As you know, farming businesses cannot completely stop for holidays. You and your employees, however, are members of families and social groups that have holiday expectations, traditions and plans. 

Higher wages being paid across the country create a disadvantage for an industry that already fights to keep margins at a profitable point. Those who do a good job recruiting and taking care of qualified employees will have the upper hand.

Don’t be afraid to compensate well and provide annual, merit-based raises or bonus structures into the employee budget. Good employees are hard to come by, and keeping them will be much easier than finding them again.

Surveys of ranch employees indicate many forgo higher-paying jobs to pursue the culture and lifestyle that comes with ranching. Sure, wages and benefits are important, but ranch employees are motivated by means other than financial compensation.