Onboarding Dairy Employees 2020: Safe, Productive and Engaged from Day One
Onboarding Dairy Employees 2020: Safe, Productive and Engaged from Day One
The first days and weeks on the job set the course for a new farm employee. Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development is seeking dairy farmers to participate in the second year of an onboarding project funded by the New York Farm Viability Institute.
Farms in the Onboarding Project work closely with an adviser to customize a professional and legally-compliant new employee onboarding process, and to improve farm human resource management practices. Well planned onboarding leads to a successful long-term manager-employee relationship with higher employee retention, safety, productivity, and job satisfaction.
Use Employee Onboarding to achieve:
- COMPLIANCE. Basic compliance with regulations and policies.
- CLARITY. Training on safety, work procedures, and expectations.
- CULTURE. Communicate your farm's procedures, values, traditions and norms.
- CONNECTION. Help employees forge relationships at work and find their place to engage and thrive.
Over the next year, the Ag Workforce Development Team will partner with 25 farms in a three-session Zoom series to develop onboarding materials, trainings and methods.
- Onboarding Program Flyer
- Onboarding Program News Release
- Guide for Conducting Employee Onboarding. Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development. Make a good impression and connect employees with the team to retain valued employees.
If your farm is looking for a way to improve employee retention and increase overall productivity of employees, contact your local Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator or Richard Stup, Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development, at res396@cornell.edu.
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Upcoming Events
Planning For Immigration Enforcement At Your Farm
May 20, 2025
Ramped-up immigration enforcement is spreading fear and resulting in family and workforce disruptions across the farm landscape. Farms and employees should take action by making a plan for what to do in case of an immigration enforcement action at your farm. Planning is critical to avoid the worst outcomes. Learn about available resources and hear from the experience of crisis support leaders!
Chainsaw Safety & Forestry BMP's
June 13, 2025
Belmont, NY
Perfect for beginners or experienced users needing a refresher. We'll cover safety features and basic maintenance of the modern saw and learn kickback prevention techniques. Participants will be able to try on various PPE and learn ergonomic practices. Interested participants will learn to safely start up, throttle up, and turn off a saw. You may bring our own saw if you choose, there will be no cutting in this class.
FAMACHA Workshop at Alfred State College
June 14, 2025 : FAMACHA Workshop at Alfred State College
Alfred, NY
Join Cornell Cooperative Extension for a morning of classroom learning, hands-on FAMACHA and 5 Point Check practice, and a pasture walk at Alfred State College's teaching farm to learn about putting IPM to work on pasture using evasive grazing techniques. An exam will be provided, and students passing the exam will receive program certification, including a FAMACHA Card.