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Make sure your new farm employees feel like they are a priority once they accept the offer.

Bonnie Johnson, Marketing Associate

May 3, 2021

3 Min Read
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You put a lot of time into recruiting and finding the best hire, but the work doesn’t stop there if you want to keep talent. Your new hire is still top priority once they arrive.

We go through a lot of effort to woo top job candidates, and it’s tempting to say our job is done once they accept the offer. However, it’s crucial to ensure your new hire is still on the priority list once they arrive. How do you stay close to the onboarding process and motivate your new hire to succeed in your organization? Consider these five suggestions:

1. Communication, and more communication. Use the time between offer acceptance and your new hire’s first day. Send a packet of local area brochures and important contacts if they are relocating. Ensure they have a main contact at your farm they can depend on as they tie up loose ends at their current job and prepare to start from scratch with your organization. Arming them with information to help them through the transition can give them assurance they made the right decision and clear the way for excitement about getting started.

2. Be proactive and welcoming. The new employee’s computer or other workstation essentials should be set up and operating smoothly before their first day. Surprise them with a unique welcome gesture—leave a basket of goodies at their workstation or send something special to their home that their entire family can enjoy. Include some branded swag items if you have them. Everyone appreciates being thought of, and this gesture communicates to your new hire that you’ve put effort into welcoming them to the organization and making them feel like a valuable new team member.

3. Mentorship. Have an experienced coworker (note: make sure the current employee is willing!) get to know and shepherd the new hire. They can be a consistent presence and source of encouragement as the new hire “learns the ropes.” The right mentor can build confidence and help the new hire fit in, which supports motivation and productivity. You can even connect the mentor to the new hire before their first day to help ease the transition into a new workplace.

4. Create meaningful work quickly. There’s nothing less motivating than being told to sit down and read the employee handbook for an hour. Skip as much of the old “first day” drudgery as you can and be prepared to have them jump into something important and engaging. Determine one or two meaningful projects that can achieve quickly for a sense of accomplishment.

5. Outline and celebrate development. Over 70% of agricultural employers report that they have a bonus system in place to keep employees challenged and productive in their roles. Share the training and bonus plan with the new employee, plus the clear path to proficiency and achievement in their role. Clarity is crucial in managing expectations from both the employer’s and employee’s perspective. It’s motivating to see progress, while celebrating those milestones will promote growth and engagement.

Keep these five motivation methods in mind when you find your new hire at www.AgCareers.com.

The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Farm Progress. 

 

About the Author(s)

Bonnie Johnson

Marketing Associate, Agcareers.com

As Marketing Associate at AgCareers.com, Bonnie Johnson works on both internal and external communications, email marketing, company branding and market research projects. Bonnie was raised on a farm in Northeast Iowa and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa and her Masters from Iowa State University. Bonnie has been with AgCareers.com since 2010.  AgCareers.com is a leading online career site and human resource service provider for the agriculture, food, natural resources and biotech industries.

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