Opportunities and Barriers to Improving Staff Rosters on Waikato Dairy Farms

There are a large and varying number of roster options in the dairy industry. Over time Canterbury and Southland have become predominant dairying regions which are often seen to run shorter rosters with more staff. Some Waikato dairy farms are still seen to run very long rosters on-farm providing staff with limited time off.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate how current roster systems on Waikato dairy farms were established and to seek information on areas for improvement. The research aimed to identify key drivers for change and understand how these drivers could be used to improve rosters for the benefit of employers, employees and overall business.

Promoting better rosters on Waikato dairy farms would have a number of benefits not only to the industry but also to local communities. Shorter rosters would improve on-farm health and safety, staff welling, allow better social balance, retain employees within the dairy industry andthe Waikato region and bring new talent into the industry