Strategies to Expand Your Ag Workforce

Mike Watkins, Contributor

Fifth-generation Nebraska rancher Logan Pribbeno is aware that the roles of and the need for labor in agriculture have changed significantly in the past 50 years.

While this is largely due to technological advancements, increased mechanization and innovation resulting in fewer, more efficient farms, the availability and need for skilled, loyal farmworkers of all kinds remain high.

For Pribbeno, who left his family farm to attend college in California and worked in finance in the Bay Area for 10 years, this shift in labor has resulted in a workforce that is much more specialized than it was in his grandfather's or even his father's day.

To accommodate this generational change, he understands his family business needs to address and provide a change in needs, requests and expectations to attract and retain good, loyal employees for the long haul.

"Things are definitely different now than when my great-great-grandfather started our family farm, the Wine Glass, located near Imperial, Nebraska, more than a 100 years ago," says Pribbeno, who returned to his family ranch more than a decade ago.

"Our operation has gotten much simpler, which means we don't require as many staff as in the past. But, the staff that we do have is much more tech-savvy, and that's because it's much more important today."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

So, what should those who operate a farm, ranch or other ag-related business do to not only find the best employees but retain them in today's work world? What are potential employees looking for in an employer, and what should employers do to attract them?

AgHires.com, which conducted a recent survey of 708 participants -- 60% male aged 15 to 56-plus employed within the agricultural industry and residing in the United States -- revealed some of the things job seekers are looking for:

-- 70% expect salary details in job postings. However, pay isn't ranked in the top five most important factors when considering a new job offer.

-- The top three factors candidates look for in a job include job security, advancement opportunities and continued learning opportunities.

-- 94% would at least listen and consider a new job if contacted by a company or recruiter.

-- 47% find company culture very important when considering a new position.

-- 50% start their job search on job boards, such as AgHires.com, followed by social media (21%), search engines (12%) and networking (11%).

With all of this in mind, what makes for an appealing agriculture-focused operation or business worth investigating and potentially applying for work?

Lori Culler, founder and owner of AgHires.com, says there are several things top ag employers do better than others.

"[Good employers] understand showcasing their value proposition -- what do they have to offer their employees or future employees in terms of a great place to work, growth in knowledge, perks, etc.?" she says. "The ones who do it well know that they need to become an 'employer of choice,' and they take steps to do that."

COMMON APPEAL

Culler says there are some common factors that make top employers appealing.

For one, they have a good online presence and an informative and easy-to-navigate website, and they post regularly on multiple social media platforms.

She says social media is essential to hiring in the 2020s. Sharing job listings on business social media accounts or third-party accounts is one of the best ways to communicate with candidates. It also portrays businesses as modern and "in the know" of the current trends.

"When candidates first see or hear of a job opening, the first action they take is researching the company online to get to know them to see if they want to apply," says Culler, who started AgHires 11 years ago. "If there is not a lot of online presence, they are moving on to something else."

The actual job listing -- how it's worded and what details it includes -- is also important to attract high-quality candidates. Describe the open position and the company in a compelling way, and lead with the right information.

An attractive job description is one that inspires candidates to want to work for a company. It's much easier to hire from a pool of candidates who are not only interested in but excited about the job based on the way it's described.

Here are some ways businesses, including farmers and ranchers, looking for employees can make their job posts more attractive:

-- Create job titles that are specific and understandable. Qualified candidates who are looking for work know exactly what they are looking for. A clear job title that they are already in search of will catch their eye.

-- Keep descriptions detailed but concise.

-- Include a captivating background or summary of the position, and how it works within the company.

Top employers also make it clear in their descriptions that they offer benefits such as health, dental, a retirement plan such as a 401(k) and paid time off (PTO). Typically, PTO is at least two weeks that starts to accumulate on their first day.

For prospective employees, many fresh out of educational programs, when they look at job descriptions, they are looking for clear, up-front communication from the start.

Culler says these job seekers want advertisements to tell them what the positions entails as accurately as possible.

For Jacob Parr, Iowa State University's (ISU) Ag 450 Farm manager, what he's hearing from students preparing to enter the workforce is a myriad of things they want in an employer.

A 2018 ISU graduate of the farm who worked for a few years in agronomy sales, Parr says he sees something different post-COVID than what he wanted when he entered the workforce.

He sees prospective employees -- himself included -- wanting flexibility in a work schedule, which he acknowledges isn't always easy to do.

"With most of the students I work around, the biggest thing I gauge they want/need is how the employer can help them grow," says Parr, who plans to stay where he is and take on more responsibilities with the farm when he graduates with his advanced degree in May. "Whether this be career-oriented/leadership trainings, paying for continuing education classes or expecting the company to offer growth opportunities, that is what most of the students leaving my classroom want.

"In the future, if I am looking, my advanced degree focus was on precision technologies in agriculture, so I would be looking for an employer that is at the leading edge of this field and can offer me growth/learning opportunities within it to build my skills and be able to pass them along to those who are interested."

COMPENSATION CLARITY

Listing starting salary or salary range is another factor educated graduates want spelled out in job descriptions. For them, including clear salary expectations often dictates whether they take the time to apply in the first place.

"If ag operations are not offering that right away, they are dramatically lowering their candidate pool," Culler says.

"Even if it's just a range, employees want to know what kind of compensation is on the table so they can go into conversations feeling confident, not worried that they'll get stuck in a role that doesn't match their worth," she says. "Being open and honest from the start goes a long way toward building trust, and that's something employees value in any workplace."

And, while Culler admits there are no strong surveys of compensation comparisons among similar or new positions in ag, she says the best way for a farm operation to evaluate compensation is to start with general resources, such as salary.com.

"It's important to use these tools cautiously, as their data can sometimes be inaccurate, often skewing lower than the actual market rates," Culler says. "I suggest focusing on understanding your specific local market. This means not only assessing what other farms are paying but also exploring what landscape, construction and industrial companies are offering for similar roles."

Culler adds that employers can gather this information by networking with owners in other industries or reviewing job postings in their area to see the compensation ranges listed.

"With pay transparency laws now active in 15 states and expanding further, employers are increasingly including salary details in their job ads, providing a valuable opportunity to gauge market trends," she says.

ESTABLISH INTERVIEW PRACTICES

Culler suggests once a business has crafted a compelling job description, the next step is implementing strategic interview practices to select the best candidates.

To ensure a good match between candidates and the organization, employers should use consistent, standardized questions to fairly evaluate candidates. They should go beyond interviews and intentionally discuss the candidate's strengths and areas for improvement with references.

Top employers also move quickly and thoroughly through the hiring process, as the best candidates are off the market quickly. She recommends at least two, ideally three, interviews with a potential hire. And, employers can't have long gaps in between steps in the hiring process.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Culler adds that top employers also look outside the box for candidates. They are open to relatable backgrounds and are less worried about finding an exact match in terms of prior work experience.

For example, a candidate for a machinery sales role might not have sold that particular line of equipment, but the individual grew up in ag and sold something similar outside the industry.

With on-farm roles, businesses often hire military members with heavy-equipment experience and training versus only hiring prior farm-equipment operation experience.

"It's still a challenge to hire in agriculture -- and the on-farm roles and mechanics are the toughest positions to fill in the market today," she says. "We still have relatively low unemployment rates, our participation rate as a nation continues to decrease and candidates are not as interested in farm manager roles. There is also a hesitancy on candidates in their early careers joining on-farm positions."

Culler also recommends employers should regularly attend job fairs and agriculture industry events to meet prospective employees and educate them about their company or operation.

And, working with an agriculture recruitment firm takes away much of the stress and work of finding the right candidates -- allowing employers to focus on their day-to-day operations and the bigger picture.

With a new generation of employees also comes an interest in working for a company, farm or ranch that is active in their communities and showcases corporate values and social responsibility.

RETENTION OVER HIRING

Likewise, communicating an organization's sustainability efforts and ethical practices while fostering a positive culture can help retain and develop talent for long-term success.

While hiring new staff is always important, retaining employees who understand the work, are loyal and do good work is equally, if not more, important.

Engaging in community events, supporting local causes and partnering with educational institutions demonstrates a business' commitment to positively impacting the community.

Offering ongoing development programs that align with an organization's needs and employee interests encourages learning beyond employees' current roles and fosters career growth.

Pribbeno has adapted a lot of what he learned during his time working in finance to attract and retain top talent at Wine Glass Ranch.

What he calls the "laid-back, West Coast management style" focuses more on reward and less on reprisals -- accepting that mistakes are often made because of lack of training and reinforcement.

Because generational priorities have changed, it's important to acknowledge and accommodate these as much as possible to keep employees happy and engaged.

"My dad always said, 'I'd rather be wealthy than right,' and that's something I keep in mind when working with employees," he says. "Generations are different today than they were in my grandpa's and dad's days, when the boomer generation worked hard and didn't place as much importance on work-life balance, time off, etc.

"Today, these are important to new hires, especially younger new hires. We have our busy seasons when we need employees here and working as much as necessary. But, when we're in our slower times, it's important to give employees lots of time off to spend with their families, interests, etc."

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