Know How / Staff management Must reads Advice on farm staff issues with drug and alcohol use Why staff leave farming businesses and how to keep them Farm payroll: Rules employers need to consider Employment law changes 2024 - what farmers need to be aware of Case studiesSee all LIVESTOCKHow a business develops young people to manage dairy farmsPassionate and progressive young people have driven the expansion of a farming business based around replicating large, profitable spring block-calving systems, with production from grazed grass. Farming Partners, based near… DAIRYDairy farmer’s recruitment study focuses on neurodiversityA diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has led a Staffordshire contract dairy farmer to explore ways farms can make the most of the wide-ranging skills neurodiverse people have to… STAFF MANAGEMENTRecruitment management decision shapes estate's farm staffThe recent appointment of an assistant manager at the Woburn Estate’s in-hand farming operation is an important part of William Haupt’s approach to risk management and succession. Seven years into… STAFF MANAGEMENTHow a thriving dairy values staff as decision makersStaff walk the fields together to measure grass at Sam Carey’s three dairy farming businesses. A one-person job on most dairy farms, Mr Carey encourages a collaborative approach to measuring… DAIRYHow best to achieve a work-life balance on dairy farmsWork-life balance will mean something different to everybody. There are some who will scoff at the term while, for others, it is a key part of business management. With the… DAIRYHow 10 in 7 milking helped work-life balance and cow healthOne of the biggest challenges for the UK dairy industry is attracting new staff and holding onto them, so when spring milk producer Mark Hoskins had a vacancy in his… Practical adviceSee all STAFF MANAGEMENTAdvice on common farm employment issuesFrom correctly issuing employment contracts to having the right paperwork in order, getting staffing right from the very start will not only rule out problems further down the line but… STAFF MANAGEMENTProactive approach required by new harassment lawsFarm employers now have a legal duty to proactively prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the workplace since new legislation came into force on 26 October 2024. The Worker Protection… BUSINESSFarm staff pay and conditions: How to get the balance rightSome farmers award their staff an annual pay rise. For others, however, regular uplifts are not a given, with factors ranging from the individual’s performance to the financial position of… STAFF MANAGEMENTHow to check right to work status to avoid hefty penaltiesFarmers must do a right to work check before hiring anyone to make sure that that person is legally allowed to do the work in question. The obligation to conduct… BUSINESS CLINICBusiness Clinic: Advice on employing staff for the first timeWhether it’s a legal, tax, insurance, management or land issue, Farmers Weekly’s Business Clinic experts can help. Joe Spencer, a partner in MHA, advises on the administration implications of employing… DAIRYTips on motivating staff during block calvingFinding out what life’s priorities are for staff is the key to keeping them engaged during the intensity of a block-calving period. Without support, it is easy for employees to… InsightsSee all COMMUNITYAnalysis: How hiring apprentices helps solve labour problemFor years, a large portion of the workforce in dairy, poultry and horticulture has come from abroad. However, since Brexit and with immigration policies tightening, this labour supply is no… STAFF MANAGEMENTCan better working practices help overcome labour shortages?Agriculture is facing a number of labour challenges in 2024, with many farmers and those in ancillary industries struggling to recruit and retain staff. In recent decades, a high proportion… BUSINESSWhat the Institute of Ag Management offers farm managersChanging agricultural and environmental policies along with a shift in public expectations mean that farmers and their managers have an increasingly challenging job. Many of those described as farm managers… STAFF MANAGEMENTSurvey of farm managers' pay shows 12% rise in two yearsUK farm manager salaries have more or less kept pace with inflation in the past two years, rising by an average of 12% to £59,695, but some businesses are paying… STAFF MANAGEMENTAdvice on farm staff issues with drug and alcohol useEmployers have a legal duty to protect employees’ health, safety and welfare, and that means taking action if they suspect that an individual is the worse for wear from drink… BUSINESSCould apprenticeships solve UK farming’s labour challenges?Lantra, the largest provider of end-point assessments for apprenticeships in the agriculture sectorv has carried out a new survey of employers. Reporter Debbie James examines the results. The skills shortage on… STAFF MANAGEMENTFarm payroll: Rules employers need to considerGone are the days when farmers only had to work out income tax deductions and national insurance contributions (NIC) before paying staff. With pension auto-enrolment, new rules on holiday pay,… STAFF MANAGEMENTUK horticulture careers towards seasonal labour crisisWith robotic pickers and packers many years away for most commercial horticulture businesses and labour availability falling dramatically, the industry is on the verge of a crisis. Industry leaders want… BUSINESS MANAGEMENTHow leadership training can help secure the future of farmingSome of the biggest organisations in farming have come together to raise awareness of leadership training across the industry. Now in its second year, the #AgriLeadershipWeek social media campaign will… STAFF MANAGEMENTSurvey reveals farm managers' salaries, bonuses and perksFarm managers now earn a salary package averaging £53,306, and the age of people commanding that level of pay is getting younger. The survey, Farm managers in 2022, their jobs… AGRICULTURAL TRANSITIONWhy training and development are key to farming competitivenessGood farm management, employee recruitment and staff retention are seen as key for UK agriculture to become more productive and sustainable – while meeting ever-increasing consumer expectations. The need for… BUSINESSSafety data drives productivity and cost controlUsing information gathered to improve safety and wellbeing to manage performance probably isn’t your first thought when you think about how to make a farm safe but here’s the thing:…
