Sooner or later, most successful farmers reach the point where they can’t do it all themselves. That means hiring help, whether it’s an extra set of hands at harvest time, someone to staff the Saturday morning market stall or some seasonal field labour.
According to a 2011 report from the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, 13 per cent of Canada’s small farms hire outside help. And that calls for a whole new set of skills. As well as being a livestock expert, soil scientist, marketing director and financial manager, you can now add the role of teacher, coach, psychologist and HR specialist to your job description.
So how well are farmers doing? Small Farm Canada went to the source to find out. While our online survey of farm workers was far from scientific, the results make compelling reading.
The 76 respondents who shared their experiences covered the spectrum: from newbies to veterans, from east coast to west and from practically every type of farming operation you can name: livestock, dairy, poultry, cash crops, market gardening, orchards, nurseries and more.
And did they have opinions on what makes a good boss? You bet.
Clarity and character
According to our respondents, the single most important quality of a good boss is giving clear instructions. Leading by example also ranked high, followed by being honest, being organized and showing appreciation.
As for bad boss behaviours, we got an earful. Whether these are the norm or the exception, we can’t say, but our respondents described employers who were impatient, inflexible and inconsistent.
Micromanaging and lack of organization were common complaints.
In some cases, bosses were abusive: yelling, shouting, ranting, bullying and berating employees in front of customers. Some were never around. Others expected employees to work in unhealthy or unsafe environments, while a few were flat-out dishonest.
None of these results shock Michelle Painchaud, an employee performance expert who specializes in the agricultural sector. That’s because few farmers think of themselves as leaders. “We take care of our animals to get more out of our animals, but we don’t do that with our leadership or our people,” she says.
Paying the price
Perhaps it’s no coincidence that producers across the country struggle with HR issues. “When you meet farmers and they talk about the challenges that they have, it’s on the people side,” says Painchaud.
According to the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, 27 per cent of seasonal jobs on small farms went unfilled in 2009. Today, the Council’s Debra Hauer continues to hear the same story from producers. “Finding people is difficult,” she says. “And then keeping people is also difficult.”
That’s a costly problem. Every experienced employee who walks out the door reduces your productivity and forces you to spend precious time hiring and training new staff.
So how do you cultivate happy, productive employees who boost your bottom line?
Set your employees up for success
Start with training, said our survey respondents. The time you invest up front will pay off with better results and avoid a lot of unnecessary frustration — for you and your employees.
Explain each task step by step, and remember that what’s obvious to you might not be so obvious to first-time farm workers, especially if they grew up in the city. Talk about both the ‘hows’ and the ‘whys,’ and don’t forget to equip your employees with the right tools for the job.
Most importantly, give lots of feedback — not just on what they’re doing wrong but also what they’re doing right.
Bad boss behaviour #1: “Not clearly explaining what you want done and then getting mad about it when it is not done the way you wanted it”
Temper your expectations — and tame your temper
You’ve invested a lot of time, toil and money in your operation, and that means no one else is going to be quite as motivated as you to harvest hay late into the night or skip lunch to get that fence fixed. Your employees have lives beyond your farm, so keep your expectations reasonable.
Also, keep in mind that it takes time to acquire skills and knowledge. Be patient, our survey respondents said. Yes, you could do the work faster and better yourself. But when you’re tempted to take over from a fumbling newbie, remind yourself of one simple fact: you wouldn’t be hiring someone if you had the time to do it all yourself.
And if you’re one of those folks who get easily frustrated when things go wrong, plan some coping strategies so that your employees don’t have to bear the brunt of your anger.
Bad boss behaviour #2: “yelling”
Yelling . . . raising your voice, intimidating, possibly scaring another living being. Do we have to explain why this is never a cool thing to do?
Bad boss behaviour #3: “Micro-manager [who] rides your back every second of the day”
Learn to step back
Once your new hires know what they’re doing, step back and let them get on with the job. And if they do it a little differently than you would, that’s fine — so long as they're getting the results you want. No one appreciates a boss constantly looking over their shoulder.
Bad boss behaviour #4: “changing plans on a daily basis”
Get organized
Yes, farming is an unpredictable business: a thunderstorm comes out of nowhere, the tractor breaks down or your cows come down with bovine respiratory disease. As much as possible, however, set priorities and create clear plans. According to one respondent, there’s nothing worse than sitting and waiting while the boss figures it out as he goes.
Bad boss behaviour #5: “Not listening to the opinions of others”
Play to their strengths
Some employees thrive when they’re part of a team. Others are happier doing their own thing. Some need verbal instructions, while others prefer to see things written down. “We are all motivated differently. We communicate differently,” Painchaud says. That’s why good managers adapt their style to suit different employees.
Figure out what drives your employees and then play to their strengths as much as possible. And when you do ask them to tackle a task they dislike, acknowledging that fact will make the job a little easier.
Develop policies
While your farm doesn’t need a three-inch-thick binder stuffed with HR policies, it’s smart to lay some things down on paper. Fortunately, with lots of helpful resources online, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Start by developing a clear job description. Exactly what will your employee do? Then consider how you’re going to handle things like sick days, overtime, statutory holidays, vacation, use of vehicles and so on. Check your provincial legislation to make sure you’re meeting all the relevant employment standards.
Spell out your compensation structure and how you’re going to assess performance. And consider how you’re going to handle an employee who doesn’t measure up to expectations — the last thing you want to worry about is a wrongful dismissal lawsuit.
Avoid “us versus them” thinking
If your farm is a family-run operation — and most Canadian farms are — you’ve got some added challenges. How do you integrate employees into that family dynamic without creating an “us versus them” mentality or forcing employees to take sides in disputes?
“If there was an easy answer, I’d be rich,” Painchaud says with a laugh. For starters, she suggests, have business meetings, not family meetings, and invite employees to the table.
When more than one family member supervises an employee, make sure you’re not giving contradictory instructions. While different people have different leadership styles, it’s crucial to agree on the same goals so staffers aren’t left wondering whose orders to follow and whose to ignore.
Offer more than a paycheque
Yes, wages count for a lot, but that’s not all that employees are looking for. Painchaud recounts the story of one cash crop farm that was losing employees as fast as they could hire them. When Painchaud interviewed former workers, she heard the same thing again and again: “They didn’t care about me . . . I didn’t feel valued.”
A little appreciation goes a long way. Saying “thank you” or “great job” tells employees they’re making a valuable contribution and motivates them to go that extra mile.
But don’t stop there. As your staffers gain knowledge and experience, give them more authority and responsibility and ask for their input on farm operations. “People want to be involved,” Painchaud explains. “You’ll get higher levels of employee engagement if people are part of the decision-making.”
Finally, mix a little fun in with the hard work. Organizing the occasional pizza lunch, movie night or end-of-season celebration boosts morale and builds loyalty.
Bad boss behaviour #6: “Allowing family issues to invade the workspace so employees feel caught in the crossfire”
Your kids are acting out, you’re not getting along with your spouse, and you truly do have the mother-in-law from Hell . . . Leave it all back at the house, Boss, and get on with the job because . . .
It’s worth it
Ultimately, honing your management skills is a smart investment. As one survey respondent told us: “Even if the job sucks, employees will stay if they have a good boss. If they have a great job but the boss sucks, then they will leave.”
From the horse’s mouth
What makes a good boss? Here’s how our survey participants voted:
Provides clear instructions — 55%
Leads by example — 39%
Is honest – 33%
Is organized — 26%
Shows appreciation — 26%
Matches tasks with your strengths/abilities — 16%
Is approachable — 14%
Has a sense of humour — 14%
HR resources at your fingertips
Looking for a little extra help? Check out the following templates, manuals and best-practice guides:
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/busmgmt/human_resource/
www.TakeANewApproach.ca/Farmers-Human-Resources.htm
www.cahrc-ccrha.ca/resources/agricultural-hr-toolkit
www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/business-and-economics/business-management/pubs/hr_binder_web.pdf