Human resource management practices on Irish dairy farms: an exploratory study

Thomas Lawton; Monica Gorman; Marion Beecher

doi:10.1071/AN23255

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Next Contents Vol 64(9)

Human resource management practices on Irish dairy farms: an exploratory study

Thomas Lawton

^A ^B , Monica Gorman

^B and Marion Beecher

^A ^*

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.

^B School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

^* Correspondence to: Marion.Beecher@teagasc.ie

Handling Editor: Keith Pembleton

Animal Production Science 64, AN23255 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN23255

Submitted: 26 July 2023 Accepted: 5 May 2024 Published: 30 May 2024

Abstract

Context

Managing people outside the farm family unit is a new issue for many Irish dairy farmers. In the context of rapid growth, the demand for employees has increased, creating the need for Irish dairy farmers to have human resource management (HRM) skills.

Aims

This paper explores the extent and type of HRM practices adopted by Irish dairy farmers and the factors that influence their adoption.

Methods

A questionnaire was developed, piloted, and issued to farmers on the basis of herd size and location. Data from 203 dairy farmers who employ people were analysed to examine the adoption of different HRM practices and the influence of farm characteristics, farmer demographics and farmer attitudes on their adoption. HRM practices included compliance with employment legislation, health and safety, different approaches to recruitment, workforce management and retention. The questionnaire included one or more variables for each of these HRM practices. Where more than one variable was included, an aggregate variable was developed for that practice.

Key results

Whereas, overall, there was a low level of adoption of best HRM practices, farm characteristics such as herd size and number of employees had a significant influence on farmers’ adoption of compliance with employment legislation, health and safety, recruitment, workforce management and retention practices. Demographic factors such as age, level of education, and average hours worked influenced farmers compliance with employment law legislation, workforce management practices and retention practices.

Conclusions

The study highlighted an overall low compliance with employment legislation and low adoption of best practices in managing staff among dairy farmers in Ireland.

Implications

This study highlighted that improvement is needed in all areas of HRM on Irish dairy farms. The findings of this study would be useful to farm advisors who support dairy farmers in improving their management of their businesses. Overall, this study has contributed to a greater understanding of the challenges in managing people in agriculture and how certain factors influences the adoption of HRM practices on dairy farms.

Keywords: dairy farming, employee, employer, expansion, farm characteristics, farmer attitudes, farmer demographics, human resource management.

References

Albrecht SL, Bakker AB, Gruman JA, Macey WH, Saks AM (2015) Employee engagement, human resource management practices and competitive advantage: an integrated approach. Journal of Organisational Effectiveness: People and Performance 2, 7-35.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

App S, Merk J, Büttgen M (2012) Employer branding: sustainable HRM as a competitive advantage in the market for high-quality employees. Management Revue 23, 262-278.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Armstrong M, Taylor S (2020) ‘Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice,’ 11th edn. (Kogan Page: London, UK)

Bal PM, De Lange AH (2015) From flexibility human resource management to employee engagement and perceived job performance across the lifespan: A multisample study. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 88, 126-154.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Barclay E, Foskey R, Reeve I (2007) Farm succession and inheritance: comparing Australian and international trends. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), Kingston, Australia.

Barkema HW, von Keyserlingk MAG, Kastelic JP, Lam TJGM, Luby C, Roy JP, LeBlanc SJ, Keefe GP, Kelton DF (2015) Invited review. Changes in the dairy industry affecting dairy cattle health and welfare. Journal of Dairy Science 98, 7426-7445.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Barrett R, Mayson S (2005) Getting and keeping good staff. HR issues and challenges in small firms. Victoria, Australia. Family and Small Business Research Unit, Monash University, Vic., Australia.

Becker GS (1964) ‘Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education.’ (Colombia University Press: New York, NY, USA)

Becker BE, Huselid MA (2006) Strategic human resources management: where do we go from here? Journal of Management 32, 898-925.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Beecher M, Lawton T, Gorman M (2023) Irish dairy farmers’ assessment of their training needs. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 29, 1-17.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Benson G (2011) Roles and responsibilities of the manager. In ‘Encyclopedia of dairy sciences. Vol. 1’. (Eds JW Fuquay, PE Fox, PLH McSweeney) pp. 481–485. (Elsevier: London, UK)

Bewley J, Palmer RW, Jackson-Smith DB (2001) An overview of experiences of Wisconsin dairy farmers who modernized their operations. Journal of Dairy Science 84, 717-729.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Biea EA, Dinu E, Bunica A, Jerdea L (2023) Recruitment in SMEs: the role of managerial practices, technology and innovation. European Business Review 36(3), 361-391.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Billikopf GE (2003) ‘Labor management in agriculture: cultivating personnel productivity.’ (University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources: CA, USA)

Bitsch V (2009) Personnel management research in agribusiness. In ‘19th Annual World Forum and Symposium of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association’, 20-23 June 2009, Budapest, Hungary. (Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics Michigan State University, MI, USA)

Bitsch V, Getachew AK, Harsh SB, Mugera AW (2006) Human resource management risks: sources and control strategies based on dairy farmer focus groups. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics 38, 123-136.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Bontis N, Dragonetti NC, Jacobsen K, Roos G (1999) The knowledge toolbox: a review of the tools available to measure and manage intangible resources. European Management Journal 17, 391-402.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Brennan M, Hennessy T, Meredith D, Dillon E (2021) Weather, workload and money: determining and evaluating sources of stress for farmers in Ireland. Journal of Agromedicine 15, 1-11.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Carbery R, Garavan TN, O’Brien F, McDonnell J (2003) Predicting hotel managers’ turnover cognitions. Journal of Managerial Psychology 18, 649-679.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Carroll M, Marchington M, Earnshaw J, Taylor S (1999) Recruitment in small firms: processes, methods and problems. Journal of Employee Relations 21, 236-250.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Chiswell HM, Lobley M (2018) ‘It’s definitely a good time to be a farmer’: understanding the changing dynamics of successor creation in late modern society. Journal of Rural Sociology 83, 630-653.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Contzen S, Häberli I (2021) Exploring dairy farmers’ quality of life perceptions: a Swiss case study. Journal of Rural Studies 88, 227-238.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

CSO (2016) Farm Structures Survey 2016. Central Statistics Office, Cork, Ireland. Available at https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/pfss/farmstructuresurvey2016/ [Accessed 1 July 2021]

CSO (2020a) Census of agriculture preliminary results. Central Statistics Office, Cork, Ireland. Available at https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-coa/censusofagriculture2020-preliminaryresults/livestock/ [Accessed 21 July 2023]

CSO (2020b) Demographic profile of farm holders. Central Statistics Office, Cork, Ireland. Available at https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-coa/censusofagriculture2020-preliminaryresults/demographicprofileoffarmholders/ [Accessed 19 November 2022]

Dae-Bong K (2009) OECD World Forum. In ‘The 3rd OECD World Forum on statistics, knowledge and policy charting progress, building visions, improving life human capital and its measurement’. 27–30 October 2009, Busan, Korea. pp. 27–30. (The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD))

Dairy Australia (2017) Workforce: the power of people on Australian dairy farms. Dairy Australia, Vic., Austrailia. Available at http://www.thepeopleindairy.org.au/projects/pop [Accessed 10 June 2019]

Dairy Australia (2020) Workforce: the power of people on Australian dairy farms in 2020. Dairy Australia, Vic., Australia. Available at https://thepeopleindairy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/3353-Workforce-The-Power-of-People-on-Aust-Dairy-Farms-2020.pdf [Accessed 1st July 2023]

DBEI (2021) Terms and conditions of employment. Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation, Dublin, Ireland. Available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6302b-terms-and-conditions-of-employment/ [Accessed 26th December 2022]

De Kok J, Uhlaner LM (2001) Organization context and human resource management in small firms. Journal of Small Business Economics 17, 273-291.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Deci EL, Ryan RM (2000) The what and why of goal pursuits. Human needs and the self-determination of behaviour. Journal of Psychological Inquiry 11, 227-268.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Deming J, Gleeson D, O’Dwyer T, Kinsella J, O’Brien B (2018) Measuring labor input on pasture-based dairy farms using a smartphone. Journal of Dairy Science 101, 9527-9543.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Deming J, Macken-Walsh Á, O’Brien B, Kinsella J (2019) Entering the occupational category of ‘Farmer’: new pathways through professional agricultural education in Ireland. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 25(1), 63-78.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Deming J, Macken-Walsh Á, O’Brien B, Kinsella J (2020) Good farm management employment: emerging values in the contemporary Irish dairy sector. Journal of Land Use Policy 92, 104466.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Douphrate DI, Nonnenmann MW, Hagevoort R, Gimeno Ruiz de Porras D (2016) Work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and job factors among large-herd dairy milkers. Journal of Agromedicine 21, 224-233.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Drabe D, Hauff S, Richter NF (2015) Job satisfaction in aging workforces: an analysis of the USA, Japan and Germany. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 26, 783-805.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Durst PT, Moore SJ, Ritter C, Barkema HW (2018) Evaluation by employees of employee management on large US dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science 101, 7450-7462.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Eastwood CR, Greer J, Schmidt D, Muir J, Sargeant K (2020) Identifying current challenges and research priorities to guide the design of more attractive dairy-farm workplaces in New Zealand. Animal Production Science 60, 84-88.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Foddy W (1994) ‘Constructing questions for interviews and questionnaires: theory and practice in social research.’ (Cambridge University Press: London, UK)

Garforth C, McKemey K, Rehman T, Tranter R, Cooke R, Park J, Dorward P, Yates C (2006) Farmers’ attitudes towards techniques for improving oestrus detection in dairy herds in South West England. Livestock Science 103, 158-168.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Guthrie JP, Flood PC, Liu W, MacCurtain S (2009) High performance work systems in Ireland: human resource and organizational outcomes. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 20, 112-125.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Harney B, Dundon T (2006) An emergent theory of HRM: A theoretical and empirical exploration of determinants of HRM among Irish small to medium sized enterprises (SME). In ‘Advances in Industrial & Labour Relations’. (Eds D Lewin, BE Kaufman) pp. 103–153. (Emerald Group Publishing Ltd)

Heenan D (2010) Social capital and older people in farming communities. Journal of Aging Studies 24, 40-46.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Herzberg F, Mausner B, Snyderman BB (1959) ‘The motivation to work.’ (John Wiley and Sons: New York, NY, USA)

Howard WH, McEwan KA, Brinkman GL, Christensen JM (1991) Human resource management on the farm: attracting, keeping, and motivating labour. Agribusiness 7, 11-26.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Hyde J, Cornelisse SA, Holden LA (2011) Human resource management on dairy farms: does investing in people matter. Economics Bulletin 31, 208-217.
| Google Scholar |

ICBF (2023) Dairy HerdPlus. Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, Cork, Ireland. https://www.icbf.com/dairy-herdplus/

Kelly P, Shalloo L, Wallace M, Dillon P (2020) The Irish dairy industry – recent history and strategy, current state and future challenges. International Journal of Dairy Technology 73, 309-323.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Kickul J (2001) Promises made, promises broken: an exploration of employee attraction and retention practices in small business. Journal of Small Business Management 39, 320-335.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Kolstrup CL (2012) What factors attract and motivate dairy farm employees in their daily work? Journal of Work 41, 5311-5316.
| Google Scholar |

Kotey B, Slade P (2005) Formal human resource management practices in small growing firms. Journal of Small Business Management 43, 16-40.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Lai Y, Saridakis G, Johnstone S (2017) Human resource practices, employee attitudes and small firm performance. International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship 35, 470-494.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Lazazzara A, Karpinska K, Henkens K (2013) What factors influence training opportunities for older workers? Three factorial surveys exploring the attitudes of HR professionals. The International Journal of Human Resource Management 24, 2154-2172.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Leonard B, Kinsella A, O’Donoghue C, Farrell M, Mahon M (2017) Policy drivers of farm succession and inheritance. Land Use Policy 61, 147-159.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Lucas RE (1990) Why doesn’t capital flow from rich to poor countries? The American Economic Review 80, 92-96.
| Google Scholar |

Läpple D, Renwick A, Thorne F (2015) Measuring and understanding the drivers of agricultural innovation: evidence from Ireland. Journal of Food Policy 51, 1-8.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Macdonald KA, Penno JW, Lancaster JAS, Roche JR (2008) Effect of stocking rate on pasture production, milk production, and reproduction of dairy cows in pasture-based systems. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 2151-2163.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Maslow AH (1943) A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review 50, 370-396.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

May PJ (2005) Compliance motivations: perspectives of farmers, homebuilders, and marine facilities. Law & Policy 27, 317-347.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

McDonald R, Heanue K, Pierce K, Horan B (2016) Factors influencing new entrant dairy farmer’s decision-making process around technology adoption. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 22, 163-177.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

McNamara J, Griffin P, Kinsella J, Phelan J (2017) Health and safety adoption from use of a risk assessment document on Irish farms. Journal of Agromedicine 22, 384-394.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Millward N, Bryson A, Forth J (2000) ‘All change at work? British employment relations 1980–1998, portrayed by the workplace industrial relations survey series.’ (Routledge: London, UK; New York, NY, USA)

Mincer J (1962) On-the-job training. Costs, returns, and some implications. Journal of Political Economy 70, 50-79.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Moore SJ, Durst PT, Ritter C, Nobrega D, Barkema HW (2020) Effects of employer management on employee recruitment, satisfaction, engagement, and retention on large US dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science 103, 8482-8493.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Mugera AW, Bitsch V (2005) Managing labor on dairy farms: a resource based perspective with evidence from case studies. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review 8, 79-98.
| Google Scholar |

Nettle R, Paine M, Petheram J (2006) Improving employment relationships: findings from learning interventions in farm employment. New Zealand Journal of Employment relations 31, 17.
| Google Scholar |

Nettle R, Semmelroth A, Ford R, Zheng C, Ullah A (2011) Retention of people in dairy farming – what is working and why? Gardiner Foundation, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.

Nettle R, Crawford A, Brightling P (2018a) How private-sector farm advisors change their practices: an Australian case study. Journal of Rural Studies 58, 20-27.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

NFS (2022) Teagasc National Farm Survey 2022. National Farm Survey, Galway, Ireland. Available at https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2023/NFS_prelim_results_2022.pdf [Accessed 17 June 2023]

Nolan CT, Garavan TN (2016) Human resource development in SMEs: a systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Management Reviews 18, 85-107.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

OECD (2018) Agriculture Statistics. OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook (Edition 2018). Oraganisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Available at https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/agriculture-and-food/data/oecd-agriculture-statistics/oecd-fao-agricultural-outlook-edition-2018_d4bae583-en [Accessed June 28th 2019]

Oved O (2017) Rethinking the place of love needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: III. Young Perspectives. Society New Brunswick 54, 537-538.
| Google Scholar |

O’Connor T, Kinsella J, O’Hora D, McNamara J, Meredith D (2022) Safer tomorrow: Irish dairy farmers’ self-perception of their farm safety practices. Journal of Safety Research 82, 450-458.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

O’Donovan K, O’Brien RJ, Ruane DJ, Kinsella J, Gleeson DE (2008) Labour input on irish dairy farms and the effect of scale and seasonality. Journal of Farm Management 13, 38-53.
| Google Scholar |

O’Kane H, Ferguson E, Kaler J, Green L (2017) Associations between sheep farmer attitudes, beliefs, emotions and personality, and their barriers to uptake of best practice: the example of footrot. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 139, 123-133.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Pfeffer J (1998) Seven practices of successful organisations. California Management Review 40, 96-124.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Rabobank FF (2022) Farming salaries 2021/22: Remuneration summary report. Federated Farmers, Rabobank, New Zealand. Available at https://www.fedfarm.org.nz/FFPublic/FFPublic/Support/RemReport/Farming_Salaries_Report.aspx?WebsiteKey=00ff782d-8ff5-4a81-ae69-785972132c32 [Accessed 11 December 2023]

Ramsbottom G, Horan B, Pierce KM, Roche JR (2020) Dairy expansion: a case study of spring-calving pasture-based dairy production systems in Ireland. The Journal of Agricultural Science 158, 406-415.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Rosenberg H, Carkner J, Hewlett L, Owen T, Teegerstrom J, Tranel Weigel R (2002) ‘Ag Help Wanted: Guidelines for Managing Agricultural Labour.’ (Western Farm Management Extension Committee)

Ryan M (2023) Labour and skills shortages in the agro-food sector. OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 189, OECD Publishing, Paris. Available at https://doi.org/10.1787/ed758aab-en [Accessed 17 December 2023]

Sauro J, Kindlund E (2005) A method to standardise usability metrics into a single score. In ‘Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems’. pp. 401–409. (Association for Computing Machinery New York, NY, USA) doi:10.1145/1054972.1055028

Schultz TW (1961) Investment in human capital. The American Economic Review 51, 1-17.
| Google Scholar |

Shanaz AT, Dlvin SM, Vala MA (2020) The underpinning theories of human resource management course. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shanaz-Taha/publication/340620672_The_Underpinning_Theories_of_Human_Resource_Management_Course_Advance_Human_Resource_Management_Prepared_by/links/5e9580624585150839db0d09/The-Underpinning-Theories-of-Human-Resource Management-Course-Advance-Human-Resource-Management-Prepared-by.pdf [Accessed 21 December 2023]

Stenbacka S (2019) Responsibilities, caring practices and agriculture: farmers’ perspectives on recruitment and employer–employee relationships. Sociologia Ruralis 59, 255-274.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Stenbacka S, Bygdell C (2018) The cosmopolitan farmer: ideas and practices beyond travel and internationalisation. Journal of Rural Studies 61, 63-72.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Stup RE, Hyde J, Holden LA (2006) Relationships between selected human resource management practices and dairy farm performance. Journal of Dairy Science 89, 1116-1120.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

Tabachnick BG, Fidell LS, Ullman JB (2013) ‘Using multivariate statistics.’ (Pearson: Boston, MA, USA)

Teagasc (2017a) The People in Dairy Project. Available at https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2017/The-People-in-Dairy-Project.pdf [Accessed 21 June 2019]

Teagasc (2017b) ‘Teagasc farm labour manual.’ (Teagasc: Carlow, Ireland)

Teagasc (2022) Teagasc National Farm Survey 2022 – Dairy Enterprise Factsheet. Cork, Ireland. Available at https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2023/DairyFactsheet2022.pdf [Accessed 25 November 2023]

Trafford S, Tipples RS (2012) A foreign solution: The employment of shortterm migrant dairy workers on New Zealand dairy Farms. Centre of Excellence in Farm Business Management, Lincoln University, New Zealand. Available at https://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/314aef46-aedc-4e17-bf6a-b1c2821c922e/content [Accessed 15 April 2022]

Ullah A (2013) Assessing the impact of HRM on dairy farm performance: an Australian study, PhD thesis, Deakin University, Australia. Available at https://dro.deakin.edu.au/articles/thesis/Assessing_the_impact_of_HRM_on_dairy_farm_performance_an_Australian_study/21103645/1/files/37445014.pdf

Ullah A, Zheng C (2011) Why would dairy farmers care about human resource management practices. Dostupno na (18.11.2021). Available at https://www.anzam.org/wp-content/uploads/pdfmanager/539_ANZAM2011-265.PDF [Accessed 21 July 2022]

Umstätter C, Mann S, Werner J (2022) A simple measure for workload as a social sustainability indicator for family farms. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators 14, 100180.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Urbano D, Yordanova D (2008) Determinants of the adoption of HRM practices in tourism SMEs in Spain: an exploratory study. Service Business 2, 167-185.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Vornholt K, Uitdewilligen S, Nijhuis FJ (2013) Factors affecting the acceptance of people with disabilities at work: a literature review. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation 23, 463-475.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |

World Bank Group (2021) Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Available at https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/sl.agr.empl.zs [Accessed 20 June 2019]

WRC (2018) Guide to Employment, Labour and Equality Law, Workplace Relations Commission, Dublin, Ireland. Available at https://www.workplacerelations.ie/en/publications_forms/guide_to_employment_labour_and_equality_law_18.pdf [Accessed 19 December 2023]

Wright MP, McMahon CG, McWilliams A (1994) Human resources and sustained competitive advantage, a resource-based perspective. International Journal of Human Resource Management 5, 301-326.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |

Human resource management practices on Irish dairy farms: an exploratory study

Abstract

References

Subscriber Login