Summerfruit NZ's chairman Tim Jones looks ahead to next year's labour challenge
With the last of the 2020-21 season’s summerfruit moving through the supply chain now, it may seem premature to be thinking about seasonal staff for next season, but the continued uncertainty we face with border closures makes me think starting now is not just prudent, but possibly the only sensible option if we are to attract enough people.
Should we plan for RSE to be back up and running as per pre-Covid-19? In my opinion, no.
Will there be as many backpackers in New Zealand next season as this year? Again, in my opinion, no.
Will we need to rely upon Kiwis to fill the roles? Absolutely. School students, university students, the unemployed, parents working school hours – and any other cohort you can think of, will be exactly who we have to attract, employ, retain and reward for helping us pick and pack the 2021-22 summerfruit crop.
How we treat seasonal staff has been the topic of many media articles, social media posts and even in comment from Government Ministers.
Those involved in RSE know fully the level of pastoral care that is needed to participate in the scheme. I think the time has come to recognise that all our seasonal workers would benefit from increased levels of pastoral care.
- Are the campsites you provide really suitable, are the ablutions up to standard and well maintained? Are your cooking and refrigeration facilities suitable so that your staff can be well fed and productive?
- What happens to campers when it rains? What facilities do you provide to keep people warm and dry and ready to get back to work when it fines up?
- Are you providing Wi-Fi for everyone and do you have enough capacity?
- What sort of transport are you providing to and from work, to the supermarket or laundrette?
I am in the process of reviewing these things and many others in my own business right now and would encourage you to do the same. All of these things help improve workforce productivity. Keeping in contact with this season’s staff could be worthwhile … use your networks to find them further jobs in the industry and encourage them to return next year – an experienced worker is a huge benefit to any business.
And please, share your workplace statistics, what went well and what didn’t with Tracey Mansfield, our seasonal labour coordinator. This will help us with the ongoing work that will be required to tell your story, get the message out there of our collective need for seasonal staff and hopefully attract enough keen people to make the next season successful.