The Best Time to Hire New Employees
Hiring in a panic leads to bad matches. Planning ahead gives you better choices. Here is how to time hires on a dairy and what to check before someone starts.
Why does timing matter in hiring?
Good workers are hard to find, and training takes time. If you wait until someone quits or the peak season arrives, you are choosing from whoever is available instead of whoever fits. Hiring ahead of a busy period gives new people time to learn before you need them. General hiring and pay data appears at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension farm business pages.
Dairies run every day, so coverage matters. Think about holidays, vacations and the busiest weeks of harvest or calving.
A dairy that hires a person a month before a seasonal peak gets someone useful. A dairy that hires them the day the peak starts gets someone in the way.
Think also about housing and transport, since some rural areas have few options for new hires, and that affects who can accept your offer.
When are the natural hiring windows?
Many dairies hire before silage harvest, before a calving rush, when adding a shift or a parlor, after a long-time worker announces retirement and when a new barn or system opens. Look at your calendar and count heads for the next several months.
Use that count to decide when to post a job.
Also look ahead at retirements and expected departures. Most people give little notice, so a bench of candidates helps.
- Before silage or planting season
- Ahead of heavy calving periods
- When opening a new barn or shift
- When a key employee gives notice
Where do you find people?
Try local networks, community colleges, farm organizations, extension contacts and word of mouth. The Texas Workforce Commission lists employer services and job postings. For general careers information see this ag jobs and careers guide.
Describe the job honestly. Say what the hours, tasks and pay look like. Honest ads cut turnover.
Consider offering a short paid trial or a shadow day so both sides see how the fit feels before a full commitment.
Reference calls are worth the time, even for entry-level roles.
- Local networks and word of mouth
- Community colleges and ag programs
- Farm organizations and extension contacts
- State workforce listings
What rules should you check?
Employers have obligations about wages, hours, payroll, workers' compensation where applicable, immigration paperwork and safety. The U.S. Department of Labor explains wage and hour rules, and the IRS covers payroll taxes. Rules vary and change, so confirm them and ask a licensed professional.
Agriculture has special exemptions in some laws, but not all, so do not assume. Verify with the agency.
Keep records for each employee: hire date, pay, hours, training and agreements. Good records protect both sides.
Ask a licensed professional or the agency directly if you are unsure whether a rule applies to a dairy your size.
How do you train and keep good workers?
Plan a first week with a clear job description, a mentor and safety instruction. Check in often. Pay fairly, communicate and show appreciation. People leave bad bosses more often than bad jobs.
Safety training matters on day one. See OSHA and this farm safety resource for basics on working around animals and equipment.
Offer clear schedules as far in advance as you can. Predictable time off is one of the cheapest ways to keep people.
Set expectations in writing, including start dates, pay periods and how time off is requested.
What does it cost, and how do you plan?
Add wages, taxes, insurance, training and equipment. Set a budget and compare it with the work that would otherwise go undone. Talk with your lender if hiring requires new cash flow. See this farm money guide. This is general education, not financial or legal advice.
Labor statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics give a view on pay trends, though your local market may differ.
Cross-train so no single absence stops the milking routine.
How do you make it routine?
Keep a standing list of candidates and a short job description ready. Review labor needs each quarter and update the plan.
Over at farm.FM there are farming stories and farm jokes about work on the farm, including a farm.FM piece on hiring farm workers.
Ask departing workers why they left, and listen without arguing. The answers show what to fix.
A short written checklist for the first day keeps training consistent no matter who is on shift.
Sources and further reading
- Texas Workforce Commission: employment and labor programs
- U.S. Department of Labor: labor rules and programs
- IRS: federal tax guidance
- OSHA: workplace safety
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: labor and price data
- Texas Department of Agriculture: state agriculture agency
Ask locally: Ask the Texas Workforce Commission, your accountant and your insurance agent about hiring requirements.