Staff retention

[PI Stsker]

What we usually say is if they leave inside a year they repay the course fee, leave between a year and two pay half. We pay for their time training.
If it's something we need or want them to train in them we pay all costs.
I wouldn't freeze pay, though it's worth highlighting your investment in them and appreciation come negotiation/appraisal time.
People that want to learn are a pleasure to teach/get taught/have on the team

Open to ideas on this topic of putting someone through courses. Never paid for a big cost test like that before so happy to hear how others have done it before while protecting yourself. She’s not the type to do the course and leave the next day but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Everyone so far that’s wanted to drive a waggon has already had their licence a few years, only thing I pay for them is ongoing training / CPC and the like.

 

[Spud]

Open to ideas on this topic of putting someone through courses. Never paid for a big cost test like that before so happy to hear how others have done it before while protecting yourself. She’s not the type to do the course and leave the next day but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Everyone so far that’s wanted to drive a waggon has already had their licence a few years, only thing I pay for them is ongoing training / CPC and the like.

With self employed seasonal staff generally I pay for the training they put the time in foc.
All have been happy with that so far

 

[PI Stsker]

With self employed seasonal staff generally I pay for the training they put the time in foc.
All have been happy with that so far

No SE here everyone is PAYE, apart from the ‘mechanic’ who is self employed but he is his own Buisness and works for loads of people so looks after his own courses/ training.

 

[nick...]

I know of a few who have had training then had to pay it back if they leave soon afterwards which seems fair to me
nick…

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Some people don't help themselves.
I've just taken on a Polish lad who was instantly dismissed from his job on a corporate (the C word's) outdoor pig farm after only ten days for having his mobile phone with him at work.
Yes they have some reasoning behind their rule (cameras) but surely a rap over the knuckles might have been better.
Similarly, another excellent man had a very slight accident with a bale and a tele handler and was subjected to disciplinary action, at the same firm. Unsurprisingly he left for a better job elsewhere.
Both superb men lost to that business and a gain to other peoples.

 

[betweenthelines]

The mobile phone rule may be set by the business's that the pig farm is supplying..

They won't want footage on utube of "cruelty on farm that supplies Tescbury supermarket"

 

[Suffolk Serf]

The mobile phone rule may be set by the business's that the pig farm is supplying..

They won't want footage on utube of "cruelty on farm that supplies Tescbury supermarket"

The processor owns the pig farm (and about 25% of the UK pig industry now) and yes, that subsidiary has had "undercover filming" etc in the past, even changed their name after that.
The man is a 40 year old, experienced and reliable stockman, not some spotty, idealistic youth come to them off the dole.

 

[Mydexta]

A few employers seem to forget a basic life rule in my opinion

speak to people the way you would like to be spoken to

treat people how you would like to be treated.

also, some need to remember that by paying above average wages doesn’t give them the entitlement to treat people like dirt.

I know 1 non farming place who pays above average wages, and treats employees like dirt. If anyone went with an issue, they were told if you’re not happy, there’s the gate.

a while ago, that idea worked as people were keen to get a job there for the bigger wages…..not now as their reputation precedes them as being arses to work for and they can’t get folk for love nor money.

Round here, it’s nearly always the same farms looking for staff, and in my opinion, they only have themselves to blame.

Some were using cheaper migrant workers rather than slightly more expensive locals…..now a lot of the migrants have gone home and there’s nobody to replace them.

finding a farm to take on a 16yr old is near impossible, and the local College has scrapped its ag courses im told so there’s no encouragment or way into the industry

people with staff retention or staff finding problems now, will find it a lot harder in the future I think

 

[kiwi pom]

The mobile phone rule may be set by the business's that the pig farm is supplying..

They won't want footage on utube of "cruelty on farm that supplies Tescbury supermarket"

Then they lost a good staff member for a stupid rule.
Can't say staff are hard to find with rules like that.
My phone stays with me, it's nonnegotiable, I don't have to work for anyone who doesn't allow it, I'll go somewhere else.

 

[nick...]

I know of a business locally paying way above average and all staff treated like family,but the theft is rife.
nick...

 

[Spud]

I know of a business locally paying way above average and all staff treated like family,but the theft is rife.
nick...

Theft of what, by whom nick....?

 

[Johnnyboxer]

Good wage,good boss,he was telling me in the summer staff going forwards is his biggest concern.

AI (no not inseminating cows ) and robots then…. are the future
No staff labour are needed

 

[Blue.]

A few employers seem to forget a basic life rule in my opinion

speak to people the way you would like to be spoken to

treat people how you would like to be treated.

also, some need to remember that by paying above average wages doesn’t give them the entitlement to treat people like dirt.

I know 1 non farming place who pays above average wages, and treats employees like dirt. If anyone went with an issue, they were told if you’re not happy, there’s the gate.

a while ago, that idea worked as people were keen to get a job there for the bigger wages…..not now as their reputation precedes them as being arses to work for and they can’t get folk for love nor money.

Round here, it’s nearly always the same farms looking for staff, and in my opinion, they only have themselves to blame.

Some were using cheaper migrant workers rather than slightly more expensive locals…..now a lot of the migrants have gone home and there’s nobody to replace them.

finding a farm to take on a 16yr old is near impossible, and the local College has scrapped its ag courses im told so there’s no encouragment or way into the industry

people with staff retention or staff finding problems now, will find it a lot harder in the future I think

Only two I’ve had work for me have done eight years and nine years,one replaced the other and both left to start up on their own,I agree there are places that aren’t great to work but they’ve always had a high turnover of staff.

A relation farms in Cumbria and has never had a problem getting staff,this last year it’s got very hard for them,they just aren’t there.

 

[PI Stsker]

Some people don't help themselves.
I've just taken on a Polish lad who was instantly dismissed from his job on a corporate (the C word's) outdoor pig farm after only ten days for having his mobile phone with him at work.
Yes they have some reasoning behind their rule (cameras) but surely a rap over the knuckles might have been better.
Similarly, another excellent man had a very slight accident with a bale and a tele handler and was subjected to disciplinary action, at the same firm. Unsurprisingly he left for a better job elsewhere.
Both superb men lost to that business and a gain to other peoples.

The mobile phone rule may be set by the business's that the pig farm is supplying..

They won't want footage on utube of "cruelty on farm that supplies Tescbury supermarket"

I would argue that a mobile phone is actually part of a modern day risk assessment and required for such reasoning. Even if not a lone worker and working as part of a team what happens if the worst happens and no one has a phone, back to the 80’s where we had to run to the local phone box..?

 

[Pan mixer]

I would argue that a mobile phone is actually part of a modern day risk assessment and required for such reasoning. Even if not a lone worker and working as part of a team what happens if the worst happens and no one has a phone, back to the 80’s where we had to run to the local phone box..?

Given the distance between members of staff on most farms I would have thought that a mobile phone was an essential thing to have.

I make mine take their phones with them whenever they go out of the yard, they don't usually carry them in the yard because of potential loss or damage. It has saved all sorts of bother over the years.

 

[Spud]

I would argue that a mobile phone is actually part of a modern day risk assessment and required for such reasoning. Even if not a lone worker and working as part of a team what happens if the worst happens and no one has a phone, back to the 80’s where we had to run to the local phone box..?

I agree. I personally, and I encourage others to do the same, if say square baling and a shearbolt breaks, take the phone in my pocket while fixing it. You could be miles from anywhere, if anything goes wrong at least you have half a chance of getting help

 

[nick...]

Theft of what, by whom nick....?

Not a farm but won’t say more.never know who is reading this
nick...

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Given the distance between members of staff on most farms I would have thought that a mobile phone was an essential thing to have.

I make mine take their phones with them whenever they go out of the yard, they don't usually carry them in the yard because of potential loss or damage. It has saved all sorts of bother over the years.

having a farm WhatsApp group is also a very handy way of communicating, so that all of us get the same information from each other.

 

[PI Stsker]

having a farm WhatsApp group is also a very handy way of communicating, so that all of us get the same information from each other.

We run miltiple WhatsApp groups for diffent areas and then one big combined group for all staff. It’s so handy that everyone is up to date with info and has the ability to put their own input in if required.

 

[kiwi pom]

Given the distance between members of staff on most farms I would have thought that a mobile phone was an essential thing to have.

I make mine take their phones with them whenever they go out of the yard, they don't usually carry them in the yard because of potential loss or damage. It has saved all sorts of bother over the years.

There's also the little fact that a modern smart phone can help you with a lot of different tasks throughout the day.
My favourite is the quick "oh crap how do you do" that YouTube search..

More and more jobs actually give you a phone now so you can do your job more efficiently and they don't expect/want you to use your own.