They have gone from a small, 80-cow operation milking in a six-a-side herringbone, to a 50-unit rotary dairy milking more than 800 cows. Key to the success of the business, Speldon Partnership, has been the couple’s commitment to building a cohesive, well-functioning team of employees.
“Originally, it was just Chris’s mum and dad, Elaine and Gordon, and the two of us,” Sally says.
“We employed one person when the children were babies. Then through deregulation back in 2000, we were able to purchase smaller dairy herds to grow our herd numbers.”
As their business grew, Sally and Chris visited other dairy farms around the country to gain an insight into what others in the industry were doing.
“That got us inspired, and with huge support from Chris’s mum and dad, we built the new dairy and put in centre pivots as well.”
Chris and Sally built the rotary dairy 23 years ago, as well as starting their family (Charlotte, Nicholas and Melody). Life became busy and the need for extra help on the farm was required. Originally one staff member was employed, and this has grown to a team of 15 today.
“Currently we have a herd manager; our daughter Charlotte is second in charge, and we also employ a bookkeeper. We have several milkers and a workshop manager, two tractor drivers and four or five high school kids who come in after school,” Sally says.
“We also use contractors for quad bike maintenance, fencing and welding.”
Speldon Partnership’s reputation for looking after their people means they have only needed to start advertising for workers in the past 12 months.
“We look after our staff like we're family. We provide breakfast and lunch, and for those who live on site, the rent is cheaper than in town,” Sally says.
“Providing as many training and social opportunities as we can to get together outside of the farm is a big thing too. It maintains motivation and keeps relationships going.”
In addition, Sally and Chris have implemented a range of training programs to enhance their staff's skills. These include leadership and safety training delivered through Dairy Australia’s NSW team as well as practical courses such as quad bike safety and chemical certification from Tocal Ag College and TAFE NSW.
Their herd managers have benefited from basic and advanced nutrition courses, while younger staff are encouraged to pursue Certificates II and III in Agriculture through TAFE.
“I think all people need to do some training. We need to be developing and bettering our skills in everything we're doing,” Sally says.
Sally finds out what courses are available through Facebook and through having good relationships with the local and regional Dairy Australia team in New South Wales.
Attending courses such as Mandy Johnson’s People and Culture Accelerator Program and Nollaig Heffernan's Employer of Choice training – both run by Dairy Australia – has also significantly influenced the Maslen’s staff management practices.
These programs inspired them to create a detailed induction process and the integration of Dairy Australia’s online learning platform Enlight for continuous, self-paced learning – further refining their approach to staff motivation and retention.
To find out more about how Dairy Australia provides support with employing and managing people, and building skills for successful careers in dairy farming, contact your regional team today or visit People | Dairy Australia.
