Induction
No employee can walk into a new job and be fully effective from the first day - effectiveness grows with understanding of the farm and the details of its operation. But overall, employees perform better, and are more likely to stay in the job longer, when they are clear about what is expected of them from the beginning. It is important to ensure that every employee receives appropriate induction training.
As an employer, you will need to allow adequate time for yourself or a supervisor/manager to ensure new employees receive appropriate induction training and support. Including all aspects of an occupational health and safety induction in relation to all the safety issues on the farm.
Staff induction activities are designed to provide employees with the information they need to do their job effectively, enjoyably and safely. Staff induction often focuses on policies such as safety, security and anti-discrimination. This is useful information, if not the most interesting to participants.
Farm Policies and Systems will assist you to manage farm safety and incidents that may occur on your farm such as accidents, injuries, emergencies or discrimination. Templates are provided to help you develop your farm procedures and policies, and keep necessary records of any incidents.
Apart from policies, staff induction should also cover practicalities, such as:
- how to do common administrative tasks;
- who to contact in an emergency situation; and
- the layout and security at the farm.
New employees are unfamiliar with the environment and processes of the farm business and have not had the chance to fall into bad habits! So induction is an ideal time to set them on the ways you want them to work, including:
- observing occupational health and safety requirements on the farm and the location of safety equipment;
- being aware of, and following, operating manuals;
- asking questions if there is any uncertainty; and
- having an appreciation of the whole farm business, not just the part that he or she is involved in.
The use of an induction program checklist ensures that all necessary areas are covered, and by getting the new employee to sign the checklist after the induction program, and preferably before they start work, you will then have an acknowledgement that the employee has been shown the basics of the position. Induction continues until the probationary period is finished.
It is very important to encourage new staff members to ask questions during the induction process, particularly if they don’t fully understand something. Stress that no question is a dumb one! As an employer you have a responsibility to be supportive during induction, rather than just ‘ticking the box’ on induction.
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Farm hand induction
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Chris and Janet employed Jason as a new general farm hand. He had worked at a couple of other farms in the district and done plenty of relief milking so he was quite experienced with cows but he didn’t know their dairy.
Chris arranged for Jason to come to the farm on Friday before he began full-time duties to spend two hours with him during the middle of the day. They went around the farm and Chris pointed out important things and showed Jason the equipment he would be using. He introduced him to Maria who lived in a separate house on the farm and raised the calves. He also discussed potential hazards and showed Jason the safety gear.
After going around the farm they went in for a cuppa with Janet and went through the employment arrangements. They discussed the start and finish times, annual leave, pay rate and sorted out the outstanding paperwork - the tax declaration form, superannuation form and timesheet.
It was a good opportunity for both Chris and Janet to talk about the things that were important to them and how they liked to work. And Jason asked a few questions that cleared up things that could have been misunderstandings down the track.
This induction session started things off well – they all felt they knew each other better and Jason had a lasting impression that his new employers would be ‘firm but fair’.
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