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Ethridge, TN | I agree with the above posts, and I'm actually coming from the side of being the "employee", as I work as a farm manager, so in a way, I see both sides of this discussion. You should have a basic idea what it costs you to "live" in your area. If you find good help that you can rely on, you need to be paying him/her enough that they are not boarding on the poverty level for the area. Extras can sometimes mean more than money also, and making that employee feel like part of the operation will definitely help their self esteem. If you go to a field day, take them along, take them to lunch, and express to them the good job they are doing for you. Everyone will make mistakes from time to time, but rather than jumping down their throat about it, turn it into a learning lesson, which will help eliminate the mistake being made again, plus hopefully increase the thought process in future decisions this employee might have to make in other instances. If the employee has an idea about something, at least listen to them. Just because something has been done a certain way, does not always mean that there might not be a better way.
An employee that feels like they are part of something, and not just there for pay day, will put more effort out. Farming is an occupation that many of us have chosen because we love the challenge and the life. Good employees for farm operations need to share that love, as economics will hardly let the wage compete with what they might be able to make in the industrial side. If you find a good one, you will need to keep them, cause if you think you can replace them at anytime, like you would a tractor, think long and hard about that thought. The good ones are becoming very hard to find. | |
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what do you pay
