CQ University has set up guide to keep new farm workers

With thousands of farmers expected to retire in coming years, one research team has developed a guide for retaining newcomers to the industry.

Minimal links to farming before starting a job in agriculture could be one of the reasons for the high attrition rate for the sector.

The Victorian Skills Authority estimates 4978 farmers will retire from 2023-2026, with only 3226 replaced. The biggest loss is in livestock farmers, with 3019 expected to leave, while 1140 croppers and 808 mixed farmers are expected to hang up the boots.

And one researcher who has looked at the issue said the growing population of people with no links at all to farming could be part of the issue.

Dr Nicole McDonald is an organisational psychology researcher with Central Queensland University who has worked with the cotton industry, and her team has developed a guide for new entrants to agriculture.

She said farmers were prepared to train workers in technical skills like operating machinery, but often neglected non-technical skills or “soft skills”.

“Non-technical skills can make the difference to someone just getting by at work, or thriving as a productive team member,” Dr McDonald said.

Dr Nicole McDonald from Central Queensland University has a led a team which has developed a guide for new entrants to agriculture.

Dr McDonald, with funding from the Cotton Research and Development Corporation, has launched a new entrant’s guide to non-technical skills in agriculture to try to ensure high retention of workers in farming.

“We know that there are fewer and fewer farm kids around that we can use as a talent pool for agriculture,” she said.

“We want to set up those who have no experience to have the biggest chance of being successful.”

Dr McDonald, said some new farm workers were not only fresh to working but may never have lived out of home before.

“They can make a mistake, and a mistake in agriculture especially with machinery, can be very costly,” she said.

“A good farm manager will frame that as a learning experience.

“However, we know when new entrants are left alone to process the impact of that mistake, it can lead to poor mental health.”

Farm workers now have access to a guide that can help them be successful working in agriculture.

But Dr McDonald said the onus was not only on managers to work with staff, but for staff to show up ready to perform.

“We encourage new entrants to have three attitudes or mindsets: to be curious, to have humility and to have integrity – to say what you mean and do what you say,” she said.

Dr McDonald led a project known as SHIFT, which used research from the cotton industry on employment. SHIFT is an acronym for social sustainability, human sustainability, innovative workplaces, future focus, and transformative leadership.

Her research showed when cotton industry workers felt their contributions were valued and their wellbeing cared for by employers, they reported greater work engagement and job satisfaction, which led to retention in the industry.

She said while the research had been done for the cotton industry, it could be applied to other enterprises.

“We want to set people up for success when they work in agriculture, whether that is cotton or another industry,” Dr McDonald said.

The new entrants guide is available at https://bit.ly/NewEntrantsGuide