Agrijobs Blog

Benefits becoming increasingly important to secure top talent

POSTED BY ANONYMOUS

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Finding top talent in agriculture can be tough. The industry is competitive, and employees are looking for more than just a good salary and secure job. They want benefits that will help them save money, stay healthy, and have a better work-life balance.

Here are some of the benefits that can make an offer stand out.

Performance incentives and bonuses:

Employees want to be rewarded for their hard work. These extend beyond individual performance incentives and include team and company bonuses.

This appeals to those who have ups and downs with their targets. Maybe it’s been a dry month locally so an individual bonus is unattainable – a team bonus system (where the team may be national) means that there’s still a chance to get a bonus.

Same goes with company bonuses; A target is set for the whole company (this may be International) and if it’s achieved, everyone gets a bonus. This is great for building a sense of cohesion and is an exciting perk. So jump on board now and you’ll be ahead of the competition!

Performance incentives and bonuses are a great way to show your employees that you value their contributions.

Additional superannuation:

Superannuation is a retirement savings plan that is mandatory in Australia – currently 11% minimum. Employees want to make sure that they are saving enough for retirement, so employers who offer additional superannuation contributions are seen favorably.

Additional annual leave:

Employees need time off to relax and recharge. In fact, it’s becoming more common now for employers to give staff 5 weeks annual leave. This is a big selling point, especially for parents. With Agriculture being very seasonal it may fit in well. 

Salary sacrifice:

Salary sacrifice is a powerful way for employees to save money on taxes. They can choose to have part of their salary paid into a pre-tax account, which can be used to pay for things like health insurance, childcare, and mortgage payments.

High-end administrative support: High end Employees want to be able to focus on their work, not on administrative tasks. They are looking for employers who offer high-end administrative support, such as transcription and report writing.

Flexible work hours: Employees want the flexibility to work the hours that fit their needs. They are looking for employers who offer flexible work hours, such as the ability to work from home or to take breaks during the day.

Wellness programs:

Employees want to stay healthy and happy.  In-house wellness programs like Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services are very important. These allow employees a series of paid sessions with a Registered or Clinical Psychologist - that the employer pays for. The details of these sessions are private between the Therapist and the employee, so it offers peace of mind mental health support to employees.  The issues that are discussed in these sessions may / may not have anything to do with the employer, but they are affecting the staff members mental health. Psychology sessions are expensive and wait times can be long. If an employer is providing and paying for sessions, staff can access them in times of need, or before an issue has escalated.

Using an EAP service is also a clever move for employers as it means employees can be helped before things get so bad that they need to put in a psychological workers compensation claim.

Other wellness programs include on-site gyms, yoga classes, and mental health support.

Telehealth:

Telehealth is a way for employees to see a doctor or therapist without having to leave their home. This is a great benefit for employees who live in rural areas or who have busy schedules.

Work from home:

 Work from home is becoming increasingly popular. Employees want the flexibility to work from home when they need to and create better work life balance.

Training:

Employees want to stay up to date on the latest trends in agriculture. They are looking for employers who offer training opportunities, such as professional development courses and mentoring programs with leading professionals in their company / industry.

There are many ways to attract and retain top talent in agriculture. Offering competitive salaries and benefits is a great way to start. By offering the benefits that employees are looking for, you can make your company a more attractive place to work.

If you would like to talk about any of these benefits, please give us a call. We would love to chat with you.

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