Employee Management At The Stable

One very important aspect of owning or managing a horse stable is overseeing the team of staff that help it run on a daily basis. Here are some tips for employee management at the stable.

 

All’s Fair in Love and Horses

Day-to-day operations at the stables can become quite busy and demanding. Whether you are managing a couple of stable hands or an entire team of barn staff, one thing rings true: we’re all only human.

 

Long hours are usually to be expected in the equestrian industry, but it is important to ensure that your employees do not feel overworked. While we all love spending time around horses, it is important to allow your staff to enjoy much-needed personal time away from work.

 

Develop a work schedule that everyone agrees with, and do everything you can to ensure that your staff does not have to work overtime. Of course, when working with horses, it’s always best to expect the unexpected, but your team will thank you ten times over for being considerate of their needs. Happy employees are loyal and long-term employees; investing in your team will always benefit you (and the stables) in the long run.

 

Make Expectations Clear

The worst time to discuss your expectations of your employee is when things have gone wrong or tasks have been left unfinished. In order to avoid potential miscommunication, it is best to make your expectations clear from the beginning.

 

Will you expect your employee to manage feeding, turning out, mucking, and general barn clean-up, or will you be handling some of those chores yourself? Consider what you need your new staff member to do on a daily basis and be sure to put it all in writing to discuss with them before they start their first day of work.

 

Putting everything in writing in your employee’s contract is an excellent way to lay everything out in plain terms. This allows for a clear and open discussion about what is to be expected of your new staff member once they begin working for you and eliminates the chance of disconnect or miscommunication in the future.

 

Create a Positive Team Environment

No one wants to work in an environment that stresses or upsets them; one of the most important aspects of managing a team is ensuring that your team members are happy and that the environment is positive and enjoyable.

 

Some good examples of ways to create a positive barn environment include:

 

• Discourage any and all gossip
• Encourage staff to share their concerns or complaints
• Offer constructive solutions for said concerns or complaints
• Conduct periodic evaluations – incorporate rewards for a job well done
• Develop work schedule – do your best to ensure employees are not overworked
• Balance the needs of your employees with the needs of the stables

 

Stablebuzz: Best Stable Management Software

Stablebuzz is an intelligent and comprehensive software that is designed to cut your administrative work in half and simplify all aspects of stable management.

 

For more informative equestrian blog posts, check out our blog.

 

For more information about Stablebuzz stable management software, click here.