs I don't want to do. Tomorrow I won't be forking the muck out before we fix it. Being a boss I'd about being a leader it's not difficult when you've got one man but it gets a lot harder when you've got more. My son can start here tomorrow but it's better he works elsewhere to learn about being an employee. But just be fair that's all that necessary.
Maybe I worded it wrong it’s more showing that a job is not beneath the boss, resentment was the wrong word
 

Lowland1

Member
Mixed Farmer
Maybe I worded it wrong it’s more showing that a job is not beneath the boss, resentment was the wrong word
Definitely no job is beneath me and I often do the jobs that people don’t want to do to show that I can but not for long. I actually learnt from my Dad that it’s hard to be a boss if you’re friends with your workers you have to keep a distance. Problem is if you all come in for dinner and lunch together then it seems you are on the same level and if you aren’t back out with a muck fork after you aren’t pulling your weight.
 

Lofty1984

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South wales
Definitely no job is beneath me and I often do the jobs that people don’t want to do to show that I can but not for long. I actually learnt from my Dad that it’s hard to be a boss if you’re friends with your workers you have to keep a distance. Problem is if you all come in for dinner and lunch together then it seems you are on the same level and if you aren’t back out with a muck fork after you aren’t pulling your weight.
It’s a fine line between boss and friends I agree
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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