The mission here at AgriSmart has always been to provide solutions for the many workforce management challenges our New Zealand farmers and growers face. This includes those unique challenges faced during the holiday season.
As we all know, here in New Zealand we are incredibly lucky to spend Christmas and New Years on the beach rather than wrapped in blankets around a fireplace (sucks to be anyone from the Northern Hemisphere!). However, this also means Christmas and New Year falls during a critical time for a larger number of our farmers and growers (particularly our growers).
So, we’ve put together some practical tips to help you manage your workforce efficiently during this busy time.
Plan for Public Holidays
The Christmas and New Year period includes several public holidays that affect horticulture operations workforce management. It’s essential to plan ahead to ensure business continuity and avoid any unforeseen costs.
Key Public Holidays:
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- New Year’s Day
- Day after New Year’s Day
Make sure these holidays are accurately reflected in your workforce management system. AgriSmart’s software automates pay calculations and ensures compliance with statutory holiday requirements, reducing administration work during the hectic period.
Optimise Timesheet Management
With many employees working variable hours during the harvest, accurate timesheet management is crucial:
- Use AgriSmart’s iOS and Android App: Our app allows employees to enter their time easily, even offline, ensuring no work hours are missed. These timesheets can be entered with the Statutory Holiday code meaning all calculations are adjusted to accommodate for this when processing the payroll.
- Automate Pay Calculations: Use our remuneration report to quickly view precise employee pay calculations and ensure all adjustments have taken effect for compliance with holiday pay requirements.
- Streamline Approvals: Promptly and easily approve timesheets to maintain payroll accuracy.
If you are an existing client, you can find further help documentation on how to do this through the help centre within your licence. Simply search “Timesheets on Public Holidays”.
Use a Statutory Holiday Calculator
Calculating holiday pay can be tricky, especially during the busy harvest season. AgriSmart’s statutory holiday calculator is a handy tool to ensure you’re paying your workers correctly.
Benefits of our holiday calculator:
- Ensures you follow employment laws
- Cuts down on pay calculation errors
- Saves time on paperwork
Our calculator is built into the AgriSmart system, making it easy to use right when you need it. It considers the complex rules around public holiday pay, so you don’t have to worry about getting it wrong.
If you are an existing client, you can find further help documentation on how to do this through the help centre within your licence. Simply search “Public Holiday Observed“.
Plan Ahead
Here’s some tips to help you stay on top of things as the season progresses.
- Check your payroll calendar: Make sure all upcoming pay dates and public holidays are correct in the AgriSmart system.
- Adjust pay days if they fall on days that you can’t process your pay.
- Forecasting staffing needs: Use this time to plan your workforce needs for the coming months.
- Set up future pay periods in advance.
- Tell your team: Let your workers know about any changes to pay schedules or work rosters well in advance.
AgriSmart’s software lets you set up pay periods in advance, so you can focus on running your farm when things get busy. This feature also helps you spot any potential issues early, giving you time to sort them out before they become problems.
Remember, planning ahead can save you a lot of stress later on. Take some time now to set up your future pay periods, and you’ll thank yourself when the harvest is in full swing.
If you are an existing client, you can find further help documentation on how to do this through the help center within your licence. Simply search “Future Pay Periods“.
Additional Tips
Outside of technology, here are some other ideas to ponder in the lead up to your busy period:
- Support employee well-being: The holiday season can be demanding for your team. Prioritise their well-being to maintain morale and productivity.
- Foster a positive work environment: While productivity is important, creating a positive atmosphere can enhance team spirit.
- Set the stage for a successful new year: If you have the time, record your businesses performance over this period and analyse in the new year on how aspects can be improved.
Final Words
Hopefully these tips will help you navigate the holiday season smoothly while setting the foundation for continued success in the new year. As always AgriSmart’s software and our team are here to support you with technical know-how, as well as provide you with innovative solutions tailored for the agriculture and horticulture industries. We want to ensure your holiday season is as stress free as possible and more successful than the last.
We hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
P.S. If you are an existing client and need technical support over the Christmas period, please save our ‘Holiday Hours’ calendar here and/or contact us using one of the options below:
Phone: 0800 110 172
Email: [email protected]
Contact Form: Click here!
