Labor management may be one of the most difficult, yet relevant, tasks on dairy farms. As a generalization, the “80/20 rule” applies on many farms, meaning that 80% of the problems are associated with labor and 20% of the problems are associated with technical issues like nutrition, herd health, reproduction, or genetics (to mention a few). If this situation sounds familiar to you, then you might consider writing well-defined job descriptions.

In his book “The Four Elements of Successful Management,” Don Marshall highlights that adequate labor management is ensured when employees are purposely selected, adequately directed, systematically evaluated, and consciously rewarded. However, none of these actions can be accomplished without a well-defined job description. Therefore, if you are about to hire a new employee and want to minimize headaches, do not make the mistake of releasing a hiring notice without a well-defined job description. You cannot select the right employee without specifically knowing what you need to be accomplished.

To properly express expectations for the new employee, a well-defined job description should clearly describe the responsibilities of the employee, the specific and timely goals to be achieved, and the tasks to be performed. Listing tasks is critical to avoid future confusion. As a simple example, cleaning the feeding area after preparing rations might seem obvious to the employer but unneeded to the employee. In addition, writing a well-defined job description will also help the employer evaluate whether they are providing all of the tools needed for employees to perform the job.

Having a well-defined job description will also help the manager evaluate the performance of the employee. If the stated goals are not met in a timely manner, then the employer will have sufficient information to address the underperformance and terminate the working relationship when needed. Alternatively, the employer will have sufficient information to properly reward the employee when the stated goals are properly met.

In summary, do not underestimate the importance of sharing a well-defined job description when hiring a new employee. As tedious as it can be in the short term, writing a well-defined job description will definitively minimize headaches in the long term.