Employee catchups and reviews
2 min read
Regular feedback and reviews in your dairy farming team are essential to maintain communication and enhance performance. The page outlines three types of meetings: weekly catch-ups that last about 15 minutes to discuss ongoing issues; one-on-one reviews every 1-3 months, less formal and lasting around 30 minutes, for appreciating and guiding the team; and performance reviews every 6-12 months, which are more formal and take at least an hour to review and plan. By committing to these meetings and using available templates, you can support your team's growth and address any challenges promptly.
Regular feedback and reviews keep the lines of communication open and help your team to grow and perform at their best.
Reviews are for providing useful feedback, discussing expectations and development, and recording performance. It’s important to make time for them and commit to them.
Feedback must be given on the job and at your regular one-on-one meetings – it should not come as a surprise during a six-monthly or annual performance review.
Weekly catch-ups should take about 15 minutes and if possible, should be held at the same time each week. They are especially important when things are busy.
Identify and discuss:
Less formal than a performance review, a one-on-one should only take about 30 minutes to complete. Holding them every 1-3 months means appreciation and positive feedback is provided regularly, potential issues can be dealt with quickly, and support or guidance can be given to keep employees on the right track.
Ask your employee:
Together, review progress towards their training plan, give feedback on their performance and attitude, and discuss upcoming farm targets and how they will help to achieve these.
Performance reviews are a more detailed, formal meeting to review past performance and plan actions for the future. Allow at least an hour of uninterrupted time and ensure you have both had time to reflect on the training plan and prepare questions before the meeting.
Discuss:
If the employee is new and inexperienced, it is a good idea to do their first review after six months, or at the end of a seasonal period, e.g. end of calving, end of mating. If you are dealing with someone who is not performing well, you might consider shortening their review period.
Remember: