Nuffield International Conference – South Australia October 2011

Wai-West Hort Orchard Field Staff

Julian Raine, Nelson, New Zealand

Human Resources

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and beyond

Attracting and retaining the “right” staff Perceptions and reality

Competition from other Industries Rewards and incentives

If we fail we willLimit our business opportunitiesOr worse our business and agriculture will fail

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and

beyond

Quote from Desiree Reid (NZ Nuffield Scholar 2009)

“People drive success, Purpose drives strategy, Ownership determines purpose, Reinvestment enables growth”

Human ResourcesThe Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and beyondMy Business

I growing People and crops/foodLabour makes up 50% of my production costs and

is a fixed cost so I have to get it right

Follow simple rulesBut I don’t always get it right, but work to limit my

exposure to expensive problems when things go badExpect the best and plan for the worst

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and beyond

The pleasure and the pain of employing people

Why do we do it?What are the traps and pitfalls?

Rewards and Goals of Planning

Training and Simple checksClear Communication Incentives and signals to improve performance and

productivity

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and

beyond

Attracting and retaining the “right” staff Perceptions and reality

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and beyond

Attracting the right staff by

Reputation (hard to gain and easily destroyed) Challenging staff and step ups of achievement Investing in good systems, machinery, working environment and people

Retaining the good ones and moving on the mistakes

Working conditions/environment and accommodation Pay rates and benefits Training (informal/formal) Regular Reviews Communication oral and written

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and

beyond

Perceptions of orchard work

Low payLong hoursPoor conditionsRepetitive work

Reality?

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Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and

beyond

Competition from other Industries Rewards and incentives

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and

beyond

Competition from other sectors and countries for our youngest and brightest people

In the mid to late 2000’s our unemployment rate in Nelson was less than 2% (and currently 6.5%)

We couldn’t and can’t compete for wages and conditions for semi skilled employees

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and

beyond

We identified our best staff and invested in them

With Govt changes we adopted RSE 6 Pacific Islands (limited nationally to 8000/yr)

Now have a direct relationship with families in Tongan villages on one island and invest back to their village. Productivity increases at harvest by 50 to 100%.

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and

beyond

We identified our best staff and invested in them

RSE pastoral care (24/7)Full time manager to oversee all aspects of

Daily Performance and concerns Health Welfare Church and culture Sport and recreation

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and beyondManagement is the most important Human Resource

and Challenge for Agriculture 2011 and beyond

Knowledge, experience and action is the counter to the challenges of people, weather, seasonal changes, market forces, Forex, political intervention and many others influences

Adaption to the variances of Farming has been our strength

Making the $1000 decisions and getting them right!In most cases management means you!!

Human Resources

Nurture and enhancement of management/skill is vital through;Better InformationRegular CommunicationLeadership and styleTime to think and concentrate on the important

decisions firstWorking on the business as opposed to in the

businessAre you earning $20/hr or $1000/hr

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Remember part of Desiree’s quote

“People drive success”

Human ResourcesThe HR Challenges for Agriculture 2011 and

beyond

Are you investing in you?

Are you investing in your staff?

What are you as leaders and employers doing to change the perception of working in Agriculture?

Nuffield International Conference – South Australia October 2011

Acknowledge my staff and Qantas

Julian Raine, Nelson, New Zealand

Human Resources