If you're a farm owner, or HR manager here are a bunch of end/beginning of year to-dos that'll pay dividends over the next 12 months:
- Review employee safety feedback, triage issues, and plan for corrective action.
- Update employment posters (check out Harvust ‘s website for a free database of up-to-date posters. The post says Oregon, but it includes federal, OR, WA, CA, and MI)
- Audit hiring documents for current employees (I-9, W-4, etc.)
- Review accident log (our farm labor compliance software will autogenerate your OSHA 300 summary and remind you when it's time to post)
- Update hiring documents (Harvust updates common docs like I-9, WH-516, for you automatically)
- Update company policies (think about what worked or didn't work last year, and hit up your lawyers like Stokes Lawrence, P.S. )
- Create 2025 hiring packets with updated docs
- Update new hire orientation training (or use Harvust’s built-in orientations)
- Review discipline history (breakdown by coaching vs discipline, and areas of concern) and identify trends
- Audit employee training completion (especially Worker Protection Standard, every 12 mo!)
- Schedule upcoming communication when able; things like company announcements, holiday messages, birthdays, etc. (we automate some of these things already)
- Review the “No Rehire” list with managers
- Subscribe to ag labor newsletters like this blog (see bottom of page), WAFLA , Western Growers
- Update H-2A housing info and compliance checklist
- Review & update org chart (crews, ranches/worksites, etc.)
- Check for expired employee credentials like CDL, pesticide applicator license, etc.
- Text former employees about anticipated job opportunities in the new year
- Review employee addresses for W-2 mailing
- Reach out to compliance experts for advice on any lingering issues (Harvust has a directory of top-notch consultants with free intro meetings)
- Analyze labor costing and productivity with your time tracking system like FieldClock
- Review employee phone and whatsapp numbers for H-2A workers
- Analyze employee engagement and sentiment, identify areas that affect bottomline like retention/productivity
- Update training and safety meeting materials (we have a free training library, link in comments)
Alright, that's enough. And these are just ones that are near our area of expertise! I might make some videos on the more in depth points, and how Harvust software can help.
