Farmin’ out the Farm
How SOP’s can drastically change the way you hire, train, and keep new employees
Hi! I’m Natalie. I specialize in helping farmers create or improve Standard Operating Procedures, organize their processes, and maximize their efficiency. And I love it!
SOP’s are such a critical component to the success of any business, but they are especially critical for businesses such as farms that require extra management for risks, safety, and efficiency. We also all know that the farming industry has seen a devastating shortage of workers, especially since the pandemic, so now more than ever we need to have strategies in place that encourage workers to stay loyal to their farms. I’ll explain later just how SOP’s help do that.
For those that may be unsure, SOP’s are basically written documents (can include videos and pictures) of the detailed steps and supplies/tools it takes to complete each procedure involved in the operation of a business. They are clear and concise and should be easily understood. Some SOP examples may include how to process meats, raise chickens, how to run a flower festival and even specific administrative tasks.
SOP’s make onboarding new employees a breeze. Without them, each employee has to be walked through every procedure many times. Similar questions have to be answered over and over, the opportunity for mistakes and confusion is greater, and steps for a certain task may easily be forgotten if they're not repeated often. SOP’s aid in making everyone's work more consistent, safe, and predictable. They help ensure the business's operations comply with Agricultural law.
In the unfortunate but common event that the person who usually does the work is absent or unable to work, SOP’s ensure their replacement has access and knowledge of managing the operation.
When it’s time for the business to grow (pun intended) having SOP’s in place really helps businesses expand quickly since the “how-to” is mapped out and ready to go.
One of my favourite things about SOP’s usually goes highly unnoticed and is rarely mentioned.
It’s how they help “keep” employees. I’ve worked in quite a few places that didn’t have SOP’s in place, and it often lead to a few different undesirable results:
Employees lacked confidence in their day-to-day work.
Employees were confused and intimidated to repeat questions. Which lead to guesswork and mistakes.
Employers became frustrated with repeat training.
Employers were tired of fixing errors and paying for the cost of them.
Employers end up trying to “do it all themselves” (spoiler alert-it never works)
On the flip-side, I have also worked for companies with excellent SOP’s in place, making such a vast difference in employee-employer satisfaction.
Employees felt confident they were executing tasks correctly.
Employees felt supported and accomplished at work
Employees felt appreciated by employers
Employers saw a much quicker return on their investment in the employee
Employers noticed their time was freed up for their own tasks
Overall operations efficiency improved
Mistakes were minimized, and safety improved
It’s a known fact that people like doing what they’re good at and dislike doing what they struggle with. SOP’s give employees empowerment over the learning curve and confidence in their ability to execute any given procedure accurately. This means greater workplace satisfaction and a higher likelihood of employees being loyal to their farm.
If your farm could use some help creating or improvising your SOP’s I’d be happy to help you out! It’s what I do best.
