Equally importantly, by getting people management right, it’s very likely you will enjoy your job more, along with your employees – and that flows through to better farm performance.
The Sustainable Dairying: Workplace Action Plan, developed by DairyNZ and Federated Farmers on behalf of the industry, was covered in last month’s Dairy Exporter. It recognises the importance of people and the provision of a quality work environment for those people on our farms.
Safe, rewarding and productive workplaces are built on the strength of firm foundations created by complying with the law. The five pillars of good practice detailed in the Workplace Action Plan further contribute by creating a work environment where good people want to stay, grow and contribute.
Over the next few months we will provide practical ideas for improving the work environment on your farm. This month we focus on balanced and productive work time. This pillar tackles one of dairying’s elephants in the room – the appropriate number of hours for employees to work.
The Workplace Action Plan says “Dairying has strong variations in seasonal work demands, which sometimes call for long hours and exceptional effort. However, exceptional circumstances should not be embedded as the norm.”
Research shows people working long hours, or too many days consecutively, drop off in performance and are more likely to make mistakes and have accidents. Fatigue and poor work-life balance might mean they are more likely to leave their job.
Balanced and productive work time requires:
- Enough people with the right skills to ensure workloads are achievable in the allocated time
- A variety of tasks offering both physical and mental challenges
- Motivating and enjoyable work that avoids fatigue
- Sufficient flexibility to support an overall work/life balance
Employees working on a well-designed roster normally:
- Are not likely to work more than 50 hours a week
- Are not likely to work more than 10 hours a day
- Are not likely to work more than four hours in any day before a break is taken
- Have regular days off, set by the roster system within the employment agreement
- Have at least two consecutive days off
On many farms 50 hours a week is a long way from reality – people are working many more. This simply isn’t sustainable – it’s one of the main reasons people leave jobs and leave the industry. Many of those people leaving are people we want and need – good, reliable employees, but employees who place a value on their life and their time. And fair enough.
The challenge is how to decrease hours of work and where to start?
Step 1:Ask your team to fill in timesheets each day, every day.
Understand the actual hours of work on your farm. It might be good news, it might be bad, but at least you will know. Ideally have your employees note how long different tasks take.
Step 2: Determine the jobs you need or want to get done and how many people are needed to complete them.
List critical farm jobs and how long the average person takes to complete them to work out what a day would look like. Build in time for team meetings, planning, training and managing – it’s all farm work. List seasonal farm jobs that will come up and estimate how long they will take – consider using an A3 planner. List jobs you would like to be completed and how long they would take each day.
Step 3: Compare Step 1 timesheets with your plan from Step 2.
Do they match? Are your expectations realistic?
Step 4: Take action if the hours being worked are too high. Ideas to consider include:
Remove or improve inefficient jobs. Train employees to become more efficient. Create confidence by delegating jobs. Remember to be clear about what you need done, when you need it done by and why you need it done. Consider bringing in extra labour – relief, casual, permanent or contract. Get organised daily, or at least weekly, with a list of tasks that need doing and communicate them to your team – team meetings are a good opportunity to do this.
Many farmers have successfully reduced hours of work for themselves and their employees without negatively impacting profitability. In fact, profitability often improves. Reducing hours of work also means more time to yourself or with family and friends, and that is priceless.
To order or download a copy of the Workplace Action Plan, and for practical tips and resources visit www.dairynz.co.nz/WAP.
