New worker’s rostered time off: figure this

This is a big issue in the farming sector in today's climate. Under the spotlight is hours worked versus the minimum wage. Time off is a key issue facing the dairy industry in trying to attract and retain quality staff.

In the past rural employers offered a weekend off every month; this at the time was considered the norm for dairy farming. On occasions this would be offered as a three-day weekend, with one of the days designated as the rostered day, to cover any time in lieu or for any statutory holidays worked. Over time the rostered time off has headed towards being every second weekend. This, in part, has been due to farm workers now comparing themselves with workers in other industries. The comparison often is, farm staff have 70-90 days leave per annum, compared to 110-135 for employees in other industries.

It was common to hear it said that the lack of time off onfarm was more than compensated by the lifestyle, but this is not always the case these days.

Today farms are typically much larger concerns with far more going on – feed supplements being used, technology advancements and far greater emphasis on health and safety.

Many workers may not be able to have their families onfarm so that the farm meets its obligations under the health and safety regulations. The 'lifestyle' aspect of farming has in many cases been eroded by mandatory business practice compliance, the introduction and enforcement of performance key performance indicators and the yearly demands of busy schedules for farm employees.

So what do you do?

Budget more for relief staff; how do you find regular, reliable quality relief staff?

Or do you budget for additional permanent staff for onfarm simply to cover all leave contingencies?

How will this work in seasons with low payouts, negative cashflows or the onset of drought conditions, which potentially can all be added into the mix?
It's a very tough decision and a hard question to answer!

Staff costs are often seen as something the employer can have more influence over, but in reality only to a degree, as the work needs to be done, and having tired, stressed or over-worked staff and bosses helps no one. Wages are not always the largest expense, compared to some of the other essential operating costs.

Having good staff can make a huge difference to how your farm runs, therefore being able to attract and keep good staff is vital, notwithstanding that having to continually recruit and train new employees also has its costs and its frustrations.

The bigger picture is that attracting and retaining good people in our rural communities is crucial for New Zealand's provincial growth.

It's not straight forward: striking the ideal balance between cashflow, operating budgets, farm productivity and maintaining an engaged motivated team is a daily challenge. In short, there is no easy answer.

• John Brosnan is a human advisor at CooperAitken Accountants, Morrinsville, Matamata and Thames. Contact him at 07 889 8838 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

www.cooperaitken.co.nz