A new dairy employment website designed to make the recruitment and management of staff easier has been launched.
The Employment Hub developed by the RABDF in conjunction with Real Success contains practical resources farmers can download and use to manage employees.
Resource examples include contract templates, job descriptions, employee handbooks and interview techniques. They are free for RABDF Members to download at rabdf.co.uk/members-area-locked/#employment . Anyone wishing to access the resources can join RABDF for a small annual fee of £45.
Commenting on the launch, RABDF Managing Director Matt Knight, said: “Recruiting good labour is something the dairy industry has historically struggled with. And with access to foreign labour now restricted, we must recruit the best labour from our domestic workforce. This all starts with understanding exactly what you are after from an employee and using an accurate job description to advertise the job.”
Forced to employ unsuitable candidates
Mr Knight added: “Out of desperation, some farmers may be forced to employ unsuitable candidates due to a lack of interest. It’s important to realise this can be a costly mistake. It is far better to take the time to advertise correctly and have a structured interview and onboarding process in place.
“By working with Real Success, we hope these resources will make things easier for farmers, so they can download relevant documents and use them either in their entirety or as a basis to adapt specifically for their business.”
Paul Harris from Real Success added: “It’s crucial farmers put people at the centre of their business and invest in them. If we recruit poorly, we retain poorly; that’s where staff retention often goes wrong.
“It’s easy to fall foul of employment legislation or to think Employment Contracts or Right to Work checks don’t apply to your farm – but they do.
“We hope the resources will go some way to helping farmers recruit effectively, and develop the right people in their business,” he added.
Recruitment Advice at Dairy-Tech
Get more tips and advice on recruitment success at Dairy-Tech on 7 April at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. At 12.35 pm on the Dairy Hub, expert Paul Harris will outline the six top secrets of successful recruitment and staff retention.
