CO Diary: Taking care of your new staff

BUSINESS CO DIARY

Taking care of new staff

Words by: Lizzy Moore

Starting off a new season can be exciting, but it can also be busy with new staff coming onfarm. When anyone starts a new job there is a lot to learn.

Having a good onboarding experience is both important for yourself, and your new employee.

This can help staff settle into their new job faster and Lizzy Moore. have the best start possible. It also sets you off on the right foot, setting a great tone for your employment relationship, while clarifying expectations and contributing to job satisfaction. Here some tips for setting staff up for success in their first few weeks.

BEFORE THEY START

Prior to your new employee’s first day, make sure everything is in order including: • Filing documents from the recruitment process, including CV, application form and reference information. • Prepare accommodation, PPE, tools, and vehicles. • Talk through and sign the employment agreement and job description with your employee. • Ensure a service tenancy is in place if employees are living onfarm. I also think it’s nice to give the employee an introduction to the area, especially if they have moved towns or regions. This includes local doctors, banks, schools, community groups, and neighbors, to help them feel more settled when they start.

FIRST DAY OF THE JOB

On the first day, there are a few legal requirements that need to be met. This includes filling out relevant paperwork, especially tax and Kiwisaver forms. If providing accommodation, you must do a walk-through and complete a property inspection form. A health and safety induction also needs to occur. This covers emergency procedures and reporting health and safety issues. Then you should take them for a farm tour, pointing out any farm hazards.

Once those boxes are ticked, it’s good to get existing employees to be part of the onboarding process. Get them to explain their role, which aids with teamwork and ensures everyone feels part of the team.

WEEK ONE AND TWO

For the first few weeks, make sure they have a clear work plan, including: • Having a copy of the roster • Knowing where and when to come to work • What they will be doing e.g., shadowing an employee, or assigned tasks independently.

I find it’s important to have someone tasked to ‘check-in’ with your new employee every few hours, to make sure they know what they are doing, and to answer questions.

We also know that good bosses have good communication, so at the end of each week personally check-in and see how they are doing.

I know it can feel like training staff is time-consuming, but once people are trained, they free up your time and you will reap the rewards of your training efforts.

I also find that staff who participate in regular training are generally more motivated, efficient, and likely to remain on your farm. Just remember to also record all employees’ training, whether it is formal or informal.

Remember that onboarding does not stop at week two. Continue to check on new staff over their first few months to make sure that they are settling in.

More information is available at dairynz.co.nz/onboarding.

“I find it’s important to have someone tasked to ‘check-in’ with your new employee every few hours, to make sure they know what they are doing, and to answer questions.”

• Lizzy Moore is a consulting officer for

DairyNZ in Cambridge.