Human resource management is becoming a major issue for many farms. How does one manage family labour so that family members remain interested in the farming operation? What is a good way to manage hired labour so employees remain productive and engaged in the success of the farming business? A well thought out human resource plan will help in addressing these questions and other human resource issues on the farm.
Farmers who wish to keep the family farm within the family should think about developing a successor. This means having a positive attitude towards the agricultural industry and the family farm in particular. Children, who hear their farming parents complain about how weather, government and big business are robbing farmers of their profits, will probably be discouraged from entering the farming business. Farming children will more likely be successful farmers when they choose farming as a desirable career choice.
Developing a successor involves the gradual transfer of knowledge, production and management skills and ultimately the transfer of the decision making on the farm. This process requires a plan so the successor knows when they will be able to make the major business decisions. The business relationship between the parent and child will be short lived if the successor feels they are viewed as a source of inexpensive labour.
Many of the human resource management skills required for developing a successor apply to dealing with employees. Gregory Billikopf suggests in his book, Labor Management in Agriculture, that human resource management skills have three key characteristics. These involve a concern for employees and their productivity, an understanding on how to manage people and being committed to actions that lead to specific results.
Employee output is directly impacted by the manager's attitude towards the quality of product being produced. The employee's productivity will increase when they believe they are part of a team that is producing a valuable product. Their productivity is also impacted by how they feel management views them. There is a direct relationship between performance and management's concern about the employee's needs. Employee's hope their manager values their opinions and feelings, treat them courteously, honour terms and conditions of employment agreements, provide positive feedback for good work and are concerned about the productivity and welfare of other employees.
Labour management skills involve the ability to get employees to meet their potential. That is they are doing what they can do. This involves listening to employees to see if there is a better way to accomplish the production goals. How things are done can be organized in a different manner. Insure that the job expectations align with the job description. Hold effective recruitment strategies and interviews to insure the farm is attracting qualified candidates. Ensure underachieving employees are disciplined in a constructive manner as an example to other employees. When underachieving employees are not managed properly the result could be other productive employees will adopt the same practices or quit.
This leads to action committed to achieve specific results. Action here refers to dealing with people issues. Some are best left alone while others need to be dealt with immediately. When situations arise it is important that a plan be established that leads to a specific result. Action may be appropriate but speed is not essential.
For further information on human resource management contact your Saskatchewan Agriculture Regional Farm Business Management Specialist or the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.
