British Columbia (Rural Roots Canada) – AgSafe BC has introduced a new Human Resource Toolkit to help agriculture employers in British Columbia navigate hiring and workplace management.

With more than 30 documents available for download, the toolkit guides users through each stage of employment. It includes templates for job descriptions, reference checks, exit interviews, and performance evaluations. Another feature is the termination checklists and tip sheets on topics such as probation and delivering feedback. The toolkit is made to be flexible so that it can be used by any farm organization.

“We heard from producers across the province that managing human resources can be one of the most challenging parts of running a farm,” says Wendy Bennett, AgSafe Executive Director.

The toolkit is divided into four sections: recruitment, onboarding, retention and departure. It aims to support agricultural businesses and their teams and to guide them toward success. AgSafe BC also provides additional HR support for employers, with the option to connect with an advisor.

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The toolkit is part of the B.C. Agriculture Human Resources Advisory Service and is funded through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction under the Canada–British Columbia Labour Market Agreement.

Key findings from an environmental scan conducted by the Canadian Agricultural Resource Control highlight an urgent need for more HR support in B.C.’s agricultural sector. A survey found that, according to employers, this support is a necessity for more effective HR practices in their workplaces. Findings also showed that many HR practices are informal, with 65 per cent of employers managing HR themselves. The study also found that many HR training and tools are informal or not user-friendly, underscoring the importance of resources such as the AgSafe BC toolkit.

For more information, you can visit the AgSafe BC website.