Who Works for You? What Do They Want?

Dr. Danielle M. Kaminski

Everyone prefers to be listened to rather than ignored. Furthermore, we like to be invited into conversations that particularly affect us, like those about our job.

There are many reasons why dairy managers should listen to their employees. One is that it will encourage employees to feel included in the operation. When people feel included they’re more committed to and invested in the job. Another is that there may be differences in worker preferences. For example, you may have both college students/recent college graduates and immigrant workers on your operation. A recent study in Michigan found that those two groups of workers may look very different. Some of the differences between those study groups are summarized in the table below:

Did you have the same priorities when you were single as when you were married with children? While single, sharing a house with other individuals may sound fine, maybe even appealing for cost sharing. However, when you have a family you need space for all members. This is when an apartment or house to yourself becomes more important. But, it is difficult for employers to offer individual housing to each married employee. Thus, when considering possible worker benefits, a housing allowance/stipend may be more appropriate. If the majority of workers are living off-farm, perhaps a company vehicle or ride-sharing program to/from work would be preferable. If your employees don’t have driver’s licenses then the first option isn’t feasible.

It would be unrealistic for, and leave room for unfairness, if an employer tailored compensation to each individual employee. However, what the table indicates is that it’s important to know what qualities describe your workforce. These characteristics may impact the types of compensation most appealing to workers.

By Danielle M. Kaminski, Assistant Professor, Fort Hays State University