Dear Member,
The clocks go back next weekend, bringing some welcome light in the mornings, but the evenings are drawing in. It is a busy time of year, but also a good moment to take stock of the business before the winter really takes over. Both of this fortnight’s publications should help with that, so grab a cuppa and have a read when you get a quiet moment…
In your mailing…
HR Management & Employment Law
Firstly, our HR Management and Employment Law Dairy Insight. Farming has a long tradition of informal working arrangements, which can now be a real legal risk for your business. This publication covers what every farm employer needs to have in place, from contracts and right-to-work checks to pensions, working time and holiday records. It also covers recent changes, including Statutory Sick Pay from day one of sickness, which started in April.
More changes are coming soon. From 30th October, employers must take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment at work. From 1st January, the qualifying period for unfair dismissal protection drops from two years to six months. Beyond the legal side, the Insight also looks at how good people management builds a happier, more productive team. Businesses that invest in their people consistently outperform those that don’t.
Finding & Freeing Logjams in your Business
The second publication is Finding and Freeing the Logjams in your Business. A ‘logjam’ is the one thing holding the rest of your business back. As the old timber drivers knew, it is rarely the whole pile causing the trouble, just one or two logs wedged at the wrong angle. The idea comes from Holistic Management. This Dairy Insight looks at how to spot your logjam, get to its root cause and decide where your time and money will make the biggest difference.
It might be grass utilisation, youngstock or your own time and energy. Spending on the strong links rarely pays back. A simple habit worth trying is to ask ‘What is our logjam right now?’ at a family or team meeting once a quarter. It takes five minutes and keeps everyone pulling in the same direction.
As always, if anything in this mailing sparks a question, from staff contracts to finding your own logjam, we are here to help. Give us a call on 01458 851555 or email [email protected].
With very best regards,
In your postal mailing, you will also find a flyer in the envelope for the Precision Livestock Farming Conference. It is on Wednesday 4th November at Harper Adams University in Shropshire. Organised by RAFT Solutions, the day looks at how precision technology can help dairy and beef producers improve productivity, health and welfare, and make better-informed decisions.
Tickets are £95 + VAT and can be booked at tickettailor.com/events/raftsolutions/2213804 or by scanning the QR code on the flyer.
Heat stress might feel a long way off as we head into winter, but it is worth planning ahead for next summer. Smartbell are offering Kingshay members a discount on HealTHI, a shed sensor that monitors environmental data to provide automated early warnings and trend analysis to help protect your herd from the effects of heat stress. (Arla and FETF compliant).
£100 off yur purchase use code: KINGSHAY100.
For more details, contact [email protected]
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Contact us with any technical queries on [email protected] or call 01458 851555