Farmers know that looking after their dairy herd is a given. But Alberta Badu-Yeboah says looking after the workers is just as important, and something that should never fall by the wayside.
Alberta is the extension coordinator for Dairy South Australia, and she is committed to helping farmers upskill their teams.
“Of course you need to take care of the cows, but people are the face of farms, so you need to take care of them to keep the business going,” Alberta says.
“Without efficient, productive and upskilled staff, there is high chance of a farmer becoming burnt out, stressed, and not have the time to make tangible decisions that affect their farm.”
There is no ‘one size fits all’ recipe for upskilling workers, but Alberta says knowing exactly what each staff member will need ideally starts during the recruitment process.
During this time, when workers are being onboarded, she says employers should take particular note of the hard skills (such as milking skills, calf-rearing ability) and soft skills (such as communication and teamwork) that each potential worker can bring to the table. Making a continual effort to develop both hard and soft skills of employees is vital.
“If you put effort into learning about a potential worker’s hard and soft skills during recruitment, you already know where their strengths and weaknesses are – and therefore have a training plan as to how to develop them if you do decide to take them on,” Alberta says.
For farmers wanting to upskill their team, but not knowing where to start, Alberta says browsing the multitude of courses available on the Dairy Australia website is a great first step, as is reaching out to the local team in South Australia to ask for help.
Many courses are available to further develop both hard skills and soft skills – for managers and employees alike – while in-person workshops are also plentiful.
“For those who aren’t yet connected to us, give us a call and we can work with you to find the best ways to support you,” Alberta says.
“We can also connect farmers to either Dairy Australia or other industry experts within our network, if they are in need of specialised advice.”
While there are productivity and profitability benefits of having upskilled workers, Alberta says there are significant benefits for staff retention.
“It’s often as simple as people staying on because they are being supported and therefore feel valued,” she says.
And if an upskilled worker does leave the business, Alberta says it’s not all bad news.
“Staff who have been trained speak well of their employers and if worker decides to leave, they are generally happy to ask around to help fill your role,” she says.
“So, there will always be a benefit to upskilling your staff – regardless of how long they stay in the business.”
To find out more about how Dairy Australia provides support with employing and managing people, and building skills for successful careers in dairy farming, contact your regional team today or visit dairyaustralia.com.au/people.
