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

[Lofty1984]

Who not allow you to use the field behind the house? That makes no sense.

I think he means it was more of a gesture to offer the garden rather than a point blank refusal. That’s how I read it anyway

 

[FonterraFarmer]

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

Please forward that to our PM!!!

 

[ollie989898]

I think he means it was more of a gesture to offer the garden rather than a point blank refusal. That’s how I read it anyway

Perhaps I read it wrong.

 

[Lofty1984]

Being an employer with a muck spreader is much like being the PM, the good ones aren't scared to be hands on and get their hands dirty, yes they could easily delegate but leading by example will engage the trust and respect of those who follow.
Those who delegate purely from a perceived position of power only deserve ones contempt.

That’s what I was trying to say earlier you put it much better

 

[Lincoln75]

You'll buy a new van for under ten grand that does 40 to the gallon, if you so wanted to. Most farm workers could afford that, if they wanted to.

You are missing the point , why would they buy a new van to do your work ? you get them a new £30k double cab if you want to keep them , the point of getting staff a decent commercial vehicle is they can use it for your work in work time and they are often VAT eligible.

 

[FonterraFarmer]

That’s what I was trying to say earlier you put it much better

Nah, comes naturally, especially the comparison between shite and our PM, almost verbal diarrhoea when she speaks...

 

[Spud]

You are missing the point , why would they buy a new van to do your work ? you get them a new £30k double cab if you want to keep them , the point of getting staff a decent commercial vehicle is they can use it for your work in work time and they are often VAT eligible.

I read it as buying them essentially a company vehicle for their own use, commuting etc. There are tax implications as soon as they use it to commute regularly. My team use the farm truck within the business very regularly (I rarely drive the thing) and will occasionally take it home if they have a problem with their own motor.

The difficulty comes when you have more than one staff member - if one takes the farm pickup home for a weekend when everyone else is at work, no one else can use it, which is a royal pita when it has a fuel tank in the back, for example.

As for a 30k doublecab? I spent less than 10k on my own vehicle, a communal runabout thats used and abused by everyone isn't gonna be new!!

 

[kiwi pom]

If any man or woman is good at their job within the agricutural sector, they can hand in their notice and walk into another job within a week.

I'm not sure that's true. At least not a decent full time, non entry level (minimum wage) job, that doesn't involve moving house.
I know a couple of lads in the UK looking for a change at the moment. Very skilled, hard workers, do anything from stock work, workshop maintenance to building work etc. There's nothing within a decent radius, perhaps further a field but they have wives and kids so don't really want to relocate.
The good jobs don't come up because they turn staff over.

 

[Spud]

I'm not sure that's true. At least not a decent full time, non entry level (minimum wage) job, that doesn't involve moving house.
I know a couple of lads in the UK looking for a change at the moment. Very skilled, hard workers, do anything from stock work, workshop maintenance to building work etc. There's nothing within a decent radius, perhaps further a field but they have wives and kids so don't really want to relocate.
The good jobs don't come up because they turn staff over.

Are they anywhere near Yorkshire? We have a vacancy! Cheers

 

[Smith31]

I'm not sure that's true. At least not a decent full time, non entry level (minimum wage) job, that doesn't involve moving house.
I know a couple of lads in the UK looking for a change at the moment. Very skilled, hard workers, do anything from stock work, workshop maintenance to building work etc. There's nothing within a decent radius, perhaps further a field but they have wives and kids so don't really want to relocate.
The good jobs don't come up because they turn staff over.

Locally to me plant hire companies are desperate for fitters and hgv drivers, the farm shop is desperate for staff on the farm and in the shop, I know of at least 1 dairy farm locally where the grandfather has been forced out of retirement to milk again due to staff shortages, the list is endless.

Finding abattoir staff, builders, lorry drivers etc is extremely difficult at present, living standards and wages have caught up in Eastern European countries making the UK less appealing, combined with Brexit the cheap labour train has come to a halt. All dirty industries where a brain and physical labour is required will be forced to up wage rates and conditions in the near future, demand outstrips supply.

Your friends are probably on top end wages already if they are highly skilled as you say, if they are not willing to commute then there is a limited market for their services I suspect.

 

[Lincoln75]

I read it as buying them essentially a company vehicle for their own use, commuting etc. There are tax implications as soon as they use it to commute regularly. My team use the farm truck within the business very regularly (I rarely drive the thing) and will occasionally take it home if they have a problem with their own motor.

The difficulty comes when you have more than one staff member - if one takes the farm pickup home for a weekend when everyone else is at work, no one else can use it, which is a royal pita when it has a fuel tank in the back, for example.

As for a 30k doublecab? I spent less than 10k on my own vehicle, a communal runabout thats used and abused by everyone isn't gonna be new!!

There are tax implications but they are minimal with the right spec commercial vehicle , we are discussing how to keep staff , knowing they`ll most likely lose the benefit benefit of a decent double cab if they leave will keep many on side , you said they currently use yours if theirs breaks down which tell me they run a heap of crap .....most likely because its all they can afford , you may not realise that old cars often cost an arm and a leg to run an old car if you have to have them repaired by a garage , having a company motor gives good peace of mind .

The OP says money is not the motivator to keep staff so you have to offer benefits that other employers aren't and to make them feel valued.

A new double cab will cost from £2-3k pa + VAT on contract hire , you`ll get the VAT back , if you've got good men on a £25k + pa salary and losing them would be a major loss then it could be money well spent instead of a cash pay rise , this is common place in construction and other industries.

What you spend on your motor is of little relevance , you own the business / farm and the staff know that.

 

[Chae1]

I think a Porsche would be a much better idea to attract staff.

What double cab can be had for 2k per annum? That's £170/ month.

 

[Spud]

There are tax implications but they are minimal with the right spec commercial vehicle , we are discussing how to keep staff , knowing they`ll most likely lose the benefit benefit of a decent double cab if they leave will keep many on side , you said they currently use yours if theirs breaks down which tell me they run a heap of crap .....most likely because its all they can afford , you may not realise that old cars often cost an arm and a leg to run an old car if you have to have them repaired by a garage , having a company motor gives good peace of mind .

The OP says money is not the motivator to keep staff so you have to offer benefits that other employers aren't and to make them feel valued.

A new double cab will cost from £2-3k pa + VAT , you`ll get the VAT back , if you've got good men on a £25k pa salary and losing them would be a major loss then it could be money well spent instead of a cash pay rise , this is common place in construction and other industries.

What you spend on your motor is of little relevance , you own the business / farm and the staff know that.

Wrong.
Re tax - the killer is if they use it to commute to mostly the same place every day. For a plant hire outfit, it's much more doable, because staff would often go straight to a job from home, rather than base, which makes it much more tax friendly.

They don't use mine, they use the farm truck, which is an 05 Mitsubishi L200
Everybodys vehicle needs a service and MOT, which sometimes takes a day or two, so they'll borrow the L200 to get about for a day or two while theirs is back on the road. Sometimes they might borrow it to move house or shift some stuff, tow a trailer or whatever. No drama.

I'm fully aware of what vehicles cost to run. One of my staff was a car mechanic by trade, so does his himself (and the farm truck)

We're not sufficiently large to justify a new doublecab for anyone, never mind have umpteen of them so work doesn't stop when someone needs a day off

A new doublecab that costs 30k new will be more than two grand a year to pay for. If I need twelve years to pay for a bloody pickup than I can't afford one!

Remeber that some people just like having their own motor

If I was cruising round in a new Rangerover (or whatever) and giving the staff an old knacker to use, then the divide would be noticed far more. As it is, I drive a 14 plate DMax with 150k on the clock. (The farms L200 has less than 100k on it) When the farm truck dies, mine will take its place, and I'll get another - because mine does 3x the miles.

 

[Lincoln75]

I think a Porsche would be a much better idea to attract staff.

What double cab can be had for 2k per annum? That's £170/ month.

There are better deals than this if you search them out...

Toyota Hilux Invincible Double Cab 2.8 D-4D | Van Leasing | Nationwide Vehicle Contracts

Get the Toyota Hilux Invincible Double Cab 2.8 D-4D on a Personal or Business Lease, from as little as £354.19, and with FREE UK delivery.

www.nationwidevehiclecontracts.co.uk

 

[ollie989898]

I've known some farms to provide their blokes with vehicles. The sort you wouldn't mind driving in a field or slinging a few jerry cans into the back of. Berlingos, Rav 4s, that kind of thing. All second hand of course.

 

[ollie989898]

There are better deals than this if you search them out...

Toyota Hilux Invincible Double Cab 2.8 D-4D | Van Leasing | Nationwide Vehicle Contracts

Get the Toyota Hilux Invincible Double Cab 2.8 D-4D on a Personal or Business Lease, from as little as £354.19, and with FREE UK delivery.

www.nationwidevehiclecontracts.co.uk

Holy heck that seems an impossibly good deal.

 

[Lincoln75]

Holy heck that seems an impossibly good deal.

Its not ,its all about residual value at the end of the contract , HiLux`s hold their value .

 

[Chae1]

There are better deals than this if you search them out...

Toyota Hilux Invincible Double Cab 2.8 D-4D | Van Leasing | Nationwide Vehicle Contracts

Get the Toyota Hilux Invincible Double Cab 2.8 D-4D on a Personal or Business Lease, from as little as £354.19, and with FREE UK delivery.

www.nationwidevehiclecontracts.co.uk

First payments slightly more. I was looking where to sign up!

 

[Lincoln75]

I've known some farms to provide their blokes with vehicles. The sort you wouldn't mind driving in a field or slinging a few jerry cans into the back of. Berlingos, Rav 4s, that kind of thing. All second hand of course.

Old crap like that often cost more in the long term than contract hiring a new one .

 

[Spud]

Nearly three grand a year and you have to give it back after two years. I'd rather buy one.