Thousands of Australian agri-business or farms rely on seasonal workers to handle the surge of labour needed each harvest. Previously, a large portion of this workforce was sourced from the international tourism industry. However, with global travel still restricted, the farming industry is limited to the local national work pool.
With this shortage of international operatives, it’s more important than ever to be proactive when hiring for the seasonal work spike. If you plan on advertising for seasonal workers, follow these tips to improve your chances of attracting the best options available.
Start Early
Don’t wait until the busy season is just around the corner before you start putting feelers out. People will be looking for their next seasonal work stint months in advance, so make sure your farm’s name is on that list early on. Reach out to job seeker websites that your target audience may be using to find seasonal job leads.
You’ll need time to find, screen and train these workers, so the sooner they can arrive at your farm, the sooner you can make them productive workers.
Create A Social Media Page
You can’t go past free advertising, and that’s exactly what social media is. We recommend you make a page or an event for your farm to bring your seasonal worker search to the public’s attention.
Don’t expect hundreds of requests to come your way as soon as you build your page. You will need to share it with your friends and local community groups to get the word out. The more work you put into fleshing out your account, the more likely it is to convert viewers into prospects. Make regular posts about your farm, showcasing the scenery, the lifestyle, the living conditions, etc., so people get a good idea of where they’ll be staying before they sign up.
When done correctly and continuously, a social media page could bring attention to your farm all year round and help promote other business ventures (such as farm stays, farm attractions, tourism, etc).
Appeal To Aussies (or even Kiwis)!
Aussies and Kiwis always have each other’s backs in dire times!
In the past, seasonal workers have primarily been sourced from the tourism industry, with many people travelling internationally to experience the Australian way of life while still having an income. With international travel heavily restricted, farmers across the country were left scratching their heads as to where to find new seasonal workers. Luckily, the NZ travel bubble has opened in time for some of the winter harvest dates.
When you word your ads, keep in mind that this year’s audience will likely want different things than the regular international workers. You may usually say something like ‘Visit Australia And Get The Farm Experience’, well that won’t work, because most of your workers this year probably live here already, or have been here for some time. Play to their sense of adventure and make your farm seem like a trip of a lifetime. For example, ‘Explore Your State Like Never Before,’ or ‘Be Part Of The Process That Feeds Millions Of Aussies’.
Get The Kids & Retirees Involved
Two age groups with the most time on their hands are retirees or freshly graduated teenagers. Advertise your seasonal work position as a great way to contribute to the national economy while earning some extra money, with no lock-in commitments.
Retirees make great seasonal workers as many enjoy the chance to make some money without a full-time work commitment. Plus, this group is often knowledgeable about work requirements and will better understand your expectations. On the opposite end of the stick, recent school graduates on a gap year may be looking to build up some work experience or make some cash while they travel the country.
Check The Trends
See what the industry and your competition are capitalizing on. You don’t need to be a marketing whizz; someone else can do that. All you need to do is see what’s working and implement that yourself.
Google Trends is a great tool to help you understand what Australians are searching for right now. Using this, you can make educated decisions on ways your business can answer some highly sought-after questions.
Include Your Work Incentives
If you’re advertising for seasonal workers, don’t forget to include details of the incentives that are now available. You’ll want to make sure your prospective workers have all the latest information, particularly if they’re new to the agricultural industry and keen to give it a go.
Show You Have COVID-19 Prevention Measures
New government requirements state that you must have plans in place to manage and prevent the transmission of COVID-19 at your worksite and in the community. Your seasonal workers will feel much safer if you make it clear that safety measures are in place at your farm.
Get Involved With The Australian Government’s Seasonal Worker Programme
If you plan to hire several seasonal workers, you’ve likely already completed this step. Seasonal workers will be in short supply this year, with dwindling tourism numbers still affecting the country. This program sets out to assist employers in agriculture and accommodation industries to fill employment gaps that the Australian workforce cannot meet.
At Global Rotomoulding we are dedicated to helping Australian farmers and rural workers. We value education and strive to give farmers the best information available. Our tanks, products and custom rotomoulding services can help boost your agricultural business. Find out how by browsing our website, or by contacting us!
