Self-Devpt. Nuggets™

What thoughts come to your mind about your farm business? Do you feel excited and look forward to getting latest updates on what’s happening (or happened) there? Or do you have a feeling of dread wash over you as unpleasant thoughts, of things going wrong, run through your mind?

Your Answer Will Depend on How Well Organized You’ve Made Your Farm Workplace

Many farm owners I’ve come across, do not require ALL employees to formally review previous day’s/week’s/month’s farm business performance results – as ONE team.

In organisations and establishments where best practices are observed, short performance review sessions are regularly held.

This happens with small as well as large outfits in different industries.

The principles are always the same – with the mode of implementation being what differs.

Where I learnt Best Practice, we had what we called the “Daily 5 Minute 5S Meeting”.

It was a 5 minute review meeting of the previous day’s performance, based on diligently tracked performance parameters.

In Advocating Use of Best Practices to Farm Business Owners, I Recommend Same

However, to operate that way, one must know what to measure, and against what standard to assess the results.

For instance, your farm would have established what are called Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for different areas of production or operation.

For intelligent use of manpower/resources towards optimal KPI output, you would need to have instruments like Job Descriptions and Work Instructions.

They would be used for training employees on their roles and responsibilities.

And they would also serve as useful reference documents they can consult as they work.

The correct use of all the above, to ensure the most productive outing on each farm day, will require your appointing competent and driven Farm Management personnel to lead the others.

Now, let’s go back to holding the 5 minute review meeting at the start of the day.

What?

Oh, you think 5 Minutes Too Short for a Review of Your Farm’s past 24 Hours of Operation?

Trust me – it will be more than enough time, IF your farm is setup based on a Best Operating Process Management System (BOPMS) ™.

Typically, your Farm Manager or Supervisor would lead such meetings. You may sometimes be present, but even if you’re not s/he would brief you afterwards.

S/he would refer to a one page report, on which the past day’s computed KPIs, and other farm performance measures have been summarized.

Focus Is Always On Areas Where Expected Targets Were Missed

Yes, the above meeting is always used to discuss exceptions i.e. things that failed to happen as expected.

That’s why the review meeting can take such a short time: Unless there’s chaos on your farm, FEW things will go wrong and require such attention!

The mental attitude to adopt is that we expect each day to go as well as possible.

When it does, we pat ourselves on the back and go for it again the next day.

When it does not, we stop and ask ourselves why – and develop plans to prevent a repeat of that failure.

Example: Let’s say the minimum recorded Hen Day Percentage (HDP) for layers in your layer pens is 75%.

Then one day you notice one pen or cage line of birds had 55% HDP reported.

That exception would – should – come up for discussion.

The farm hand who did the collections would be asked questions (not blamed!), so as to find out possible causes.

Checks would be done to confirm no errors occurred in data recording or computations.

Feeding and mortality rates KPIs would be checked, for tell tale trends that could explain the unexpected low output.

If something unusual is found, potential causes would be discussed, and possible corrective action agreed on.

If no immediate cause(s) is/are identified, attention would be focussed on that batch of birds for the new day.

Any unusual signs will be noted and brought up for review/discussion again the next day. And so on.

Keeping the Farm Business Running Smoothly Is Always THE Priority – and Employess Will Know It Too

That’s why the above process will always be guided by a formally documented review procedure.

By the time it is consistently done for a reasonable period of time – typically a few weeks to one or two months – the entire team will get accustomed to it.

Subsequently, even when farm manager is absent or unavailable, the farm hands will generate the KPI report, and hold the meeting themselves. Believe it or not, this can be made to happen on YOUR farm.

But there’s a basic requirement for this to work: PEOPLE you hire must share your philosophy.

Honest people with good work ethics often want a system like the above to continue.  So they will keep it alive, no matter what happens.

Therefore your recruitment process should ensure only such people get hired to work on your farm.

No nepotism, tribalism or favouritism of any kind should be allowed – or you will fail at this.

If you do it right, YOU will get joy from thinking about your farm business.

You will see people working for you, with focussed dedication, driven by the knowledge that they will be rewarded based on their contributions.

Your farm business will grow and prosper as a result.

…and that brings me to one last point…actually a warning…

BEWARE: The Above Ideas Will Not Work for Exploitative Employers

If you are a farm business owner who cheats your workers, forget about using the ideas described here to get the results promised.

It’s impossible to have a farm business – indeed any business – that really makes you feel good, if you do not reward your employees well.

Why?

Because those employees will find ways to get back at you.

You will know it, and possibly see the signs. And that concern will give you nightmares.

It’s as simple as that.

Here’s What I Recommend…

Find out what obtains in the industry, and pay your people the same – or better. (Remember: Hire the right kind of people!)

In addition, offer good working conditions. If possible provide on farm housing, and feeding, for key operatives.

That will keep them living close to the work venue to be available in situations requiring urgency. It will also build team work and loyalty – while ensure absenteeism, and late coming are minimised or eliminated.

Most importantly, keep all promises you make to your workers. Be it in terms of rewards for good work, or reprimands for wrong doing.

Make it clear you will be predictable on both fronts – without making expectations, even for relatives!

Diligently do all these, and you’ll be running your farm business with smiles – instead of fear or tears.