Measuring Employee Turnover In Australian Pig Production

Limited availability of competent and motivated staff has been repeatedly cited as one of the major constraints on pig production in Australia. Whilst a considerable effort is put into training staff (Western Australia boasts the most advanced training facility in South-East Asia), practically nothing is known about the rates of employee turnover. Based on a postal survey and case studies of high and low turnover piggeries, this paper provides the first objective measures of staff turnover in the pig industry and explores possible explanatory factors. Measurement of turnover can provide managers with a benchmark to assess their own performance. This study also revealed shortcomings in the standard Separation Method used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics when it is applied to relatively small businesses. Alternative measures were calculated and are discussed.