Central Highlands cropper Matt Anning currently manages “Denlo Park” at Springsure where he annually grows between 240 and 720 hectares of dryland cotton, depending on seasonal conditions and water availability.
Mr Anning was last year a panelist for the SHIFT Virtual Farm Catchups and has worked with the research team over the course of the co-design project.
He spoke with Queensland Farmer Today about his experience in recruiting and retaining staff and how both have evolved over the years …
How long have you grown cotton for Matt?
Twenty years.
Have you seen much change in attitudes within the cotton industry towards employees over that time?
We know that good staff are essential for our operation. I can’t speak for everyone but what’s changed for me from going through the Australian Future Cotton Leaders program – and now being a part of SHIFT – is making sure I’m working with our team and thinking about what they need for me to get the best performance from them. There’s a lot of competition in the market to attract and retain employees, people are integral to keeping a large operation going, we know we have to look after people.
How have your recruitment strategies changed over time, if at all?
People are harder to find. We still try to recruit through word-of-mouth, looking for that right attitude, knowing we can train people in their roles on-farm, but it is tough these days.
Do you have an employee “blueprint“ you follow to ensure staff retention? Or is it gut feel according to the individual?
There is no blueprint. Each team member is a bit different and, working it out, talking with each employee, keeping them in the loop on why decisions are made and having that clear two-way communication, is how we try and make sure they’re happy and productive at work
What are the biggest challenges you face in recruiting and retaining employees?
We’re trying to think outside the box and broaden our horizons when we’re finding new team members. The challenge is to bring them along on the journey and help them see the bigger picture that we’re working towards and how we need to work to keep going.
What advice would you give to other cotton growers struggling to recruit/ retain suitable employees?
Look after the team you have, they are your biggest asset, they’ll help that attraction when you get someone new in the door.
