What hours do you expect someone to work?

[Douglasmn]

Anyone else thought many farmers are just inefficient faffers and it takes twice as long to get anything done than it should?

Absolutely!

 

[gone up the hill]

It’s 5x 8.5hr days and 2x 3 hrs every other weekend. I don’t personally think that’s a heavy week. There is next to no manual work.

You said it was 50 hours average + overtime a week...

You are asking them to basically work 12 days on and 2 off, even dairy farmers realize that this is unreasonable except for very busy times like calving etc and if they want staff to do this then at the very least they get a day off in the week for the weekends they work.

You need to realize that the weekends they have to work 3 hours a day basically means that they cant do anything that weekend.

No need for them to be working every other weekend all year around on a beef/ sheep finishing farm unless they are the manager

Im not surprised you cant find a worker when basically they only get 4 whole days off a month!

 

[gone up the hill]

it might be a case of they think they will not make enough on them hours,
and no your not asking too much on the above


on an other note
very strange thing is this employer/employee relationship,
some want to work all the hours they can and others dont want to work weekends
some wants more than their pound of flesh out of staff, others pass responsibility on to staff and let them get on with it,

you wont get a responsible staff member if you dont give them responsibility,

its is better to have a willing worker than a pressed one, so try to involve them it day to day plans, make them feel wanted, and you will get far more out of them, even a "please could you do ,,,,,,," is far better than telling what they should do next,
If you have 2 jobs that need doing, both not a hurry or need to be done in an order, ask them which job they want to do first,

the secret of a good boss, is that he need not be there to keep the job going on,

sadly farmers in general are not good bosses, and lack man management skills, however there is some employees that take the p155 and cannot be managed by the best of bosses,

I worked at 1 place many years ago, there was a lad worked there and was first to work in a morning, last way at night,
yet an other lad was late in a morning every day, and did not like to work late, yet he go far more done than the lad putting the hours in,

He is asking too much as basically they are only getting 4 days off a month all year around!

Unless the wages are very good you wont get anyone half decent to do this all year around.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

He is asking too much as basically they are only getting 4 days off a month all year around!

Unless the wages are very good you wont get anyone half decent to do this all year around.

well when you look at it that way, your right only 4 full days off a month, it is a bit much, it does depend on pay rates a bit

 

[michael N123]

I’d hate to work for someone else like have a proper job working for some of you if I want to finish at 12 I finish at 12 what’s the point in being a farmer if you can’t dictate your own hours

 

[Douglasmn]

im sorry but 40 hrs a week is not working your just passing the time of day

If it's 40 efficient hours then that's a serious amount of work completed in that time. Can't see why any more than that is needed for an average farm at an average time of year.

 

[YorkshireAndrew]

im sorry but 40 hrs a week is not working your just passing the time of day

If I could get away with working 40 hours a week I would , there are no medals for being a heroic knackered out person by the time you’re in your 50s .

 

[gone up the hill]

well when you look at it that way, your right only 4 full days off a month, it is a bit much, it does depend on pay rates a bit

Worrying thing is beefandsleep farmer cant see this!

 

[beefandsleep]

well when you look at it that way, your right only 4 full days off a month, it is a bit much, it does depend on pay rates a bit

That is before holiday though.

 

[beefandsleep]

Worrying thing is beefandsleep farmer cant see this!

Your right I can’t.
The thing is all my life we have had workers on this farm that you basically couldn’t find enough hours for. It’s come as quite a shock to me I can tell you. I think the attitude to work and hours in this country has totally changed. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but I still can’t see that the hours I’ve suggested are out of the way. I think they are pretty much standard in the industry still.
Fortunately for me someone else seems to think so too as a young man I offered a job to has just called me to say he would like to take it and seems very happy with the work offered.

 

[gone up the hill]

That is before holiday though.

Holiday should not be counted like you are doing so..

Very clear why you cant find anyone to work for you!

No industry would expect people to want a job where you only get 4 days off a month/ every month of the year unless you are on holiday.

Say they get 25 days holiday a year + 24 days off @4 month means they only get 49 whole days off a year so basically are working about 320 days a year.

Even dairy herdsman are only expected to work 280 days a year..

 

[beefandsleep]

You said it was 50 hours average + overtime a week...

You are asking them to basically work 12 days on and 2 off, even dairy farmers realize that this is unreasonable except for very busy times like calving etc and if they want staff to do this then at the very least they get a day off in the week for the weekends they work.

You need to realize that the weekends they have to work 3 hours a day basically means that they cant do anything that weekend.

No need for them to be working every other weekend all year around on a beef/ sheep finishing farm unless they are the manager

Im not surprised you cant find a worker when basically they only get 4 whole days off a month!

You do need to read a post properly guth. 50hrs average with extra at busy times.

 

[gone up the hill]

Your right I can’t.
The thing is all my life we have had workers on this farm that you basically couldn’t find enough hours for. It’s come as quite a shock to me I can tell you. I think the attitude to work and hours in this country has totally changed. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but I still can’t see that the hours I’ve suggested are out of the way. I think they are pretty much standard in the industry still.
Fortunately for me someone else seems to think so too as a young man I offered a job to has just called me to say he would like to take it and seems very happy with the work offered.

People want a work/ life balance.

Plenty of busy fools in the local grave yard but no one cares now that they worked so hard......

Reason the industry cant find/ keep decent workers is partly because of the long hours culture 52 weeks of the year.

 

[beefandsleep]

Holiday should not be counted like you are doing so..

Very clear why you cant find anyone to work for you!

No industry would expect people to want a job where you only get 4 days off a month/ every month of the year unless you are on holiday.

Say they get 25 days holiday a year + 24 days off @4 month means they only get 49 whole days off a year so basically are working about 320 days a year.

Even dairy herdsman are only expected to work 280 days a year..

That’s sounds ok to me. I’m happy to give more holiday but unpaid.
Dairy herdsmen would be working 60 hr average easily, I’m offering a cushy job in comparison.

 

[gone up the hill]

You do need to read a post properly guth. 50hrs average with extra at busy times.

Which works out at just under 10 hours a day/ 6 days a week if they do a few hours overtime each week!

 

[betweenthelines]

Having been both a farmer and an employee, it makes me laugh when farmers go on about the hours they work, compared to their staff.

The farmer may be out at 6 o'clock and not finally finish until 12 hours later, but he forgets the long breakfast break, nipping into the house for a cuppa 3 or 4 times, "office work" after lunch (with eyes shut)a natter with the neighbours etc. etc. Whereas the employee will often be out in the fields or tending stock with barely time for a toilet break (let's no talk about facilities again) or a fresh cup of tea.

I also think farmers don't give enough credit for people happy to do overtime at virtually no notice-just try saying to a factory worker "I want you to do about 20 hrs overtime this week, but I can't say when because it depends if it rains"

 

[yorkie]

Farmers have different views of what is busy last place I did less than 300 hrs overtime a year and he thought we where busy,before that, November to April 4 to 6 am start 6.30 to 7.30 finish,end April to beginning of July 6 am to 8 to 10 pm,July to October 6.30 am to 10.30 pm odd late night until early hours of the morning October to November 4.30 to 7 am to 6 to 8 pm finish all 6 to 7 days a week depending on the weather,would have still been doing it if somethings had been different

 

[kiwi pom]

council pack up at 3

Council workers work the hours they're told if their hours are cut down to 3pm finishes that's what they do.
My dad worked for the council for years (and later the company that took over the council houses) they were always messing around with the hours.
In the end I think he was working 8-4.30 Mon-Thurs early finish Friday to get to 37.5 per week. At one stage he could work until 4.30 Fri, unpaid but count the hours towards more annual leave but they stopped that.
He got to bring the van home every day but that was a money saver for everyone as it meant the company didn't need a depot or yard.

 

[Chae1]

Holiday should not be counted like you are doing so..

Very clear why you cant find anyone to work for you!

No industry would expect people to want a job where you only get 4 days off a month/ every month of the year unless you are on holiday.

Say they get 25 days holiday a year + 24 days off @4 month means they only get 49 whole days off a year so basically are working about 320 days a year.

Even dairy herdsman are only expected to work 280 days a year..

Only 49 whole days off a year! Be lucky if I'd half that.

 

[glasshouse]

Having been both a farmer and an employee, it makes me laugh when farmers go on about the hours they work, compared to their staff.

The farmer may be out at 6 o'clock and not finally finish until 12 hours later, but he forgets the long breakfast break, nipping into the house for a cuppa 3 or 4 times, "office work" after lunch (with eyes shut)a natter with the neighbours etc. etc. Whereas the employee will often be out in the fields or tending stock with barely time for a toilet break (let's no talk about facilities again) or a fresh cup of tea.

I also think farmers don't give enough credit for people happy to do overtime at virtually no notice-just try saying to a factory worker "I want you to do about 20 hrs overtime this week, but I can't say when because it depends if it rains"

I have yet to see a farmer have a breakfast "break" or lunch "break". Yes there will be a cup of coffee in one hand, but a phone in the other, a laptop open or a diary, ordering parts, fert, or something urgent.
And good workers dont need to be told or asked to do overtime, most are glad of the extra cash.