It denotes key values and gives a clear indication of expectations such as being on time and on form – ready to go when expected and ready for work.
It also shows the importance they place on celebrating the successes.
The charter is presented to prospective employees right at the outset of the recruitment phase so they can see straight away who they are and how they like to operate.
“They know pretty quickly if they think they’ll be a fit here. But we also give them contact details for the unit manager and another staff member so they can get a reference on us,” Cara says.
Putting the effort in at recruitment pays dividends as new staff fit seamlessly into the work culture enhancing the existing work environment.
But she points out the 90-day trial period. The fact that only managers are housed means that if need be they and employees can rectify a wrong choice.
Rather than living onfarm dairy assistant staff travel to and from both farms each day from nearby Timaru and surrounds.
It’s a system that’s worked well so far, saving on the expense of building accommodation but also giving staff a work/home situation similar to their friends in town.
“We don’t have people moving their children in and out of schools or young staff having to live with the people they work with all day,” Cara says.
The couple provide a travel allowance and have helped some out with travel in other ways.
As relatively recent entrants to the industry they’re not shackled with convention and have now instigated a job-sharing system. They’ve replaced one conventional farm position with two people although the job-sharing hours mean 1.5 full-time equivalents. One person will start at 5.30am, in time for cups on at 6am, and finish at 1pm while the other person starts at 9am and works until 5pm.
“I hate seeing young people dragging their gumboots, exhausted from 12-hour days. It’s a struggle for young Kiwi kids just out of school.”
Their system allows the early starter to be free for sports practice and have a life off the farm as well.
The roster is also aimed at allowing people to have a real weekend off that includes Saturday and Sunday with either a Monday or Friday tacked on to give them three days every second weekend.
“Families need that and so do young people and having a business day means they can get what they need to done in town too.”
Rewarding staff and celebrating successes is a biggie for the Gregans.
“When we achieve a target it’s the staff who have made that happen so we let them know we appreciate that,” John says.
Vouchers and rewards should be appropriate to the situation and the person.
They’ve set up a profit-share system with the unit managers so that during the good times, when payout is up for instance, they get to share in that.
They get bonuses based on performance targets and the profit-sharing allows them to also get that bit extra when factors outside their control are up too.
Everyone on the farm knows how the financials are tracking and they’re all privy to details including where debt levels are at.
It’s all about creating Team Gregan and getting everyone working for a common goal in a fun, positive environment.
