We all have habits- some that we appreciate and some that we wish we could kick! No matter what habit, they all have one thing in common: their purpose is to increase efficiency. Habits are the brain’s way of conserving energy by making a repetitive task almost subconscious.
I’m sure that you can think of a few repetitive tasks on your farm that benefit from habit formation. The first things that come to mind are manual tasks like planting row crops, prepping cows for milking, and pruning vines. But did anyone think team meetings? These “softer” tasks often pull up the rear, happening when we have a problem and therefore don’t become habits.
As farms grow in employee numbers and diversity, planned communication is essential to keep everyone working towards the same goals. If your business needs a communication boost, here’s a recipe with simple ingredients to make team meetings a habit:
- The cue. A champion needs to take ownership of setting the meeting frequency and giving the team a cue to remind them to join. Example: shift change 6am Thursday morning, supervisor sends group text out the night before and flashes parlor lights that morning at 5:55 am.
- The routine. The meeting is the routine so should be run consistently. Use this Meeting Agenda to help you plan and stay organized.
- The reward. If meetings are too long or unproductive the habit will never stick. The short-term reward for starting this new habit could be external like coffee and donuts but the long-term reward is employee engagement and a better working environment. This takes management listening to and acting on employee feedback and employees being open to communicating their issues.
To keep motivated as you form this new habit, focus on the reward for your farm- a habit of communication reaps a reward of efficiency. Less break-downs and mishaps, more smiles and productivity.
By Kaitlyn Lutz, Cornell University. Permission granted to repost, quote, and reprint with author attribution.
The post Too much on your plate? Make communication a habit. appeared in The Ag Workforce Journal.
