Components of a Basic Human Resource Management Plan

A human resource management plan should be tailored to suit the needs of the individual farm and could comprise all or some of the following components. It is also useful as a tool to evaluate and revise recruitment and ongoing management strategies.

Needs Assessment

Identify roles and responsibilities on the farm.

Ask questions of yourself in terms of where you want to take your business and look at the effciency and how you can optimize it. set goals for the farm, your family and your employees.

Set goals for yourself, the farm, and your employees.

What do you want to achieve, what further opportunities for the farm do you want to explore, and where do you want to be in fve or 10 years time?

In what ways do you expect your employees to contribute to those goals?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of your operation?

What skills are lacking that you need to fnd?

Organizational/Management Structure

Who is responsible for what and whom? – a clear understanding of who will handle which aspects of the farm operation will help avoid confusion and misunderstandings for both the employer and employees.

Evaluation and feedback

What mechanism are you going to use to evaluate if the employees are achieving the goals you have set for them?

Develop a strategy to receive feedback and ideas from employees that may be productive for everyone.

Job Descriptions

What are the duties and responsibilities of the job? List all tasks and responsibilities that you expect the employee to assume.

What are the skills and attributes required to perform these duties?

List the skills that are essential to perform these duties.

List other preferred skills that might be useful but are not essential.

What are your expectations of the employee?

Set out your expectations clearly and the goals you expect the employee to achieve.

Set out any guidelines you have for general employee conduct.

What are you offering in terms of compensation and working conditions?

What are you going to have to offer a prospective employee to be competitive with other industries and to keep that employee once recruited?

Training – Make it clear what training you are able and/or prepared to offer to the employee.

Flexibility – Be sensitive to different employee situations and/or requirements and try to be fexible enough to meet them if possible.

Benefts – Besides the traditional health and medical type benefts, consider offering other benefts like housing, transportation, meals, or additional time off. Develop and follow a policy of showing appreciation for employees and give them opportunities to feel valued and part of the organization.