In a farm, sometimes a worker’s dissatisfaction impedes on their productivity and hence the employer should be concerned about productivity and the workers' welfare. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Many farmers have thus embraced herbicides to control weeds to reduce the cost of labour. However, herbicides cannot be used in all stages of crop production.
Labour on the farm carries the highest percentage of the total cost of production and there exists a direct correlation between employee productivity and farm profitability.
Hire farm workers depending on their skills and ability to perform certain activities. Also, consider training them, as this will help in increasing efficiency.
Employees have a personal life and family to attend to, thus you should provide them with off and leave days to boost morale.
A farmer in one of the WhatsApp groups that I belong to recently lamented of increased cost of production due to high labour charges.
Others shared similar sentiments, noting they were having challenges getting casual labourers due to restriction of movement following the outbreak of Covid-19.
