Episode 28: The challenge of finding and retaining employees in farming with John Boote

Welcome back to the podcast, where we delve into the challenges that farm businesses face in Australia, particularly in finding and retaining employees. In this episode, we speak with John Boote, a straight-shooting recruiter for farm businesses across the country, who founded Drover Ag Recruitment in 2019.

Through Drover Ag, John has been able to connect with and help thousands of farming clients and candidates towards better employment outcomes. Drover Ag is now Australia's most recognised and recommended Agricultural recruitment agency, and John employs a team of recruitment specialists, all experienced in agriculture, who are based across rural Australia.

We discuss the mindset shift that farmers need to make to attract and retain good employees, emphasising the importance of looking inward at their own business culture.

According to John, communication, inclusion, and the elimination of micro-management are key to engaging and retaining good employees. He also notes that although agriculture offers excellent career opportunities, the industry has a poor reputation as an employer, making it the collective responsibility of farmers to change this culture.

We explore how good operators find and retain quality staff, which is a strategic advantage for their business. If you're a farmer looking to employ people, this is insightful advice that you won't want to ignore.

Listen to John's wisdom and insight to start your journey towards becoming an employer of choice in the industry.