Seven key drivers to workplace productivity

In 2007, DairyNZ commissioned a study to profile a range of dairy farmers identified as being at the top of their game as good employers.

Their stories, in their words, highlight a range of practical ways dairy farmers adapt their employment practices to achieve real outcomes.

The strategies and responses identified in these profiles show that first and foremost, good employers have an attitude about dealing with people and employing staff that attracts good employees to them.

This attitude flows through everything they do and has a genuineness that is enduring throughout the employment relationship.

Secondly, a recruitment and selection strategy featured high on their human resource agendas. Good employers have a well-engineered strategy and developed processes to get the right people into their business.

There is a strong focus on job and team fit, while being flexible about how people are used in different roles on the farm.

There is also a strong focus on communication, teamwork, workplace culture and the organisation of work within the employment relationship, while meeting their legal requirements with good processes. This is about developing and maintaining a productive workplace and having productive employees.

The Department of Labour undertook a study in 2006/07 identifying seven key drivers for workplace productivity (see www.workplaceproductivity.govt.nz).

Workplace productivity involves exploring all the ways your workplace could do things better and smarter. This means being open to new ideas and working out how new technologies, products, services and work practices can improve things.

The seven key drivers are:

1 Showing effective leadership
2 Having a productive workplace culture
3 Using innovation and technology
4 Investing in people and skills
5 Organising work
6 Networking and collaboration
7 Measuring what matters

Also:

Employer attitude/the foundation
Recruitment and selection

This framework has been aligned with profiles of dairy farmers to provide an insight into how good employers in our industry are driving productivity improvement through good human resource practice.

One or more of these drivers may be the key to making your workplace more productive.