News

Following a successful first round Dairy Women’s Network are bringing back their highly-rated Make Time For Your People workshops, funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries. 

The first workshop will be held in North Otago on 20 October, followed by events in Bay of Plenty, South Waikato, Hauraki Plains, Central Plateau and Otago. 

Dairy Women’s Network want to help employers and employees understand the small changes that can be made to build a great workplace, and to attract, grow and retain people within the industry.

“Over the years of working with people in many different sized teams, we discovered that it mattered how we were behaving and acting with our team,” said workshop presenter and Dairy Business of the Year recipient, Rebecca Miller. 

Miller will present on her concept of Farmily™ and what farm owners and teams can do in order to achieve increased staff engagement, while Lee Astridge of No8HR and a representative from PaySauce will discuss the legalities of contracts, rosters and accommodation.

Each session will talk strategically about the needs of the industry and how that relates to individual farming businesses. Members can expect to hear about skills and perspectives such as habit stacking, social connectedness, the importance of people and compliance with legislation – steps which can have a big impact on teams, businesses and the wider sector when shared with others.

“It made me feel confident to face the next season ahead with positivity and skills to help our team build and be satisfied,” said a workshop attendee.

“My biggest learning would be about the compliance side of things, I gained a better understanding of how it all worked,” said another. 

A breakfast will also be held in Central Plateau for farm teams and rural professionals, where attendees can bridge knowledge gaps and ensure they are asking the right questions in order to strengthen communication and working relationships. 

Dairy Women’s Network CEO Jules Benton encourages farm managers and owners to bring as many of their team along to a workshop as possible. For staff who are unable to leave the farm, a series of supplementary webinars will be available, with each session expanding on one of the topics addressed in the workshops. 

“People are at the epicentre of any business. Connection and engagement of people are vital aspects for the growth of any business, while communication remains an essential tool to develop strong working relations,” said Benton. 

“Building trust within your team is important not only for your people but also for the future and longevity of your business, and the industry as a whole.” 

-ENDS-

Photo; Supplied: Workshop presenters Lee Astridge (No8HR), Rebecca Miller (MilkIQ) and Kylie Jackson (PaySauce).

For more information:

Zellara Holden
Dairy Women’s Network Partner Relationships, Marketing and Communications Manager
zellara.holden@dwn.org.nz