Business as Usual
By Bonnie Johnson, AgCareers.com
The critical nature of the agricultural industry has required that many agricultural employers continue business operations as normal. As part of AgCareers.com’s annual Agribusiness HR Review survey of ag employers across the United States, in 2021, AgCareers.com added questions to assess employers’ COVID-19 response and plans.
Of the U.S. ag employers surveyed in the AgCareers.com Agribusiness HR Review, 90% were operating as usual. AgCareers.com also asked about the likelihood of mandatory employee vaccinations. Nearly 90% reported they do not plan to require staff to be vaccinated, just over 1% plan to require vaccinations and 10% were unsure.
Over half of companies noted that they had enhanced benefits or wellness offerings considering the pandemic. The most common enhancement was work from home or flexible schedules. Wellness benefits, including mental health and fitness, were also notable enhancements.
COVID-19 changed the way we work and interact with one another, both personally and professionally. Work-from-home became necessary for some employers, or employee types, to continue business operations. As employers look forward to a post-COVID-19 state, almost half indicated they will allow some or all employees to work from home. Sixty percent of employers currently have some employees working from home. Due to the critical nature of on-site farming and ag production operations, 36% of employers said none of their employees are eligible to work-from-home.
Source: AgCareers.com
This article features results from the special COVID section of the HR Review; the full report includes annual information on salary reviews, employee attrition, workforce trends, professional development, bonuses, recruitment, and employer branding. Download a free copy of the full AgCareers.com 2021-2022 U.S. Agribusiness HR Review report at agcareers.com/reports.cfm.
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