How do you measure up as an employer?
Employers in the horse industry are as diverse as clouds in the sky. There is not a universal standard of conduct that all equine employers adhere to. In many cases, horse industry employers simply don’t understand how to manage personnel effectively. Employees are the single most important asset to the success of any equine business. Here is a suggested code of 15 rules for equine employers to follow to achieve the basics of good personnel management:
1. Always have a written job description for each job in your organization. This vastly improves employee understanding of their duties and responsibilities. It also creates a basis for performance evaluation, and termination (if that becomes necessary).
2. Always pay promptly in the amount agreed upon. Employees are not creditors. Set your pay levels realistically.
3. Explain to each employee how their job contributes to the over all mission of your business.
4. Apply policies across the board. Don’t have different policies for different employees.
5. Assess employee strengths and weaknesses. Be ready to give praise for strengths and to assist with improving weaknesses.
6. Be ready to repeat instructions patiently or give more detail. Employees are human and may not hear clearly or may forget.
7. Always tell an employee when they have failed to perform in some way and give them a chance to correct the failure. Any person you terminate should know exactly why they have been terminated, because you gave them a chance to correct the problem.
8. Follow employment law including wage and hour laws, and employee/contractor employment status.
9. Avoid illegal discrimination. Judge job applicants based solely on their ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the job.
10. Listen to employee ideas and concerns. Your employees may be closer to the situation than you are.
11. Pay attention to safety in the workplace.
12. Give employees time off to recharge or to attend to personal matters. One full 24 hour day off per week is a minimum for full time employees. At least two weeks of paid vacation per year for year round employees is advisable. 8-10 paid personal/sick days are a good idea. Without sufficient time off, employee loyalty and productivity will drop.
13. Provide adequate equipment and supplies for employees to do their job.
14. Reimburse employees for business expenses including miles driven for your business in their personal vehicle.
15. Respect employee privacy. Do not enter employer provided housing unannounced or when the employee is not at home. Do not involve yourself in employee personal matters without permission from the employee.
