Forums
New posts
Forum list
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New resources
Latest activity
Trending Threads
Resources
Latest reviews
Search resources
FarmTV
Farm Compare
Search
Tokens/Searches
Calendar
Upcoming Events
Members
Registered members
Current visitors
New Resources
New posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Forum list
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
Forums
Farm Business
Agricultural Matters
What hours do you expect someone to work?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Princess Pooper" data-source="post: 5139380" data-attributes="member: 971"><p>Reading this thread it makes me really sad as - having been an employee myself - I can see that some farmers still have completely unrealistic expectations of workforce. I work hard to promote careers in our industry in schools and I don't think I want to any more based on what some have said here. I've worked full time on 2 farms and several others either as a casual or work experience as a student. I am technically an employee now but that's different as I work for my husband so hours and pay rates go out of the window.</p><p></p><p>Farm 1 I started as a harvest student over several years and then became a trainee manager a year after graduating. In the latter post I was salaried, but normal working hours were 8pm until 4.30pm, with a paid morning coffee break and an hour unpaid lunch break. Although I was responsible for cattle and sheep. As a mixed farm, there were several busy periods - a long harvest which included hops and apples, lambing, calving etc. At those times we all worked longer hours- eg hop-picking it's 6am until sometimes 7pm and then I was often corn carting until midnight. But in winter or early summer if we were in the yard after hours the boss would want to know why, there was no need for it. Livestock duties at non-busy times were shared between 2 of us so we could have alternate weekends off. The other farm was dairy and arable, the herdsman worked 11 days in 14 and he was salaried with an expectation of 6am-6.30 pm, with an hour off at breakfast and again at lunch. Non-milkers it was 7.30-4.30 with a half hour breakfast break at 9am and an hour at lunchtime. I was assistant herdswoman, (hourly pay & overtime) for a year (it was always a year's post for someone who had just left uni/college and wanted to further their experience) and was responsible for cows and calves whenever the herdsman was not there - 3 days a fortnight, plus his standard holidays and days out at shows, training etc, plus general calf and cow responsibilities under the herdsman when he was at work, with gfw/arable etc as necessary. Again, other than someone coming in to help with the cows for an hour in the mornings at weekends / bank hols in winter, apart from harvest, silage and drilling, no extended hours were expected. But when asked, everyone was happy to chip in as many hours as necessary.</p><p></p><p>All I can say is, no wonder some farmers have problems finding staff.</p><p>The hours that farmers work are completely irrelevant in this discussion, it is their livelihood, their home and their passion.</p><p>My brother is an experienced arable farm manager and has been for many years, obviously salaried, and his boss has to beg him to take time off because he sees the business almost as his own (even though he changed job 2 years ago) , but it is not the employer forcing the hours on him.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Princess Pooper, post: 5139380, member: 971"] Reading this thread it makes me really sad as - having been an employee myself - I can see that some farmers still have completely unrealistic expectations of workforce. I work hard to promote careers in our industry in schools and I don't think I want to any more based on what some have said here. I've worked full time on 2 farms and several others either as a casual or work experience as a student. I am technically an employee now but that's different as I work for my husband so hours and pay rates go out of the window. Farm 1 I started as a harvest student over several years and then became a trainee manager a year after graduating. In the latter post I was salaried, but normal working hours were 8pm until 4.30pm, with a paid morning coffee break and an hour unpaid lunch break. Although I was responsible for cattle and sheep. As a mixed farm, there were several busy periods - a long harvest which included hops and apples, lambing, calving etc. At those times we all worked longer hours- eg hop-picking it's 6am until sometimes 7pm and then I was often corn carting until midnight. But in winter or early summer if we were in the yard after hours the boss would want to know why, there was no need for it. Livestock duties at non-busy times were shared between 2 of us so we could have alternate weekends off. The other farm was dairy and arable, the herdsman worked 11 days in 14 and he was salaried with an expectation of 6am-6.30 pm, with an hour off at breakfast and again at lunch. Non-milkers it was 7.30-4.30 with a half hour breakfast break at 9am and an hour at lunchtime. I was assistant herdswoman, (hourly pay & overtime) for a year (it was always a year's post for someone who had just left uni/college and wanted to further their experience) and was responsible for cows and calves whenever the herdsman was not there - 3 days a fortnight, plus his standard holidays and days out at shows, training etc, plus general calf and cow responsibilities under the herdsman when he was at work, with gfw/arable etc as necessary. Again, other than someone coming in to help with the cows for an hour in the mornings at weekends / bank hols in winter, apart from harvest, silage and drilling, no extended hours were expected. But when asked, everyone was happy to chip in as many hours as necessary. All I can say is, no wonder some farmers have problems finding staff. The hours that farmers work are completely irrelevant in this discussion, it is their livelihood, their home and their passion. My brother is an experienced arable farm manager and has been for many years, obviously salaried, and his boss has to beg him to take time off because he sees the business almost as his own (even though he changed job 2 years ago) , but it is not the employer forcing the hours on him. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Farm Business
Agricultural Matters
What hours do you expect someone to work?
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top