Flexible work requests are becoming more common across farms and agribusinesses, particularly from parents and carers balancing family responsibilities alongside seasonal workloads. While flexibility can feel challenging in operational environments, recent decisions from the Fair Work Commission reinforce to employers must approach flexible work requests carefully, consistently, and with clear evidence to support any decision.
The best way to set your farm up for success is to ensure your people management approach is clear, consistent and compliant. Setting expectations, strengthening performance and keeping HR practices up to date are essential to getting the best from your team. With ongoing changes to HR compliance requirements, farms and agribusinesses that maintain clarity
Many farms bring in additional workers throughout the year to assist with tasks such as fencing, harvesting, or livestock handling. These individuals might issue invoices and work under an ABN, but that alone does not determine whether they are legally considered an employee vs contractor. It’s essential to determine whether the nature of the engagement
Providing effective safety training for farms is a key responsibility for farm owners and operators. Ensuring workers understand risks, safety procedures and their responsibilities helps reduce incidents and supports compliance. WHS training should be practical, relevant to your farm, and regularly reviewed, not treated as a one-off task. What safety training do farm workers need?
