Human Resources

Aligning your business for success requires a strong and effective human resources plan, whether you’re running a small farm or a large operation. Penn State Extension has all the resources the small Ag business owner needs. Find information on handling labor relations and workforce development, as well as resources on leadership and professional development.

Human Resource Management in Agriculture

For your agricultural business to be productive and effective, it needs a team of reliable, engaged, and productive workers and managers. To align your business for success, you need an effective human resources plan. This plan should include how to hire and keep high-performing and engaged employees in your business.

However, human resources is a term that encompasses more than just hiring. It includes the management of full- and part-time staff and the policies and practices that relate to them. Human resources include labor relations, orientation and training of current employees, professional development, and workforce development.

You must have your employees’ best interests at the heart of your operation for it to be sustainable. The Small Business Health Options Program is a new way to provide insurance for your employees. If your employees know that they’re covered, they are more likely to stay at home when sick or injured.

You can reduce pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers if you follow the EPA’s Worker Protection Standard. It’s critical to maintain proper health and hygiene standards because workers can carry, introduce, and spread contamination to fresh produce. They can carry human pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

Your employees will be a more effective workforce if they’re able to adapt to an ever-changing environment. Challenges and problems will also need to be overcome and following a seven-step process will make it much easier.

One recent challenge is the increased need for people to work remotely. It requires discipline and good communication. Luckily, there are many opportunities for people to come together and share successes and struggles, such as the Dairy Workforce Focus: Roundtable Discussion.

How to Hire and Keep Employees for Small Ag Businesses

One of the biggest concerns for the small Ag business owner is recruiting and retaining key personnel. They are, after all, the face of your business. The risk of hiring a bad employee may be a concern, but you can minimize the risk with a sound recruitment and selection process.

Once you’ve found a good employee, they’ll be able to help grow your business if you can keep them on board. Here are a few tips to help you build your dream team:

• Keep it small
• Ask or demand self-sufficiency
• Remain flexible
• Depend on your network
• Interview for trust

Personnel Management for Hispanic Employees

Hispanic labor has become the primary labor source in many agricultural sectors, including dairy farms. A friendly, trusted work environment could make a big difference if you want to attract and retain Hispanic employees.

Communicating with your workforce is key to building effective relationships, increasing employee performance, and retention. There is a significant demand for dairy educators and managers that are capable of effectively communicating in Spanish.