TRAINING HELPS FARM MARKET EMPLOYEES

TRAINING HELPS FARM
MARKET EMPLOYEES
SUCCEED
by Bernard L. Erven
N
o matter how carefully a farm
market operator recruits and selects employees, they will not
come to their new jobs with all the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities. Training is essential if employees are to reach
their potential. Training should help them
feel like they are improving and creating
better opportunities for themselves.
continue.” Finding pneumonia in the dictionary happens only after one knows
that it begins with a “p” rather than an “n”.
The importance of training programs in
farm markets will increase dramatically in
the 90’s. Customers will have higher
expectations of market employees. Equipment will become more complicated. The
work in successful markets will be more
complex. People with all the necessary
skills and experience for success in a
farm market can not be hired. Without
training programs, labor can easily become the weakest link in the plans for
success of the farm market.
Training is anything an employer does to
help employees learn to do their work the
way the employer wants them to do it.
Training is an investment in people, benefiting both the employer and employee.
In an ideal employer-employee situation,
the investment in teaching allows an
employee to do the job better. Doing the
job better benefits both the employee and
the farm market.
Trainers (teachers) are challenged to
understand what the employees (learners) know from previous training and experience. Trainers need to see the job
through the eyes of the employees. Good
training makes complicated and complex
tasks seem simple.
Note how complicated riding a bicycle
seems until one knows how. All experienced computer users know there is not
an “any key” on a computer keyboard.
Yet many inexperienced users have
searched in vain for such a key to be able
to follow the direction in the computer
manual which says, “Press any key and
With a proper training program, employees will know how to use
their time more efficiently, even if it involves such basic tasks as
cleaning.
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Showing the employee the proper steps of each task and explaining the importance of doing the task can help
the employee perform the job better.
and knowledge of how cider is
made being combined to select
apples for cider versus apples for
fresh market. (b) Knowledge of
which chemicals can damage
eyes and knowledge of what can
happen to liquid under pressure
combined to always wear protective goggles.
Content of Training
Training of farm market workers involves
four kinds of learning: knowing, doing,
combinations of what is known or can be
done, and combinations of knowing and
doing. Learning implies:
1. Knowing something intellectually
or conceptually one never knew
before. Two examples of this
kind of learning are: (a) Apples
bruised during harvest will be
unmarketable coming out of storage. (b) Some apples are better
suited for baking than eating raw.
4. Being able to use or apply a new
combination of skills, knowledge,
concepts, or behaviors. Examples are: (a) Combining the
skill of being able to back a trailer
with a tractor and the knowledge
of the gears in a new semi-tractor
to be able to back a semitrailer up
to a loading dock. (b) Combining
mechanical skill, attention to detail, knowing what to listen for,
and superior hearing to recognize when a belt needs tightening.
2. Being able to do something one
couldn’t do before. Two examples are: (a) Operate a cash
register. (b) Change the oil in a
truck.
3. Combining two knowns into a
new understanding of a skill,
piece of knowledge, concept, or
behavior. Examples are: (a)
Knowledge about apple varieties
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All four kinds of learning should
be part of a training program as
appropriate. Training must be
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more than teaching employees
how to do things. Helping them
understand the importance of the
job, the principles behind the job,
and how they can use what they
already know are important.
Each farm market should have a
plan for training. The plan should
include creation of a positive environment for learning. Reinforcing the following assumptions in
each trainer and employee helps
create an ideal learning situation:
• All employees can learn.
• Learning should be made an
active process.
• Learners need and want guidance and direction.
• Learning should be sequential.
• Learners need time to practice.
• Learning should be varied to
avoid boredom.
• Learners gain satisfaction from
their learning.
• Correct learner behavior
should be reinforced.
• Learning does not occur at a
steady rate.
Training Objectives
An employee training program should
have three distinct phases: (a) orientation, (b) learning to do the first job, and (c)
preparation for future tasks and responsibilities. Orientation is limited to answering immediate questions and providing
essential information for a new employee
to get off to a good start. Some of the
orientation will have been done during
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the application and interviewing process.
Written job descriptions, an employee
handbook, a written employer-employee
agreement, and openness to questions
also are important to orientation.
Sensitivity to immediate information
needs and postponing the nonessential
information to the second phase of training are the keys to successful orientation. Where to park the car, what to wear
to work, location of the bathroom, names
of co-workers and to whom to go with
questions are essential to orientation.
The details of a retirement program and
procedures for arranging which week to
take vacation are not.
Training the employee to handle the first
tasks logically follows the orientation.
Preparation for future tasks and responsibilities is a continuous process based
on the employee’s skills and aspirations,
and changes in the farm market.
The relative amount of time devoted to
orientation, training for the first job and
preparation for future responsibilities varies with the type of employee. Temporary workers may receive only orientation and training focused on the seasonal job, e.g., harvesting and loading
apples. Long-term key employees may
continue to receive training for both immediate and future tasks and responsibilities for as long as the employment
lasts.
Job instruction can be divided into getting ready to train and training. Trainers
in farm markets are often so experienced in what they are teaching that
taking time to prepare for training seems
like a waste of time. “I don’t have time to
prepare” or “I know this job so well I don’t
need to think about how to teach it” may
be foolish attitudes. Muddled and confused instruction increases the time spent
on training and causes frustration for
both trainer and employee.
Two important questions guide preparation for training. What is the objective of
the training? Define specifically what the
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emphasizing the key points and more
difficult steps. Remember the little
and seemingly simple parts of the
task. Get the learner involved by asking questions about what is being
shown.
learners are to know or be able to do at
the conclusion of the training. An acceptable level of performance and timetable
for the training should be established.
What are the principal steps in the task
and in what sequence should they be
done? Analyzing each task can be helpful. Develop tips on how the job can be
made easier, done more quickly or done
with less frustration for the employee.
Having answered these two questions,
the trainer is ready to prepare equipment,
materials, learning aids and the work
place for the actual training. Looking for
equipment or supplies during training
leaves the learner suspicious that the
teacher is careless or incompetent or
both.
The actual instruction can
be aided by a five step
teaching method:
4. Have the learner DO each step of the
task while being observed by the
trainer and then without the trainer
observing. Ask the learner to explain
each step as it is performed. If steps
or parts of the task are omitted, reexplain the steps and have the learner
repeat them.
5. Review each step or part of the task
with the learner, offering encouragement, constructive criticism and additional pointers on how to do the job.
Be frank in the appraisal. Encourage
the learner toward selfappraisal.
“Training must be
more than teaching
employees how to
do things.”
Improved training for
1. Prepare the learner.
both new and experiLearners are preenced employees offers
pared when they are
farm market managers a
at ease, understand
way to increase em—Bernard L. Erven
why they need to
ployee success. TrainDept. of Ag Economics
learn the task, are ining programs rarely
Ohio State University
terested in learning,
change quickly and eashave the confidence
ily. Deciding what can
that they can learn and the trainer
be accomplished through better training
can teach. The most important part of
is a good starting point. Create a good
learner preparation is creating a need
environment for learning. Prepare before
to know or desire to learn on the part
jumping into changes in training. Learn
of the trainee. It helps to show enthuand use a five step method, Prepare-Tellsiasm for the task, relate the task to
Show-Do-Review, to steer both trainers
what the learner already knows, help
and employees toward greater success.
the learner envision being an expert
in the task, have the learner explain
Bernard L. Erven is an extension spehow the task will relate to success at
cialist in farm labor management and
the farm market, add fun and prestige
professor of agricultural economics at
to the task when possible, and assoOhio State University. Erven received his
ciate the task with respected co-workB.S. and M.S. degrees from Ohio State
ers.
and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He teaches a new course
2. Tell the learner about each step or
in human resource management in small
part of the task.
businesses. He also teaches courses in
farm management and principles of
3. Show the learner how to do each
agribusiness management. He is doing
step or part of the task. In demonresearch on farm labor productivity, and
strating the task, explain each step
employee compensation and benefits.
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FROM:
Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Handbook. Article
and photos were excerpted with permission from the
Spring 1991 issue of the Rural Enterprise magazine. The
magazine temporarily suspended publication with the
Summer 1992 issue.
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and its cooperating Departments and Offices.
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do not imply endorsement by The University of Arizona.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of
Agriculture, The University of Arizona.
The University of Arizona College of Agriculture is an Equal Opportunity employer authorized to provide
research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function
without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin, age, Vietnam Era Veteran's status, or disability.
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