“It’s grim,” admits Nita Chhinzer, professor of human resources in the department of management at the University of Guelph. It’s a function of demographics, she says. Our population is aging, the pool of young replacements is thin, and our immigration policies are tilted in favour of those at the mid-to upper stages of their careers.
“It’s going to get worse,” agrees Jennifer Wright, acting executive director at the Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council (CAHRC), a national, non-profit organization focused on addressing human resource issues in agriculture. Research conducted by CAHRC shows there will be a need for 123,000 more workers in Canadian agriculture by 2029.
This labour shortfall is costing agriculture big. Wright says in some cases expansions have been put on hold or farmers have had to downsize due to a lack of workers. Many owner-operators are working longer days to pick up the slack, but she says that’s simply not sustainable.
The labour situation isn’t all doom and gloom, though. Chhinzer says not all segments of the population are equally affected. In particular, youth, women and minorities are consistently underemployed, which means businesses that are open to hiring them may find untapped opportunities.
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Going back to basics, Chhinzer’s research shows that time management, professionalism, initiative, self-discipline, taking constructive criticism well, and a willingness to learn are some of the core traits of a good employee. She points out that you don’t need past work experience to have these valuable qualities.
While young people may not have paid employment experience, Chhinzer suggests looking more broadly at their extracurricular activities, community involvement and volunteer experience. Active participation in a student association demonstrates teamwork and initiative, for example.
Another route to recruitment success is to change the language in job descriptions. “There’s a language mismatch,” says Chhinzer. The standard is to write job descriptions based on the tasks involved in completing a job and then to look for applicants who already have experience completing these tasks. However, while an applicant’s skills may not relate exactly to the tasks specified, by taking a closer look, employers may be able to find an applicant with transferable skills from other industries.
In today’s tight market, it’s up to employers, not employees, to bridge this gap, she adds.
Using inclusive language when crafting job descriptions is another way to improve recruitment success, continues Chhinzer. The research has shown that when the word “aggressive” was used to describe a job, 44 per cent fewer women applied. If you want to broaden your search beyond single white males, then you need to use more inclusive language, she says.
With most jobs filled through networking, broadening your networks is another effective way to reach more potential employees, continues Chhinzer. She suggests investigating how you can reach immigrants or international students. To reach Indo-Canadians, for example, you could reach out to the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Chatsworth, Ontario business consultant, Shawn Casemore adds that there are many young people who would enjoy working on a farm, but don’t have any exposure to farm life. Casemore, who spent many hours helping out at his father-in-law’s dairy farm, recommends reaching out to public schools, high schools, and colleges in your area. “Ask if you can talk to students about opportunities in farming,” he says. He points out that students regularly hear about and observe information on careers in the skilled trades, but there is little information if any on opportunities in farming.
Additional ideas include reaching out to younger generations where they spend time, like YouTube or TikTok, says Casemore. Growing up, he says, he always saw “Got Milk” commercials on TV, so now he asks why can’t we use this same approach to educate on social media about farming. What about sharing photos of “an average day on the farm” on your Facebook channel or even LinkedIn? Find ways to get the word out.
Chhinzer also recommends farmers go to where the potential employees are. “You could host a virtual recruitment seminar or host a Lunch & Learn.”
Students who are attending post-secondary education part-time while working full-time are showing good initiative, continues Chhinzer. You can reach this group by participating in a job fair specifically targeted at continuing education students.
Employees want to know they are making a difference in the world, so farmers can appeal to them by showing how their farm has a positive impact on the world. She suggests talking about what you are doing for the environment or for employees, so you become familiar, comfortable and safe.
Many workers are also looking for flexibility. While Chhinzer recognizes that it can be tough to offer flexibility in farming operations, she suggests looking for ways to offer micro-freedoms that make employees feel supported. Can they have some autonomy in their workspace such as being allowed to listen to music while working?
Casemore agrees that being creative around hours of work, when possible, can make it easier to find and keep younger employees. He explains that young people are involved in a lot of activities which often makes it difficult for them to work a fixed schedule. He recently spoke with a business owner who was struggling to hire students until they created a “work what you can” schedule. The students worked under a full-time supervisor who provided oversight, and what began with just one student has now turned into dozens once word got out.
Wright says some farms with different demands for labour through the year have collaborated to address their labour needs by being able to offer year-round employment, making the jobs more attractive.
Some greenhouses and processing plants have been successful in hiring and retaining women by offering work hours that correspond with children’s school hours.
Another challenge for farms is that they are generally not located where the people are. Since farms cannot relocate to the cities, it is necessary to bring the people to the farm. Wright says some farms have provided housing for employees and some cities have provided transportation from the city for employees.
Today’s employees are also looking for more variety in their work. Gone are the days when a person had one job for life, says Chhinzer. “Cradle to grave is gone.” She suggests looking for ways to “enlarge a position.” Is it possible for employees to gain different skills by rotating through different jobs? “This also helps to get rid of boredom.”
Farm work has a reputation for being physically demanding, which can discourage people from entering the industry. But by investing in things that alleviate the strain, workers may stay longer, continues Chhinzer. Could you provide a hot tub or space for practicing yoga to help retain employees? These kinds of micro-investments demonstrate a commitment to the individual.
Then, retain your employees by continuing to communicate with them. Employees today also want regular positive feedback on their work, says Chhinzer. Performance coaching, letting employees know when they are doing things right, are motivational. In other words, everyone benefits.
Looking long-term
The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) and the Future Skills Centre (FSC) recently partnered with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and Food and Beverage Canada in developing a National Workforce Strategy. The project will address the persistent and growing labour and skills shortages affecting Canada’s agriculture and food processing industries.
CAHRC is also actively working to increase the number of post-secondary students considering agriculture as a career choice to draw the next generation of Canadians into the agri-workforce.
