Put yourself in this situation. Your son, your daughter, another family member or a friend has just decided to become a member of a school or other sports team. As you think of them beginning this new adventure, what would you like for them to find as they join the team? Focus on what you hope they find as they join the team, not the end product of a winning season.

Most readers are probably aware that the recent rally in milk prices is historically significant in that the nearly-$3-per-hundredweight (cwt) climb in futures prices is quite rare. The last time we witnessed milk prices and underlying spot cash cheese values this high during January was back in 2008.

“My wife tells me I don’t compliment [my employees] like I should, or pat guys on the back. I sit and listen and talk and joke with the guys, but I’m usually pretty serious and feel like we’re always behind. I have been trying to do more of that ‘good job’ thing, but it’s just not my nature. I should, but I don’t.”

Nearly every day, a dairy producer asks us if we know of anyone looking for work. Milkers and herdsmen are in great demand here in the Midwest, and many feeder and manager positions are open as well. As your business grows or an employee moves on, you are tasked with hiring a quality employee. While you may dread this process, employees are the lifeblood of any business.

Most dairy farms, in order to maximize barn capacity, milk around the clock only to be interrupted by cleaning cycles and possible equipment malfunctions or inclement weather. Many dairy farms, especially those milking cows three times per day, operate 24-hours a day, 7 days per week. This around-the-clock schedule requires employees to work different shifts.

When dairy farmers are asked how they recruit new employees, the response is usually the same: “We don’t need to recruit.” Owners report that the current economic situation has meant no shortage of people looking for work. In fact, many owners have a stack of applications, most of which will never receive a call back. This is not because there aren’t qualified applicants, and not because the owners don’t care, but simply because there aren’t enough jobs nor time to deal with each.