An overlooked tactic in lowering employee turnover Originally published at Dairyherd.com on 1/11/2022 here Onboarding: An Overlooked Tactic in Lowering Employee Turnover | Dairy Herd It takes a lot of work to find and hire great employees. Hiring employees often takes you away from your normal work. So once an...
Insights
A Team Review
Let your team improve how the farm operates by hashing out what works - and what needs work. Originally published at https://www.farmprogress.com/commentary/benefits-farm-debrief-0 on 1/11/22. Many farms want to scale up their operations, and they need people to do the work. Ideally, you want great teams of employees. Great teams can...
Easy Employee Reviews
How to keep your best employees engaged and happy. Originally published at www.farmprogress.com/commentary/easy-guide-employee-reviews on 11.19.2022. Have you had the frustration of being blindsided by a great employee leaving? They have been on board for a year or so, and it appeared everything was going great. They showed up on time,...
What do transition planning and CRP burns have in common?
Successful transition planning takes a plan Originally published at Progressive Dairy on 11/25/2021. If you don't want a raging grass fire, you have to plan. To get a controlled fire that burns the CRP grassland without making the local newspaper, takes planning and preparation. I learned the hard way that...
Investing in the next generation
Just like any investment, the earlier you start the more it has time to grow and develop. Originally published at dairyherd.com on 10/14/2021 You invest in your business; you invest in your retirement, and you invest in your connections with loved ones. Have you considered investing in the future leadership...
The conversations families must have if they want to keep the farm together
When it comes to Transition Planning, communication is the foundation. Originally published at Progressive Dairy on 9/20/2021 Despite a farm's success and strong family ties, a family can become fragmented and less unified over time. This was the case with my friend Bob. He was so delighted when both his...
Communication, the missing ingredient in Transition Planning
When it comes to Transition Planning, communication is the foundation. Originally published at FarmFutures.com on 10/13/2021 The transition plan had all but stopped, and unspoken issues were piling up. Both the employees and the next generation were frustrated. Everyone involved was frustrated, including the advisors and spouses. To be fair,...
Work-Life Balance is More than a Buzzword
A good work-life balance helps everyone thrive in their personal lives and on the farm. Originally published at dairyherd.com 9/3/21. Work-life balance is the buzzword as of late, and for a good reason. It can be a struggle to make all employees happy. But your employees struggle too. Farming can...
Communication Tools to tame the whirlwind
Holding onto outdated communication tools might be holding you back. Originally published at farmfutures.com on 8/20/2021 Communication is often the missing ingredient as farms try to grow. Okay. Maybe communication isn't completely missing. But in the recipe for success, the ingredient called "communication" is needed in a larger quantity and...
When to Let Go of an Employee
Knowing when to let go is crucial to maintaining a solid team Originally published at https://www.dairyherd.com/news/labor/when-let-go-employee on 7/21/2021 Blake, a large dairy producer from the Midwest, was fit to be tied. Unfortunately, for the last four months, Dennis has not been the stellar employee he used to be. He was often...