Completed Project Report


Managing your Farm's Heartbeat: Effective Human Resource Strategies

  • Award Amount: $50,000
  • Regional Center: North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2014 Education Projects
  • Project Director: Madeline Schultz
  • Email: schultz@iastate.edu
  • Organization: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

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Project Overview

After completing one of four Heartbeat of the Farm: Human Resource Management courses in Iowa, 32 women improved their knowledge of effective human resource strategies to manage both family and non-family partners and employees - the "heartbeat" of farm businesses. The objectives of the 12-hour course were to teach women effective strategies on the key human resource topics of: 1) Labor supply, recruitment and laws; 2) Family and farm business relationships; 3) Employee supervision and retention; and 4) Health, stress and safety. Matched pre- and post-course survey responses demonstrated statistically significant (p>.001) gains in knowledge for each key topic taught. The greatest gains were for Labor Supply, Recruitment, and Labor Law knowledge. Respondents indicated some of the unexpected learning was: other women are also experiencing stress, new ideas about farm safety, standard operating procedures, terminating employees, and hiring youth. The course effectively increased participant knowledge and the number of human resource management practices taken on their farms.

Number of Participants: 32

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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