As family labour on Irish farms declines, retaining good workers can make up the shortfall
Make an effort to provide employees with a positive experience to keep turnover rates as low as possible
Retaining farm workers is a worthwhile endeavour. Photo: Mike Harrington/Getty
The last farm survey by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) revealed a significant insight into the labour dynamics on Irish farms: almost 30pc of the total labour input was provided by family members.
This statistic had me eyeing up the wiry arms of eight-year-old Tim, wondering how long I might have to wait before he could pitch in more effectively. Tim is the kind of boy whose inquisitive mind often gets him into trouble. His questions tend to gravitate towards somewhat danger-filled topics, such as “How far out on this branch can I climb before it breaks?” or “I bet I can outrun the bull”.
