LONDON, Ont. – Excellence in pork production is not just about the pigs, says a hog industry consultant.
It’s also about the people.
As a result, Hans Rotto of Ames, Iowa, developed a six-point approach to employee management.
It begins with clear expectations, Rotto told the London Swine Conference March 31.
“Have stated goals and a process to attain those goals,” he said.
“This is important for small and large operators. This is important for you and this is important to your employees.”
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Protocols and expectations should be formalized in a written form, Rotto said. There should also be an explanation for why protocols were developed.
For example, there’s a logical procedure for washing farrowing crates and farrowing rooms after weaning.
By understanding the why behind the step-by-step instructions, em-ployees will better appreciate and follow the step-by-step written protocols.
Rotto said objective measurements of protocols and expectations are a way to give employees a sense of accountability and control over their jobs. People need to know exactly what’s expected of them.
“People want clarity. When you give them clarity, you give them ownership and you give them res-ponsibility.”
If objectives are not met, it may be time for employee retraining or the employer may wish to assess where an employee has been placed within the organization.
“You need to ask if that person failed you or if you have failed them by putting them in a position
where they couldn’t succeed,” Rotto said.
“You can end up losing good people if you overpromote them. Be careful where you put people and, once they’ve been positioned, evaluate their ability quickly.”
He said an inclusive culture means encouraging employees to evaluate their own performance, suggest improvements and become an
active and constructive part of the company.
Time should be set aside for employees to provide input. This might occur when employers and employees conduct regular reviews of written protocols and expectations.
Rotto said hog farms must strive for continuous improvement.
“The best operators challenge the how, when and why of protocols all the time,” he said. “They’re constantly asking, what can we do better.”
He said producers don’t have to constantly chase the latest production fads, but most successful companies lose no time implementing a new approach that is found to work well.
They should also focus on key measurements that have a significant impact on a company’s profitability.
For example, if a breed target is missed, the problem should be openly communicated and analyzed to find out why.
He said execution is also important. It requires that employees rise above unforeseen problems that may occur to do things right.
“If I think there’s one thing that costs producers from day to day, it’s not about a lack of knowledge. It’s about this,” he said.
“With the very best companies, the best production system farms, the execution of protocols to meet expectations on the farm is done with diligence, patience and care.”
