by Libby Eiholzer, Dairy Technical Services Specialist at Cargill; and Richard Stup, Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development
Kindness can go a long way when it comes to onboarding new employees. Bringing cookies on the employee’s first day of work or taking a photo to add to the farm employee bulletin board can help make the employee feel like they belong and that others want them to be there. Use this space to commemorate employees work anniversaries. This promotes the dedication of your farm team and drives a sense of pride.
Don’t underestimate the value of showing people respect and courtesy by calling them by their names. Ensure that your farm team is acquainted with the new employee and familiar with their name. This helps avoid the tendency to refer to new employees as “the new guy/girl”. After two months, he may still be the newest guy, but everyone should be able to remember his name long before then!
Consider implementing a “kudos board” for employees to share compliments and appreciation for other members of the team. Share a “kudo” on the board for new employees welcoming them to the team expressing your excitement to have them joining your farm family.
This article is part of the Onboarding Project supported by the New York Farm Viability Institute.
