Reading Time: 5 minutes Whew! After months of advertising, searching and interviewing, you’ve finally found and hired someone to help on your farm. As processes go, this one has been stressful, time-consuming, and more than a little frustrating. Nor is that surprising. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council found in 2014 that our farms have a job vacancy rate […] Read more
Getting onboard with your employees
The most valuable time you spend with any employee may be their first few hours on the job
Finding the right farm mentor
Should farm groups be pushing harder to set up mentoring programs?
Reading Time: 7 minutes Unfortunately for many of us, by the time wisdom finally catches up with us, we are already beginning to feel our age. There are just so many things to learn on the farm, and you only get so many chances to learn them. Every spring is different, every barn is different, every market is different. […] Read more
Your own HR scorecard
Guide Excellence: These tools can help you assess your skills and figure out what strengths you can build on, what skills you need to sharpen, and where you should hire help
Reading Time: 5 minutes There was a time when going up against your neighbours in a plowing match was the best and sometimes really the only way for farmers to assess their skill level. But that was then. Today, farm businesses have grown way more sophisticated and, although they still aren’t always easy to find, skills assessments have improved […] Read more
Guide HR: Why are true leaders rare?
Reading Time: 3 minutes If given a choice, would you prefer to be seen as a results-focused leader, or as a leader with exceptional social skills? In short, do you prefer to cultivate strong analytical skills, are you highly motivated to reach goals, do you have initiative, and are you focused on exceptional delivery of results and effective problem […] Read more
Better employees for a better business
It turns out that giving your employees opportunities to improve their skills really can be good for business
Reading Time: 6 minutes When you want a little more crop from the field, you shell out a little more for fertilizer. Or if it’s a few more pounds you’re looking for from your livestock, you spend a bit more on feed. Is it true of employees too? Can a little extra investment boost your results? There’s an extra […] Read more
The farmer as CEO
AME Management: What roles and responsibilities must a farmer assume in order to be effective?
Reading Time: 3 minutes An Internet search will reveal several definitions of the roles and responsibilities for the chief executive officer (CEO) of a business. The degree of formality of the actual position and its title varies considerably from business to business, depending on size, complexity, and organizational preferences. Potential roles and responsibilities of the CEO are summarized below. […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
