JFT Nurseries Team: working together to deliver quality trees and enhance the workplace

By Renee Byrne, Beth Sands and James Nicklen

For JFT Nurseries, 2023 was a busy year that marked a significant transition for the familyowned business. The next generation of Andrew James, Billie Hicken, Chris Sands, and Renee Byrne, took the reins on July 1, injecting fresh energy and innovative ideas into the business. This next gen’s clear focus is to continue to grow and supply top quality trees to their loyal customers, and to work alongside their 40+ hard-working staff while making continual improvements across the workplace.

There are many exciting developments taking place at JFT in 2024. The team recently provided an update on the season and insights into what’s in store for the future:

Bare Root season kicks off

A busy season ahead for JFT as Bare Root season begins. Having recently distributed their Bare Root order form, the team have been thrilled with the response, with orders flooding their inbox. The team is currently counting trees, with plans to allocate stock to orders in February (prospective buyers are urged to place orders ASAP).

Optimal growing conditions and teamwork

Andy James, manager of the production team, reports on the excellent growing conditions in 2023. The team have been tirelessly engaged in de-suckering, staking, tying, topping, and limbing to ensure the trees maintain their superb appearance. As they embark on the new year, the focus shifts to pruning, stocktake completion, and preparation for the upcoming budding season.

Container team's commitment to quality

Billie Hicken emphasises how busy the summer months are for the container team. From picking orders to packing for dispatch, their commitment to delivering products that are healthy and looking great remains a source of pride. Their beautiful, containerised stock is offered to customers from around mid-November right up until the end of March and into April, to help customers keep stocks up until the Bare Root season kicks off again. If you’re in need of some fresh stock for your nursery, please reach out the JFT for the latest availability list.

Managing growth challenges

Chris Sands, overseeing farm management, reiterates that it’s been a great growing season, not only for the trees but unfortunately the weeds as well. The Farm Management team have been kept well and truly busy this summer, trying their best to keep on top of the weeds, which have been loving the weather. On the bright side, the wet days at least allow them to catch up on machinery maintenance.

JFT Nurseries’ HR Manager, Beth Sands, shared some of the recent initiatives that have been implemented to improve the experience of employees:

The management team is focused on continuing to build a strong culture, ensuring the experience of working at JFT is a positive one with continued opportunities for development. And in doing so, retaining our amazing team and attracting new talent. We hope our staff will agree that it is an exciting time to be working with JFT!

We have a great team here at JFT and are committed to enhancing the resources and support for our staff. Over the past year, we have introduced a few new developments that have improved our processes and, hopefully, our staff experience!

Learning and development

We have spent time continuing to update essential training for staff across various licenses and certificates, including Heavy Rigid licenses, Forklift licenses, Chemical Certificates, and First Aid training. Our leadership team also took part in a training day earlier in 2023 with Bruce from Moshie. Looking to 2024, our learning and development plan will provide all staff an opportunity for training and development throughout the year.

EAP

In early December, we were proud to introduce an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that all staff (and their family members) can access. Primarily, the EAP provides employees with confidential short-term counselling and assistance in accessing longer-term support for mental health, financial, and legal advice (without the long wait times). The EAP also provides a well-being app that can be accessed for hints and tips, fact sheets, and other helpful information.

Given the stressors in today’s busy world and the prevalence of mental illness, we are hopeful that providing the EAP will assist in removing barriers for our staff to access help and support a psychologically healthy and safe workplace at JFT Nurseries.

Staff newsletters

We now release a bi-monthly newsletter for our staff, full of photos, key dates, and updates across all areas of the business. We have found this has been a great way to connect the different teams and provides further insights to our staff as to what each team has been working on. We also do a “Getting to know you” page that asks some fun questions of a different staff member for every issue. We have had great feedback on this and love hearing what our people have to say.

Staff transition and development initiatives

Over the past five or so years, JFT Nurseries have seen the retirement of several loyal leaders and team members with over 15 years of service. This transition, along with increased production has been a challenge, but it’s a credit to the whole team working together in synergy that they continue to produce the high-quality trees that they pride themselves on at JFT Nurseries.

What the staff at JFT say

“I love working at JFT, being outdoors and amidst nature, especially in springtime when everything is coming back to life after winter. The flowers, the ducklings, the sunshine – it is so wonderful to be around and be a part of the process of growing new trees each year.” – Jessie, four years’ service

JFT has offered me work/life balance, with excellent flexibility in my working hours. In return, I’m part of a great family-based company, where the owners have an open-door policy with their staff, and we all work side by side equally, regardless of your role. I also enjoy learning new varieties of trees and new techniques that keep us as a leading grower in the industry, in one of the most beautiful parts of Victoria – the Yarra Valley.” – Pam, 25 years’ service