How an Effective Communication Plan Can Better Connect You With Your Team

Communication may not seem like a big deal to specialty crop businesses, as you may only have your workers on-site for two or three months each season. However, effective communication can reduce labor costs, increase worker engagement, and save lives.

A recent blog post from Ganaz highlights the impact of effective workforce communication on agribusinesses. Here are five ways effective communication can help your operation.

• Recruiting: Farmworkers trust what their peers suggest and recommend; good and bad. When you treat workers well and communicate with them, they will tell their families and friends. In addition, effective communication during the offseason can be a great way to get workers to return.
• Farmworker retention: A vital way to maintain an experienced pool of workers is through good communication. Sometimes, simple communication from ag employers to farmworkers through text messaging in their native language can go a long way to improve relationships between growers and workers, leading to better engagement and retention.
• Safety: Everyone on your farm must be safe so they can work their best and most efficiently. Ag employers need to communicate this to farmworkers because the weather forecast may necessitate moving the start and end of shifts from day to day. A simple text message at the end of the day outlines expectations for the following day.
• Training: Effective communication through training can prevent a lot of injuries due to overwork, using equipment the wrong way, and not following safety protocols. Following up on your tailgate safety training with regular safety reminders and preventative measures may help prevent injuries on the farm.
• Preventing sexual harassment: As more women have entered farming, a study performed by Murray State University in 2021 shows that it also creates an unfortunate opportunity for exploitation. The study says “the combination of a male-dominated work environment coupled by language barriers represent dangerous power differentials and place women in vulnerable predicaments.” With a two-way auto-translating messaging tool, managers and employees can communicate directly without a middleman.

For more information, including how employee surveys can also help with communication, check out the complete story from Ganaz.