Ag's HR Coach

With the rush of the harvest season upon (most of) us, taking time to review your farm's safety procedures and discussing with employees what steps to take in an emergency can go a long way to prevent, or minimize, the impact of an accident.

There's no shortage of sources for conflict in a family-run business, but there are strategies you can employ to minimize their impact, leading to healthier, happier relationships and working conditions.

Many of the 36 million Americans that have claimed unemployment since the coronavirus pandemic began would prefer to work for a family-owned company, preferably in a stable industry like agriculture. With an expanded talent pool, now is an excellent time to hire.

During busy seasons on the farm, many employees come to work even when they're not feeling well. With planting around the corner and COVID-19 spreading, farms need to clearly communicate what's expected to help keep everyone healthy.

January is the most popular month for people to change jobs. With demand for labor growing and supply tightening, DTN's HR Coach shares a few strategies to help you stand out.

Work-life balance is the third most important attribute job candidates consider when choosing where to work. While that often puts farms at a disadvantage, there are a few things farmers can do to make jobs more attractive to prospective employees.

Small, close-knit teams can make having tough conversations difficult, but a little up-front communication can make a big difference.

Generation Z is ready to enter the workforce. They differ from millennials in important ways, and managing them requires a different approach.

Here are five practices you can implement with relatively low cost and investment of time to help keep an employee engaged.

Engaging employees needs more than a scattershot approach. If some employees are actively disengaged, a methodical approach would be better. Here are six questions you can ask employees to get feedback and to gain a sense of each one's engagement to the business.

Hiring a freelancer to complete a specialized project offers a number of unique benefits, but like most things on the farm, you get what you pay for.

Often the best way to improve employees' listening skills is to empower them to lead and think through problems on their own.

Whether it's tardiness, extreme cell phone use, abuse of sick time or excessive negativity, addressing employees' bad behaviors is an essential part of running a successful team. DTN's HR Coach offers some tips for those tough conversations.

Military veterans often bring a large number of transferable skills to the farm, which often makes them a good fit for operations large and small.

With the unemployment rate at an all-time low, many agricultural employers are struggling to find and attract top-quality candidates at historical compensation rates. While it's tough to raise wages when profit margins are narrow, DTN HR Columnist Lori Culler explains what you need to consider...

Just like too many cooks in the kitchen, too many managers at the farm can cause problems. Here are some tips on how to create a structure that fits your farm.

Managers set the tone for the farm's work environment through their actions and communication. Here are six factors that drive team performance and how you can improve your team's dynamic.

If an employee isn't living up to expectations, it could be time to let them go. Here are some tips on how to make the separation with underperforming employees less stressful.

Here are some tips to improve communication with your team members, as well as some useful technological solutions to make the communication easier.

High-performing farm teams all have one factor in common: -- trust.