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No production facility, or any business, can be effective without quality employees. Arguably the most important part of any manager’s job is to understand your employees and to provide an environment that is conducive to efficiency, flexibility, and technological adaptation. In today's talk with Fred Kuhr, he discusses how best to address labor challenges, keys to finding quality employees, and how to help employees help us.

"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵." - 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗞𝘂𝗵𝗿

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻:

1. Labor challenges
2. Help to teach people with little background
3. Proficiency testing
4. Interviewing people to work with livestock
5. Helping with people skills
6. Coaching employees and managers
7. Information resources
8. Encouraging efficiency
9. Utilizing technologies
10. Big opportunities in sow production
11. Changes in the last 15 years
12. Key points

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Fred is currently the Production Supervisor for Dykhuis Farms in Holland, Michigan. Fred started his 40-plus-year pig production career with National Farms and before working for Dykhuis Farms he was the Director of Production for Carthage Veterinary Services. He has also worked in senior production director roles at Heartland Pork as well as The Maschhoffs.