Before the pandemic hit,
AgCareers published its 13
th edition of their
Agribusiness HR Review for North America. The #2 HR concern for ag companies in Canada was employee retention.
With global shut-down, agricultural organizations have responded in varying ways. Some sectors have been hard-hit, especially in the areas requiring a large workforce, while others are being bullish. Now that restrictions are starting to lift in Canada, there is, in part, a wait and see attitude. And, once again, the agriculture sector’s resilience is being tested.
John Stackhouse, senior vice-president of RBC,
stated “agriculture will be one of the sectors that accelerates into and through the recovery”. With this recovery, there will be new job opportunities – and keeping your current employees will become even more important, especially if they are your top talent.
Compete Against Other Employers
As per the AgCareers review, the following is the top three ways Canadian ag companies compete:
- Positive Work Culture
- Flexible Hours
- Better Benefits
You will note that compensation was not on that list! AgCareers reported a relatively consistent salary increase trend this past year. Only 30% of Canadian companies, however, reported completing a compensation study in the past year. Improvements in this will help companies maintain competitive compensation programs.
Of interest, 57.14% of Canadian respondents indicated that companies used bonuses to keep employees challenged and productive in their roles – a top motivator and the preferred performance reward by employees.
Workplace Changes
It will be difficult to mandate all staff to return to the office now that many have gotten a ‘taste’ of working from home. The flexible hours mentioned above will, combined with work-life balance, be an expectation far more than before. Research has shown that 74% of companies plan to shift to more remote work – a ‘perk’ many believe will become the new standard of modern workplaces.
Crafting Corporate Culture Through EVP
Focus on Key Culture Areas
Given everything that has happened globally, your business’ values are important to employees. The beliefs and principles that drive your company ultimately shape your culture. These values create purpose, improve team cohesion, and give them something to commit to. Canadian respondents indicated the following as key to impact employee retention:
- Opportunity for Employees to Use Skills & Abilities
- Relationships with Coworkers
- Providing Job-Specific Training
Implementing the above will not guarantee a great company culture but, if you know there is work to be had, this could be a good place to start. Of note,
we sense that organizations that put their people first and are willing to stand up for causes affecting their community will also be key in attracting the younger job seekers – they tend to favour purpose over just a paycheque. Meaningful actions taken by a company may give it a competitive edge.
