The Rural Voice, 2001-10, Page 18it they're put in a position where they
don't Leel in charge. they'll look for
other opportunities where they can be
a leader.
A power -oriented person might be
a better choice to manage a 2500 -sow
unit than promoting a task -oriented
person. Dr. Templeton said. Many
task -oriented people have a hard time
dealing with others if they are
elevated to supervision. They often
expect others to w.ork the same way
they do and when they don't. there
are problems.
The temptation for interviewers
is to hire the person who's like
they are, she said. "As long as
we get the right person in the right
slot it's okay to have all types in your
organization."
During interviews there are some
questions you cannot legally ask,
such as questions about age, gender
and race, Dr. Templeton warned.
There are indirect ways you can elicit
information, however.
Let the candidate talk as much as
• possible. "If you are talking you're
not listening," she said. "If you ask a
question and there's silence, let them
fill the silence instead of you.
"Observe body language," she
said, noting there's cause for concern
"if it doesn't connect with what
they're saying."
At the end of the interview, let the
candidate ask questions. What they
ask about will give you an indication
of their priorities in the job.
Once you've chosen a candidate,
make them a job offer and follow it
up in writing. Make sure the details
are on paper with copies for each of
you so people understand the terms
of employment.
Abraham Westers of Pork 2005
Inc. at Port Hope spoke on training
new employees, but rather than talk
about a formula for training, he
encouraged employers to adopt a
coaching philosophy. For instance
while he has guidelines for
employees, he said, he likes to "turn
them loose".
"It makes them think about what
they do. If I can make them think
then we have a discussion. If I tell
them what to do, I put them in a
harness right from the beginning."
Westers was inspirational in
advising employers there is no recipe
or protocol for training employees. If
14 THE RURAL VOICE
you have one. then the person
becomes subject to the protocol.
"You have to work with the
person to draw their (good) qualities
out of them." Westers said. urging
employers to have a vision and a plan
for their operation that they can
instill in their employees.
"You become a coach." he urged.
"Always focus on the positive. If you
focus on the negative you have
closed the door."
If an employee makes a mistake.
rather than yell, ask why they did
something the way they did, then
they'll be open to you — then you
can coach them.
"If you don't allow room for
mistakes they (employees) will cover
them up," Westers warned. "If you
encourage people to admit their
mistakes you can control the
damage."
Also be willing to'admit your own
mistakes, he advised, because it
makes it easier for your employees to
communicate with you.
"Treat each person as an
individual," he urged. "If we can
draw on the qualities they have they
become valuable members of the
team."
But be prepared to be challenged
if you choose a coaching method,
Westers warned. "If they come up
with a better way (of doing
something) are you willing to
change?" he asked. "It only makes
you a better person if you're willing
to change."
Sometimes you have to take a
Ione hard look in the mirror yourself,
he said. "if you find you're lacking,
don't worry. Admit it and move on,"
he said.
Sometimes hiring people with no
experience in swine can be an
advantage because they bring no
preconceived notions of how things,
should be done, he said. One of the
best employeest ever had in his
breeder barn was someone whose
work experience was in hotel
management.
"He taught me so much," Westers
said.
Farmers must be prepared for
change because society changes, he
said. "Do we change with it or do we
say 'we've always done it this
way' ?"
Larger farmers can't survive
without good employees, he said. but
sometimes they don't reward those
employees well enough. Sometimes
they can't see the good qualities of
their employees until they're gone.
Dave Frank of Acre T Farms Inc.
with some 60 employees on payroll,
spoke on rewarding employees
through remuneration, incentives and
perks.
The low -pay image of hog farms
is a myth, Frank said. Recruiting
constantly. he knows he must
compete with local industries for
employees. In hiring. he recognizes
three categories of potential
candidates: experienced herd
managers, who are relatively rare;
hard-working people often with
experience in pigs; and people who
are just working for their next pay
cheque. The last group will be hired
for work like cleaning barns because
they're unlikely to make a Tong -term
commitment.
• The middle group, the hard-
working individuals often with
families to support, are the ones you
need to recruit, Frank said. This
group is the one where things like
pay packages make a difference.
"They don't know if they'll like
working in a hog barn. Your package
may have to exceed competing
industries (to interest them). Your job
is made more difficult by the nature
of your industry." Because animals
must be fed on statutory holidays and
during snow storms, working on a
hog farms requires a commitment
from employees that working for a
local industry doesn't.
Acre T offers a benefit package
for employees which is
important for people with
families, offering drug, dental and
extended health coverage. There's a
retirement program because "people
won't work for 25 years and retire on
CPP", Frank said.
Whereas Acre T once used a 10 -
days -on, two -days -off work schedule,
today employees work every second
weekend, then get a Thursday off,
meaning they only have to work one
extra day in a two-week period. This
schedule reduces burnout, Frank said.
Employees start out with a
standard two-week vacation, then get
one extra day for each year they work
for the company.
Acre T uses an incentive system