Episode 203 - Can’t Find Good Workers? Re-Think How You Hire!

How often have you heard it said, or perhaps said it yourself, that good people just don’t exist anymore? That they’ve all gone to the mines, or that the younger generation in our area just don’t want to work? 

I understand why we feel that way. Recruiting is hard, especially when we’re farming remotely. But a mentor of mine once said something that really challenged me: we get the people we deserve. I truly believe who we attract to our teams comes down to three things: how good we are as employers and leaders; how good our recruitment system is; and how well we select, then onboard. 

In this episode I’m joined by two of our own, Michaela Malicki, our FOA Operations Manager, and Sunny Roberts, our People and Culture Manager. Together they’ve helped us welcome more than 30 new team members over the last five years. Sunny has also worked alongside many farming families, helping them find, recruit and settle great people into their businesses. Their professionalism, and their genuine care for every candidate, is something I’m so proud of. 

Grab a pen and paper. We unpack: 

• why recruitment is really a marketing exercise, and who else you’re actually pitching to; 

• the one addition to your job ad that makes candidates stop scrolling; 

• the simple closing-date rule that keeps your campaign on track; and 

• the interview questions that reveal far more than technical skill, and why your farm visit invitation should include one more person. 

 
Michaela also shares how we use DISC profiling, not as a pass or fail, but to understand how each new team member naturally works and how to lead them well. Find out how DISC works here. 

Then the bigger question. If we’re bold enough to look beyond our region, and beyond agriculture, how much more could it open up our prospects? We have members with farm managers who were electricians only five or six years ago. There are millions of people who grew up on farms and now hold down city and regional town jobs. Many of them may be ready for a tree change, given the right opportunity. 

So, even if your farm is somewhat isolated, could it be the beliefs you’re carrying, more so than your postcode, that are holding you back? 

Michaela and Sunny, thank you for the roles you each play in helping us build a high-performing team and a cracking culture. And to every farm owner building a team worth joining: hire on attitude, train on skill, and back yourself. Good people are out there. 

Remember: high-performing teams are available to all of us!

In leadership… 

Hutch 

P.S. I truly believe we get the people we deserve, and that the best teams are built by leaders who are willing to grow first. I’d love to see you at TOP Producers in Perth this February, where we’ll be working alongside farm owners who are backing themselves to build the high-performing farm team they need. Learn more here.