“Good help is hard to find.”
It’s a saying we’ve all heard and likely repeated many times. While it’s true that finding skilled labor is a major challenge, there are strategies farmers can use to make their operations more attractive workplaces. And, it doesn’t necessarily require offering higher pay.
According to Mary Lewis, a management development specialist at Cornell University, farm workers will often shop around and price compare when it comes to finding a place of employment that checks all their boxes. Therefore, listing the unique benefits your operation offers beyond the hourly pay rate is a strategy every farmer should implement.
“This information could make all the difference to an employee who needs more buy-in and begins before the interview process,” Lewis says. “This knowledge can be posted on a wall and often reviewed with current employees. Your current employees are your loudest advocates and recruiters of the farm. When your employees discuss job openings, you want to ensure they emphasize all benefits of working on the farm, not just the hourly wage.”
Lewis provides the following benefits your farm could potentially offer to outshine the competition.
- Vacation days/paid time off/sick days
- Housing (with free utilities / WiFi / Direct T.V. / etc.)
- Bonuses
- Insurance plans
- Access to free beverages during the day / night shifts
- Transportation to the farm or access to a work truck / vehicle
- Transportation to health visits / grocery store / etc.
- Opportunities for overtime hours
- Higher-paid positions for supervisors or trainers
- Paid professional growth through training/educational classes
- Paid English classes
Other perks might include:
- Free produce, meat or products that come from the farm
- Holiday meals or seasonal gatherings for employees and families
- Birthday acknowledgments or small personal celebrations
- Farm-branded gear like hats, jackets, or shirts
- Gift cards or small bonuses tied to performance or long-term service
- Raffles or prize drawings during team meetings or slow seasons
- Paid lunches or stocked breakroom snacks and drinks
Flexible scheduling around family needs or life events
Research shows that workers are more likely to stay when they see value in more than just the hourly rate. Take time to identify which benefits already exist on your operation and which ones are realistic to build into the system. When those pieces are clear and consistently communicated, hiring and retention tend to get a little easier to manage.
