Job Descriptions for the Farm
In the stormy throws of winter, I devoted some time to updating my staff job descriptions. I also attended a workshop on job descriptions at the SBDC taught by HR professional Melinda Pederson and was totally inspired. A relevant, well-crafted job description can serve as a self-screening tool for potential applicants, establish expectations from the onset, be used to evaluate your employee’s performance annually and help you determine when to offer a raise or bonus.
We all know that a great employee is someone that does more than just the essentials of the job. A great employee greets you with a smile in the morning, in all types of weather; is up for any task, both menial and challenging; finds satisfaction in a job well done and a job fully finished; receives feedback without defensiveness; generally buoys crew energy and morale; and expresses gratitude for the opportunities and benefits you provide as an employer. It’s HOW someone does their work - the energy and attitude they bring daily - that distinguishes the exceptional from the average. According to Pederson, these qualities can be described in a job description under a section called competencies.
There is a growing trend in the broader work world to use competency-based job descriptions, and I understand why. The best employees strive to meet more than just the essential duties of the job. They go above and beyond, bringing their best selves to the work each day; taking ownership in the end product; owning mistakes; embracing decision making. The job descriptions I developed this winter, based on a template provided at the SBDC workshop, helped me articulate those exceptional qualities I knew to be crucial but had never described on paper, establishing a clear expectation and standard, for myself and my employees.
At Shakefork Community Farm, we have a job description for a Farmers’ Market Assistant and another for a Farm Hand, which includes both garden and livestock work. Some farms may find it helpful to develop more nuanced job descriptions, for example a Greenhouse Manager, Irrigation Specialist, Master Milker or Chief Eviscerator. We value flexibility and versatility in our employees and so chose to keep our job descriptions more generalized. This winter both evolved from a one-page document to a six-page tool.
In addition to the competency section, I added legal language designed to maintain compliance with current California labor laws (=reasonable accommodations) and protect our business if presented with challenging situations. Our employees received printed copies this spring and read them on our time. A signed page was added to each of their files. We plan to meet with each employee at least twice this season to discuss job performance, their satisfaction and goals, and anything at all that might be on our minds or theirs. We’ll evaluate their work against the job description we’ve created, and update the document as needed to keep it relevant.
I know the season is starting to ramp up, but if you have anyone help you accomplish your work – an employee, apprentice, intern or volunteer – consider creating or evaluating an existing job description and make good use of it this season. It could make the difference between a good season and an amazing one. For those of us that farm because we love the work and now spend a lot of our time managing people, downloading a little wisdom from an HR professional can be an incredible gift.
by Melanie Cunningham,
Vice President of the Board, Shakefork Community Farm
In the stormy throws of winter, I devoted some time to updating my staff job descriptions. I also attended a workshop on job descriptions at the SBDC taught by HR professional Melinda Pederson and was totally inspired. A relevant, well-crafted job description can serve as a self-screening tool for potential applicants, establish expectations from the onset, be used to evaluate your employee’s performance annually and help you determine when to offer a raise or bonus.
We all know that a great employee is someone that does more than just the essentials of the job. A great employee greets you with a smile in the morning, in all types of weather; is up for any task, both menial and challenging; finds satisfaction in a job well done and a job fully finished; receives feedback without defensiveness; generally buoys crew energy and morale; and expresses gratitude for the opportunities and benefits you provide as an employer. It’s HOW someone does their work - the energy and attitude they bring daily - that distinguishes the exceptional from the average. According to Pederson, these qualities can be described in a job description under a section called competencies.
There is a growing trend in the broader work world to use competency-based job descriptions, and I understand why. The best employees strive to meet more than just the essential duties of the job. They go above and beyond, bringing their best selves to the work each day; taking ownership in the end product; owning mistakes; embracing decision making. The job descriptions I developed this winter, based on a template provided at the SBDC workshop, helped me articulate those exceptional qualities I knew to be crucial but had never described on paper, establishing a clear expectation and standard, for myself and my employees.
At Shakefork Community Farm, we have a job description for a Farmers’ Market Assistant and another for a Farm Hand, which includes both garden and livestock work. Some farms may find it helpful to develop more nuanced job descriptions, for example a Greenhouse Manager, Irrigation Specialist, Master Milker or Chief Eviscerator. We value flexibility and versatility in our employees and so chose to keep our job descriptions more generalized. This winter both evolved from a one-page document to a six-page tool.
In addition to the competency section, I added legal language designed to maintain compliance with current California labor laws (=reasonable accommodations) and protect our business if presented with challenging situations. Our employees received printed copies this spring and read them on our time. A signed page was added to each of their files. We plan to meet with each employee at least twice this season to discuss job performance, their satisfaction and goals, and anything at all that might be on our minds or theirs. We’ll evaluate their work against the job description we’ve created, and update the document as needed to keep it relevant.
I know the season is starting to ramp up, but if you have anyone help you accomplish your work – an employee, apprentice, intern or volunteer – consider creating or evaluating an existing job description and make good use of it this season. It could make the difference between a good season and an amazing one. For those of us that farm because we love the work and now spend a lot of our time managing people, downloading a little wisdom from an HR professional can be an incredible gift.
by Melanie Cunningham,
Vice President of the Board, Shakefork Community Farm