So, rather than saying “Good job picking that mastitis cow” explain why it was good. Try saying “Well done for picking that mastitis cow – she was identified early so we were able to treat her, get her milk back in the vat with minimal lost production and keep the bulk somatic cell count (BSCC) down.”
Timely feedback is more effective. There’s no need to wait until the end of year review – at the dairy is much better.
Feedback should always be genuine, and remember not to add the word ‘but’ into the sentence or assign more work as a result of good performance.
For example, this comment is not motivational: “Bob, you did such a great job getting the cows in the other morning. You didn’t miss any and found the one hidden in the drain. You can get the cows in every morning at 4am.”
Small rewards are a great idea. Spending $10 on an incentive for early mastitis detection is money well spent when you consider the cost of having a cow in the herd with reduced production and a couple of SCC grades.
Find out what makes your employee tick. It might just be something as simple as giving them a longer lunch break so they can watch their child swim at school sports. It doesn’t have to cost you much at all, but the value of being the good boss who staff want to work for is huge.
Next time you find yourself falling into the trap of thinking “they should just know” remember recognition and acknowledgment of good performance and attitude is a powerful motivating tool and a great way to show you value your staff members.
DairyNZ’s South Waikato HR workshops are in Tokoroa on March 26 and Otorohanga on March 28. To register phone Andrea Clayton on 07 858 2768 or email andrea.clayton@dairynz.co.nz.
Amy Johnson is the DairyNZ consulting officer for South Waikato.
