THE staff at Franklin Downs Dairy aren’t just workers to Gippsland farmers Tania and Clint Staley – they’re more like family.
“We have two workers from Kenya who we sponsored to come to Australia. To them, I’m sort of like their Australian mum,” Tania explains.
“We look after them, so they enjoy their time. I think that’s what helps us to retain staff. They know we are invested in them. We’re interested in them as people.”
Clint and Tania found a Dairy Australia course that focused on people in dairy particularly useful. They said that while it was more about how to recruit and retain staff than how to train them, it was useful in forming their approach to managing people.
Clint and Tania have been farming their current location, which is an amalgamation of three farms, for 10 years. As well as the home farm, they run a 280-hectare ‘support’ block, which is used for grazing dry cows and cutting silage. A contractor does pit silage for the enterprise but everything else is done in-house.
The Staleys turned to migrant workers when they were having difficulty finding local staff. As well as the sponsored migrant workers, they employ backpackers.
It’s not unusual for backpackers to have no previous experience in dairying when they arrive. Clint and Tania do some of the initial training themselves and also have existing staff show newcomers the ropes. But formal training is also part of upskilling their workers.
While some of their staff had previous experience working in dairy, they were familiar with a completely different system that operate in other countries. Learning about pasture management was an important component of upskilling them for work in Australia.
“We have sent people on courses for chemical use, calf rearing, first aid, pastures, and Milking and Mastitis Management,” Clint says.
The Staleys are always moving stock between the support block and the home farm, as well as gravel and silage around the place. A development opportunity was identified, with two of their young workers upskilled to obtain a heavy truck licence.
“It’s great having them to be able to move stock, silage and gravel,” Clint says.
Clint points out that one of the most important things he and Tania do with staff is to spend time talking with them.
“We have staff meetings monthly and we regularly have social activities after work on Fridays,” Clint says.
Tania says staff are invited over for dinner sometimes.
“It’s a good time to informally discuss things and build relationships, which helps retain staff.”
To find out more about how Dairy Australia provides support with employing and managing people, and building skills for successful careers in dairy farming, contact GippsDairy or visit dairyaustralia.com.au/people.
