Keeping NZ farming ahead of the rest
As an agricultural nation, New Zealand’s history in production farming traces back to when the early European settlers arrived on our shores in the late 1840s.
DairyNZ project leader-people, Sarah Watson, says the PeopleSmart website has involved extensive research and compilation of the best human resources information available. Two years in the making, it provides dairy farmers with the answers to all their people issues.
"We've worked closely with farmers in the development of PeopleSmart and they've told us they want quick solutions and useful tools they can implement to solve issues with staff and contractors on-farm," she says.
"PeopleSmart provides easy to use, practical resources that are available round the clock. It's like having a trusted human resource advisor at the ready 24/7."
Farmers previewing the tool, which goes live May 31, found the question and answer tool particularly helpful.
"Our SolveIt section, which is a key feature of the website, allows farmers to type in a question and get an instant answer, with links to relevant resources," says Sarah.
"Case studies also give practical examples of how good people management skills are being applied in different farming situations. Tips at the end of each case study show how farmers can apply some of the same routines to their situation."
Sarah says along with providing day-to-day management tips, PeopleSmart helps dairy farm employers be confident they are meeting legislative requirements.
"PeopleSmart clearly outlines what farmers' legal responsibilities are in relation to employment, providing step-by-step guides and templates to support employers with meeting legal requirements."
A key industry focus in recent years, under DairyNZ's leadership, has been to attract and retain top, talented people. Increasingly, dairy farmers are aiming to become employers of choice. Sarah says PeopleSmart will help them achieve this goal.
"The PeopleSmart website can help farmers with recruitment, orientation and all aspects of performance management," says Sarah. "The outcome of using this tool will be that they become better people managers and that will translate into improved business performance.
"That's a great outcome for the individual farmer and a great outcome for our industry as a whole."
www.peoplesmart.co.nz launches on May 31 and is available for free to all levy-paying dairy farmers and their staff.
