16 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | September 2024 “Even without ag experience Rachel is probably one of the best employees we have. She came with an eager willingness to learn and no preconceived notions, and embraced it.” When searching for new employees, Wright also suggests reaching past close contacts to broaden your search. “The traditional way of hiring is telling neighbours you’re looking to hire. There are not as many people in that circle,” says Wright. “Farmers should try taking a different approach. They could be posting jobs online or providing information on their website if they have one. They can also try connecting with recruitment agencies if necessary or get the word out on Facebook or LinkedIn.” She encourages farmers to follow best human resources practices with their job postings. They should include clear descriptions of the working environment and the necessary skills. It is also effective to conduct a structured recruitment process, including interviews. “Following good HR practices can help with the hiring process once you get resumes coming in, and it can help on the retention side. “Connect with local employment offices, or local colleges and universities, that may or may not have agriculture programs. There may be someone that does not have specific agriculture experience but has different experience that could be translated into a farm environment, and they could be trained on the job.” As Brackenridge found with Campbell, sometimes the right attitude can outweigh direct farm experience. While some farms find recruitment a challenge, others struggle more with retaining employees. “There are lots of things that make it difficult to retain employees. There are challenges sometimes with seasonality, and it’s not always possible to have that ‘9 to 5’ or Monday to Friday schedule,” says Wright. “But there can be other benefits. Over the seeding season, employees might be working longer hours or on weekends, but during the winter, they might have every Friday off or have a more flexible schedule.” Brackenridge and Campbell both recommend giving employees a seat at the table and an opportunity to learn. “I did my two-week trial and loved it,” says Campbell about starting her job with Brackenridge. “Now they’ve taught me more so I can contribute more. That has been a big factor for me wanting to stay here, and now I want to learn more. I applied because I needed a job with those hours, but I ended up staying because I loved learning.” Brackenridge says, “Farms in Canada are still mostly family farms. If you treat your employees like family – with respect and hear what they have to say – they tend to stick around. And it eases the burden on the operator because they receive good quality advice from invested employees.” He believes that employee engagement and investment is the key to retention. “I really believe that for retaining employees, they do have to have a seat at the table,” says Brackenridge. “They should be engaged in doing the work that needs to be done. Talk NEW HIRING STRATEGIES The right attitude can outweigh direct farm experience. Emily McKinlay photo
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc0MDI3