“Human resources management is one of those things that offers us new ideas and new ways of doing things. We still have a lot to learn, and we need to do more of it. In the long run it will keep our people happy and our farm more productive.”
       ~Harry Koelen, hog producer, Paisley, ON

Finding and keeping good employees

Employers know the difficulty – and value – of finding and keeping good employees. Recruiting and retaining staff is a tough task, but it’s made easier by honing skills in human resources (HR) management.

“It’s an ongoing challenge to find good help and motivate them to stay for the long run,” says Harry Koelen, a hog farmer near Paisley, Ontario.

Harry believes one key to retaining workers is HR management. This includes everything from employee motivation to performance appraisals. He’s currently putting into practice new skills he developed during an HR training course he took in early 2008.

Harry, who farms with his wife Leony and their five children, owns a 5,200-head sow farrowing operation. The Koelens have received many production awards since starting their farm in 1991, and in 2007 they were named Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers. They attribute much of their success to a team of 16 employees.

HR training enriches farm business

Harry recognizes they’re doing a lot of things well when it comes to HR, but admits there is still room for improvement. “We took the course to enrich the farm and to get better at what we do. There is a lot for us to learn – I found that out in the meetings.”

Harry is referring to a series of HR training sessions hosted by the Ontario Pork Industry Council (OPIC), funded by Employment Ontario and presented by AgCareers.com.

“Human Resources Management and Training Capacity Building for the Ontario Pork Industry” coached approximately 15 of Ontario’s hog farm owners, barn managers and supervisors through training modules that covered topics from job descriptions and team building to labour legislation.

OPIC’s HR program was such a success that the Agricultural Management Institute (AMI) has provided additional funding to adapt the training materials and make it more widely available. The modules will be re-worked into smaller “bites” that can be delivered locally to multiple audiences using a multi-media approach.

“This course helped us see what is important to the average employee,” says Harry, who attended the course with one of his barn supervisors. “For example, if we were asked ‘what do you think motivates your people the most?’ we would say good pay, recognition, reaching goals, etc. But the biggest motivator is giving people responsibility.”

The Koelens use daily and weekly work schedules for feeding, breeding, heat checking and building maintenance to achieve labour efficiencies and provide their employees with a sense of job ownership.

While OPIC’s HR program is targeted at pork producers, the lessons are applicable to other primary producers. HR skills are a crucial component for keeping good staff – no matter what sector of agriculture.

An important skill for farmers

HR management is a skill that may not come naturally to some farmers. “I went to agriculture school and I was trained for production, but not really for HR,” says Harry who completed a degree in pigs and poultry in Holland. “You need to have a knack for it, and most people are not naturals. I have to work hard at it.”

Harry recognizes that HR is something that risks getting put on the back burner. “It can be easily forgotten about as we are very busy with whatever is going on. We have to get things done around the farm and focus on production,” says Harry. “But we need to focus on HR too. In the long run it will keep our people happy and our farm more productive.”

The Koelens are currently working towards a goal of completing performance appraisals with staff every six months. As a manager, he doesn’t lose sight of the fact that his actions have an effect on his team. “If we want our people to do a good job, then we need to do it ourselves. If we want our people to work hard and be flexible and happy, then we have to be the same. We cannot walk around with a sour face all day. We need to lead by example.”

How can your farm benefit from HR management?

HR management is a key to farm business success. No matter what the size of operation, focusing on the ‘people’ side of a business in addition to the ‘production’ side will help build a positive, productive workplace and a better bottom line.