Effective Staff Meetings

Why Planning for Staff Meetings is Important

As an owner or manager time is one of the most valuable commodities you have so you need to make the most of each minute. Planning and conducting an efficient meeting is one of the duties that you need to be prepared for in advance. Planning is a major priority for an effective and efficient meeting. This begins with planning and developing an agenda and sticking to it.

Importance of a Written Agenda

The agenda should be given to all 2-3 days ahead of the meeting so everyone knows what to expect and what they need to be prepared for during each section. Asking for input from everyone is important so each person sees this as a valuable use of time and energy.

Sample Agenda

The following is an example of a staff meeting agenda which may be helpful as you get started. As a manager is it important that you give others a chance to talk and express their pleasures and concerns concerning the operation. This is only a starting point and you are encouraged to add and delete as need to meet the needs of your employees and farm.

1. Introduction of new employees or staff
2. Review items from previous meeting that were to be covered at next meeting
3.  Maintenance needs:
   • Progress on current projects.
   • Minor repairs needed this week.
   • Future major and minor repairs needed.
   • Long-term projects-mention. (This is usually the most “burning issue” for employees)
4. Feed discussion:
   • Current consumption, inventory, ordering needs.
   • Ration changes.
   • Cost update.
   • Any feed problems
   • Any feed additives (Paylean) (Focus on current issues & items the staff has control over.)
5. Pig Sales, Product Sales and Pig Movement:
   • Sales
   • Current movement demands
   •  Future needs
6. Department Discussion
   • Reports of each department (boar herd, sow herd, nursery pigs, finishing, etc.)
7. Herd Health issues
   • Status of any past problems
   • Any new problems
   • Changes to herd vaccination protocol (breeding, nursery, finishing)
8. Labor Issues / Concerns:
   • General labor issues that affect the entire operation
   • Labor issues specific to department
9. Production Reports:
   • Records due or not completed
   • Review current records
   • Proposed records and reports
   • Current inventories
   • Orders
10. Miscellaneous items
11. Upcoming projects and events
12. Summarize
    1. Review decisions
    2. Issues, questions or comments
    3. Accomplishments by department
13. Items for next meeting

For more information, please search for the following resources on PIG:

PIG Library: Human Resources