Managing a Diverse Workforce

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY HAS BEEN A MAGNET IN THE LAST FEW YEARS FOR NON-RESIDENT WORKERS LOOKING FOR GOOD WAGES IN THE U.S. ALTHOUGH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DAIRY OPERATIONS IS DECLINING IN SOME PARTS OF THE MIDWEST, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COWS IS GOING UP. MINNESOTA ADDED 8-THOUSAND ANIMALS LAST YEAR… SOUTH DAKOTA… 5-THOUSAND.

(((///SOT – Alvaro Garcia - SDSU Extension Dairy Specialist//)))

“If you talk or if you interview many of the dairymen around here they will tell you that they can’t find labor for their dairies.”

NOT LOCAL LABOR ANYWAY. SHANNON HOUSELOG MANAGES 16 WORKERS AT THIS 16-HUNDRED HEAD DAIRY. OF THOSE 16 WORKERS, 14 ARE ETHNIC MINORITIES, MAINLY MEXICAN. HOUSELOG GETS BY WITH THE LITTLE BIT OF SPANISH SHE CAN SPEAK.

(((///SOT - Shannon Houselog///)))

“It’s enough to communicate but there are times when we’re trying to do some more in-depth explaining when I have to use somebody as a translator.”

A COUPLE OF THE HISPANIC WORKERS HERE SPEAK FLUENT ENGLISH, SO COMMUNICATION ISN’T A BIG ISSUE. KEEPING GOOD WORKERS ON FOR THE LONG HAUL… THAT’S ANOTHER MATTER.

(((///SOT - Shannon Houselog///)))

“You know, it’s no different than anyplace else. We like to have our employees stay for as long as possible because training and hiring new people is expensive and time-consuming. So we like to have good employee retention.”

HOUSELOG SAYS ONE KEY TO RETENTION IS IN TREATING EMPLOYEES WELL. TO DO THAT… YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE. START BY RECOGNIZING THAT WHERE WE COME FROM IS IMPORTANT TO EACH OF US.

(((///SOT - Alvaro///)))

It’s not only from mexico that we get employees… also El Salvador. Most of the rest from Central America… and Latin America too.”

RECOGNIZE THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN A WORKER’S LIFE.

(((///SOT - Alvaro ///)))

“Most of them are catholic. They would like to go to church everytime they can.”

RECOGNIZE THAT MANY WORKERS BRING WITH THEM A VERY STRONG WORK ETHIC.

(((///SOT - Alvaro///)))

“They don’t ask how many hours they have to work. Basically they ask for more hours to work.”

UNDERSTAND THE HIGH IMPORTANCE PLACED ON FAMILY TIES… AND THAT VISITING A FAMILY LEFT BEHIND IN A FOREIGN LAND TAKES TIME.

(((///SOT - Alvaro///)))

“A manager has to be prepared that in a certain point in time, maybe in a year or so, they will ask for some free time to go back and check with the family.”

GARCIA SAYS STRONG FAMILY BONDS CAN BENEFIT A BUSINESS. IF YOU HIRE GOOD RELIABLE WORKERS…

“The first thing a good manager has to do is ask the employees if they have someone they would like to recommend. That is trustable and that they think would fit into that dairy.”

THAT WAY WHEN YOU LOSE A WORKER… OR WHEN YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND YOUR OPERATION… YOU’LL HAVE AT LEAST SOME IDEA OF WHERE YOUR NEXT EMPLOYEE WILL COME FROM.