How to attract farm workers to your farm

Agriculture is the backbone of the New Zealand economy and farmers are great at innovation, but it can be a challenge to find workers for your farm. Not only do you have the regular challenges every business faces, but there are unique challenges such as the work being seasonal or short-term. There’s also the rural location – a challenge for workers to stay connected with their friends and family – whether in-person or digitally.

So what can you do to make your farm more attractive to work at? And to ensure you’re attracting the right person for the job? Here are some things to consider.

1. People like working with good equipment

We’ve all had to ‘make-do’ at some point in our lives, but when it comes to a job, using equipment that breaks down frequently or is more labour intensive – doesn’t make that job attractive. New gear doesn’t break, it’s easier to use and people like working with good tools that make getting the job done easier and quicker. If it’s a choice between working with older equipment or newer equipment – you know which choice you’d make, so give yourself and your farm the edge.

2. People like utilising technology

There are a multitude of options to make farming easier – how many have you adopted? Workers are more likely to work for a farm or employer that’s embracing technology and making use of the tools available to them. However, make sure what you choose to implement actually works for your farm – there can be too much of a good thing!

The other consideration is the internet connection – how fast and reliable is it? It’s important to have a good, reliable internet connection for your house and office, but make sure it’s also available in your farm workers’ accommodation and working area. They’ll appreciate being able to stay easily connected with their family and friends.

3. People like a work-life balance

The importance of a work-life balance isn’t a new concept and since the pandemic it’s become more important than ever. Bear in mind that your workers are looking for opportunities where they can have a work-life balance, so find out what they’re interested in and how you can support that. It can be a minimal investment but with great rewards of happy workers. It could be something as simple as an afternoon off, or staff discounts. Consider also what they’re goals and aspirations are within work and how you can help them learn more to enable them to reach their goal.

4. People aren’t machines (or commodities)

In recent years there’s been a rise in awareness of the impact farming can have on mental health. This applies not only to the farmers themselves but their workers. Most people are hard-working but what happens when they work too hard? Or are starting to burn themselves out? What systems do you have in place to check in on your workers? How can they raise concerns about systems or fellow workers or how things are done? Do you have tools in place to help identify when a worker is struggling (especially if they’re a new worker)? Be open and honest about the tougher aspects of the job and the processes you have in place for the stressful times.

5. Little changes can have a big impact

It only takes a little more effort for your farm to become more attractive to workers. Understanding what they’re after and how you can make you changes pays off in the long run. It also allows you have to learn more about your staff and what motivates them which means they’ll feel more ‘at home’ working for you – which is a win-win for all involved.

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