I F A R MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE SUPERVISION By Bruce Kreider Farm Management Agent Every farm manager who wants a productive work force must learn the art and diplomacy of worker supervision. This column will look at the qualities needed for this task, and some of the practical keys to good supervision and eva luation of workers. Qualities.of Supervisors A survey of farm employees, as reported in Cornell University’s Human Resource Management let ter #4, reported that workers expect'the following qualities from their supervisor; •Knows the employee’s job -Understands the worker’s perspective -Is fair - no favorites -Is patient, sincere, firm, consid erate and tactful. James Tappan, an Arizona dairyman, spoke about authority in a presentation at Cornell’s Large Dairy Herd Management Confer ence in 1985. He pointed out that a supervisor’s effectiveness is based INTRODUCING NEW H 2 FEEDER A New Way To Feed Broilers And Turkey Poults [■■■"•■MMaaMMPlpi mmrnmmmmmmmm H 2 Broiler Feeder With Flood Gates Open, Fills Pan With Over flow Onto The Paper For Quick Starts With Minimum Waste. ppfl (717) 569-2702 Largest Manufacturer of Poultry Systems In The World on the following components of supervisory authority: -Authority of Competence (they know the job and the worker) -Authority Of Position (a clear chain of command and delegation) -Authority Of Personality (will listen and communicate well) -Authority Of Character (are fair, patient, etc.) The supervisor with these quali ties develops rapport with the workers as they leant to trust and respect the “boss”. This all sounds great in theory, but what are some practical ways of developing supervisory rapport? Keys To Supervision Let’s lode at the two basic ques tions that every worker needs to answer. What is my job? How am I doing? Obtaining these answers is the major task of the worker’s supervisor, whether there are 2 or 200 employees. It can be a difficult or embarassing job and many of us try to avoid it at all costs. However, it is an important job that must be done regularly to help workers to be productive. l.The employer must clearly • OUR 10-YEAR WARRANTY on the auger and 5-year warranty on the pan says It all - WE STAND BEHIND IT! FEED WINDOW (when Feed Gate ie open) automatically r with feed to el from day one. no more ha •cooping feed pane! UNIQUE PAN SHAPE ■and low pan height ii for chicks, with no obstruct eating. Pan Inch diameter. BUILT-IN HIGH evenly distributee pen, prevents stale feed buildup in feed level tube. agn systems LARGE DOME discourage! ■ from gett' SELF-LEVELING P; • patented Chore feature cuts ft and bird bruising pans can swing. CONE NORTHEAST AGRI SYSTEMS, INC. FLYWAY BUSINESS PARK 139 A West Airport Rd., Lititz, PA 17543 define the job. This should be written as a job description - truly a ■rare item among farm employers. This job description should specify tasks, hours, performance stan dards and who the employee must answer to. In many cases, the employer is either not sure of the specific disks to be done, or is unwilling to tell the employee all of the jobs which will be assigned to him. In other cases, the employee must answer to two or three bosses - an impossi ble position. 2. employer must commu nicate the job description clearly to the employee. It is not enough to have a good job description. Both parties must understand it, agree to it and follow it. 3. The supervisor must pro vide guidance and training ini tially, and establish the lines of communication. If a worker can talk with his/her boss, and the boss listens, the worker will have a more positive attitude. Many employers will need to set up a reg ular schedule to ensure that this communication does take place. Otherwise, the only time these dis cussions occur is in a hostile set ting when there is a greivance. 4. Good work deserves approval and praise - poor work requires constructive criticism. The goals and standards from the job description create the basis on which to judge work performance. Try to catch them doing something good! The training, guidance and communications should iron out the minor misunderstandings, leaving only larger problems for disciplinary action. 5. A good jupervisor provides opportunities for employees to increase their responsibilities as worker skills improve. If this involves more training, for the benefit of the business, the super visor should encourage and sup port the effort. 6.lncreased employee respon sibilities require that increased authority and increased rewards and incentives be offered to the worker. A supervisor has a diffi- Nominated For PMMB HARRISB JRG (Dauphin Co.) Donald E. Lanius, a member of Red Lion Grange #l7Bl, York County, appeared before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday, September 27, 1989 to voice testimony for his nomina tion to save on the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board, (PMMB). Lanius has been nominated to serve as a member of the PMMB for a term of six years. He served previously on PMMB from November 10, 1976 to November 17,1982. Lanius has been a dairy farmer his entire life. He and his wife operate a 193-acre farm in Windsor Township, York County. “As a result of my previous oppor tunities, I bring to this position 6 years of service to die Common wealth,” he said. A few of his honors include: Past president of the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs, • ALL-PLASTIC FEEDER consists of 3 simple, rugged polypropylene parts for permanent corrosion-proofing. Pan easily removes for clean-out and hangs from feeder for drying and storage. Contracts Available Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 7,1989-A33 Granger Lanius cult job that involves the use of many interpersonal skills. It takes planning and intentional effort to successfully supervise employees. However, the rewards of a good supervisor are great, both profes sionally and in their personal rela tionships. After all, the skills of a good supervisor are also the skills of a good parent and teacher. Next week: Salary and Incentives past chairman of the Federation of Fairs, past president of the Pen nsylvania Poland China Swine Association and a charter member of the York Township Lions Club. “I seek this PMMB position because I feel I can bring experi ence, a strong desire to serve and a life-long commitment to agricul ture and the dairy industry,” said Lanius. The Pennsylvania State Grange is a family farm organization rep resenting 42,000 farm and rural Pennsylvanians. 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