Dairy recruitment tool aims to help farmers find staff

A new recruitment and staff management tool has been launched to help dairy farmers meet their labour demands from the domestic workforce.

The Employment Hub has been developed by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) and people consultancy Real Success.

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The aim is to help farmers recruit effectively and develop the right people for their businesses.

Resources include contract templates, job descriptions, employee handbooks and interview techniques.

RABDF managing director Matt Knight said: “Recruiting good labour is something the dairy industry has historically struggled with.

“And with access to foreign labour now restricted, we must recruit the best labour from our domestic workforce.

“This all starts with understanding exactly what you are after from an employee and using an accurate job description to advertise the job.” 

Mr Knight said out of desperation, some farmers might be forced to employ unsuitable candidates. It was important to realise this could be a costly mistake.

“It is far better to take the time to advertise correctly and have a structured interview and onboarding process in place,” he added.

Paul Harris, managing director of Real Success, said: “”It’s crucial farmers put people at the centre of their business and invest in them. If we recruit poorly, we retain poorly; that’s where staff retention often goes wrong.”

RABDF members can download the resources for free on the website.