Preface

The original “Recruiting, Training and Developing Workers for Farmer

Cooperatives” was published in 1971 by Donald H. Cooper, then a Senior Research Specialist with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and

Irwin W. Rust, of Farmer Cooperative Service (FCS), now Agricultural Cooperative

Service (ACS). The same human relationship elements displayed then are still

effective; however, information sources and regulations that affect the development

of employees for local cooperatives have changed. Training programs have

become more automated and sophisticated; and electronic devices are rapidly

replacing older, less effective mechanical ones. These adjustments will help farmer

cooperatives develop current programs for their most important asset-people.

Cooperative Information Report 36

Supersedes FCS Information Report 77

Issued July 1987, Reprinted January 1990
CONTENTS

JOBS AND PEOPLE ...............................................

Improving Understanding. .........................................

Competing for Employees .........................................

JOB REQUIREMENTS .............................................

Kinds of Jobs ...................................................

Job Analysis.. ..................................................

Job Description .................................................

Need for Flexibility ...............................................

Wages and Fringe Benefits. .......................................

Organized Labor and Cooperatives .................................

Civil Rights Legislation ...........................................

Other Legislation ................................................

SUCCESSFUL RECRUITING ........................................

Principles of Recruiting ...........................................

Locating Applicants ..............................................

Hiring Those With Special Difficulties. ...............................

Application Form ................................................

Checking Past Employment .......................................

Interviewing ....................................................

Using Tests ....................................................

Selecting and Hiring .............................................

TRAINING AND DEVELOPING. ......................................

Orientation .....................................................

On-the-Job Training ..............................................

Group Training ..................................................

Programmed Instruction. ..........................................

Outside Training. ................................................

Learning About Co-ops ...........................................

Maintaining High Morale ..........................................

Evaluating Performance. ..........................................

Developing Executives ............................................

Retaining Good Employees. .......................................

EVALUATING AND REVIEWING .....................................

APPENDIX A-Personnel Forms

l-Job Analysis.. ...............................................

2-Job Description ...............................................

3-Application for Employment. ....................................

4-Telephone Reference Check ....................................

5-Mail Reference Check .........................................

6-Score Sheet for Employment Interview Questionnaire. ...............

7-Rating Scale for Field Applicants ................................

8-Performance Appraisal .........................................

g--Manager Performance Evaluation ................................

1 O-Salary Review ...............................................

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44
RECRUITING AND TRAINING

CO-OP EMPLOYEES

Galen W. Rapp

Cooperative Education Specialist

Personnel administration is an essential responsibility of

management in a cooperative just as it is in any other

business. It involves the entire management team-board

of directors, general manager, and supervisors. Dealing

constructively with personnel requirements reflects good

management and contributes to the success of the whole

enterprise.

Attaining the objectives of a cooperative business depends

in large part on the capabilities, attitudes, and actions of

its employees.

How cooperative employees feel about their jobs affects

their work performance and their attitudes toward the

organization. Their attitudes and actions can influence the

opinion and patronage of members and the public.

The well-managed cooperative establishes effective

policies and programs for recruiting, training,

supervising, and evaluating employees.

While this is not an easy task for small cooperatives, new

and inexperienced ones, or those isolated in rural

locations, help is available. A considerable body of

information exists on personnel administration for

businesses. This may be obtained from such sources as

colleges and universities, local libraries, trade

associations, professional societies, State employment

services, and the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Another source is larger cooperatives with well-developed

personnel procedures and experienced staffs. Very little of

this personnel know-how, some of it developed through

years of trial and error, has been put into a form readily

available to other cooperatives. Almost no literature exists

for the personnel problems of cooperatives as such.

Many cooperatives have been forced by circumstances to

hire and develop employees through informal methods,

depending on whatever experience and good judgment the

manager or other staff members happen to have brought

to the job. This has been particularly true of cooperatives

whose plants and offices are away from the major labor

pools.

For these reasons, Agricultural Cooperative Service

(ACS) prepared this publication. It brings together

principles, ideas, and experiences in personnel

administration suitable for cooperative businesses of any

kind or size. Although this publication may find its

greatest usefulness in the hands of managers and

professional personnel people on cooperative staffs, it is

also useful for directors and others involved in hiring and

developing cooperative employees.

JOBS AND PEOPLE

A cooperative is a business-a special kind of business.

The successful cooperative, like any successful firm,

counts on its employees for a large measure of its

success.

It is estimated that the 5,625 agricultural marketing, farm

supply, and related service cooperatives employ more than

168,000 workers. In Fortune Magazine’s 1987 list of the

500 largest industrial corporations, 15 regional and

interregional cooperatives were listed. These cooperatives

had work forces of more than 61,000. Some small local

cooperatives, however, may have only two or three

employees.

As for locale of co-op jobs, they ranged from the ultramodern headquarters building of Sunkist Growers, Inc.,

in Van Nuys, CA, to isolated rural communities that over

the years have become so small that only the cooperative

and a cafe remain open.

Salaries of cooperative employees vary widely. Some

chief executive offices of the top 100 cooperatives in the

U.S. receive in excess of several hundred thousand

dollars annually. At the other end of the scale are parttime untrained employees earning the minimum hourly

wage. Some staff members have graduate degrees and

regularly attend seminars to upgrade their skills while

others are relatively unskilled and have received little on-
the-job training. Some cooperatives maintain strong

personnel departments and provide a wide range of

programs for recruiting and training while others have no

department at all.

In most cooperatives, as with other businesses, the largest

operating expense is for personnel. In addition to salaries

and wages, these costs must include fringe benefits,

hiring, and training.

Improving Understanding

Young people coming out of high schools or universities

to seek their first job usually have little or no information

about cooperatives. Cooperatives need to improve member

and public knowledge about themselves by doing the

following:

1. Maintain a Strong Member Relations Program. See

that members are well-informed. Member support can be

contagious for employees and build loyalty to help

management and overall operations.

If adult members understand their cooperative, their

children will pick up understanding and interest in

cooperatives. Such young people become one source of

new employees.

2. Build Sound Public Relations Programs. Provide

information about the special features of the cooperative

way of doing business. This requires access to local

newspapers, radio, and TV stations. It also requires

working relations with community leaders and

organizations of all kinds, and developing a youth

program for schools and libraries. This sort of ongoing

program helps give employees a feeling of security and

pride in their jobs. It helps bring the best job applicants

to the cooperative.

3. Stress Employee Orientation. Teach employees what

cooperatives are and how they compare with other

methods of doing business. Cooperative objectives and

information about the cooperative’s operations and place

in the community are proper topics for staff meetings and

employee news media.

It is especially important that employees know the basic

facts about the cooperative because they are frequently

called on to answer questions about it and about

cooperatives in general. Employees can help improve the

cooperative image if they have access to the right

answers.

Competing for Employees

Cooperatives in rural areas may have a problem finding

qualified workers. Some cooperatives may be forced to

compete for qualified employees with an urban firm that

has a higher wage/salary scale. Cooperatives can

overcome this problem partly by taking a new look at

their personnel policies and practices:

1. Re-examine Labor Needs. Labor needs should be reexamined with an eye to raising productivity with fewer

employees. For example, can some jobs be combined or

some functions abolished? Can physical changes in the

plant or office, such as automation, reduce workload? Are

all employees producing at a reasonable level? Are some

skilled or experienced employees performing tasks that

recruits with less skill or experience could do? Would

specialized training courses be worth their cost to enable

employees to work more efficiently?

2. Update Wage and Salary Scales. If the cooperative is

not fully competitive in employee pay scales, these should

be upgraded. What additional fringe benefits can be

offered with the least cost? Does the cooperative have a

retirement, insurance, or bonus plan to help attract and

hold key employees? Review of both of these should

consider information gathered from a current labor market

survey.

3. Examine Turnover Rate. Cooperatives should compare

their rate of employee turnover with the experience of

other businesses in the area and with national averages in

similar types of firms. If the cooperative’s turnover is

high, exit interviews may help management find out why.

4. Improve Recruiting Practices. Try new sources or

additional techniques for reaching potential applicants.

Some of those listed in the section on successful

recruiting should help.

5. Guard Against Outgrown Personnel Practices. In the

early days, some businesses, including cooperatives,

carried on personnel practices that now seem completely

antiquated. These practices included low wages, overtime

work without adequate compensation, nepotism,

inadequate recruiting techniques, poor or no retirement

benefits, dependence on employee devotion to the

cooperative idea rather than emphasis on accepted

employment practices, and reluctance to accept collective

bargaining.

2
JOB REQUIREMENTS

Personnel management starts with analyzing and defining

the job to be filled, determining the qualifications for the

job, creating a written job description and finding the

person who fits the qualifications. Much more comes

later, such as training and developing the employee;

evaluating performance; and administering wages and job

benefits, health and safety, records, and separations.

Kinds of Jobs

Most of the jobs in larger cooperatives will resemble

those in other large enterprises in the same line of business. The skill requirements for operating a fork loader, a

billing machine, or a gasoline pump are the same for the

cooperative as they are for any other warehouse, office,

or service station.

It is vital, however, that the structure and characteristics

of a member-owned cooperative be understood by its

employees. Knowledge of cooperative principles and way

of doing business is a desirable attribute for all

employees, but especially those who come into contact

with members and the public.

In small town cooperatives, people readily identify

employees with the cooperative. Here, knowledge and

acceptance of cooperative principles and practices may

share importance with job skills.

Recruiting is made easier and training more effective by

standardizing job descriptions. In smaller cooperatives,

the division of work functions are less clear because of

the interchange of personnel between work areas. However, a current job description that reflects expected tasks is

important for effective performance appraisal.

Job Analysis

Job analysis is the process of determining the tools,

equipment, and materials used; the special training, skills,

aptitudes, judgments, and decisions required; the speeds

and hazards involved; the conditions under which the

work is performed; and the supervision required.

Job analysis breaks down the actions involved in the

performance of a task. Identification items include the

name or title of the job, the name of the department or

other designation that locates the job, the relation of the

job to others and chain of supervision. It describes

personal characteristics, training and the kind of person

required to perform the job successfully. The end product

of job analysis is the beginning of a job description. A

form useful as a guide is included in Appendix A,

Form 1.)

Job Description

Preparing a job description based on the job analysis is

the first step in filling a vacancy. The description spells

out the following:

l The proper name of the position-the name should reflect the area of major responsibility;

l The specific department and location where the work is

to be performed;

l Chain of supervision-who the position reports to and

supervisory responsibility, if any;

l The overall goals and objectives of the cooperative or

the specific department;

l The tasks with standards of expected performancelimited to 12 or less of the major functions; and

l A statement or statements of the interrelationship and

external relationships expected by the employee.

Job descriptions are sometimes referred to as the

minimum hiring requirements. They can be referred to

when advertising for applicants, reviewing applications,

and interviewing. (A form useful as a guideline is

included in Appendix A, Form 2.)

Need for Flexibility

Personnel management is an inexact science and no single

pattern can be expected to fit all situations without

modification. Personnel procedures must be flexible.

Cooperatives, like other businesses, tend to grow around

the abilities and personalities of the people in them. Job

requirements, recruiting, training programs, and effective

use of employees requires some accommodation to the

qualifications of persons on the staff.

Good personnel management also calls for flexibility to

cope with situations involving groups of employeesunion grievances, for instance, changes in the labor

market, or changes in the volume of business handled by

the cooperative.

3
Technological developments, for instance, can require a

shift in work patterns, new job analysis and a radically

different approach to hiring.

Managers and personnel directors-and the elected board

members, also-must be alert to changes in technology or

marketing. Rigidity against change and inadequate

employee training can make the existing labor force

obsolete. It can leave a cooperative behind the times and

unable to keep up with its members’ needs.

Wages and Fringe Benefits

Cooperatives must pay both competitive salaries and offer

competitive employee benefits to be able to recruit and

hold qualified employees. A labor market survey of area

businesses should be conducted no less than every 3 years

in a stable economy. Greater frequency is necessary in

times of rapid economy swings.

An effective employee benefits plan will give the

employee and the employee’s family some financial

protection against loss of future earnings due to premature

death or disability, heavy medical expenses from illness

or accident, and financial insecurity after retirement.

Coverage provided under employee benefits plans is

customarily designed to supplement such government

programs as workmen’s compensation, social security,

and medicare.

It is the responsibility of the manager, with the assistance

of any staff people who work on personnel matters, to

help the board of directors review regularly the

cooperative’s schedule of salaries, wages, and fringe

benefits. And action by the board to authorize necessary

changes should have the highest priority.

Organized Labor and Cooperatives

Boards, managers, and personnel people must be familiar

with such labor-related factors as union practices,

collective bargaining, current labor legislation, and court

decisions.

Information is available from the National Labor Relations

Board, 1717 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

20570, as well as from 52 regional and resident offices.

Civil Rights Legislation

Cooperative boards, managers, and personnel staff also

need to be familiar with provisions of Civil Rights

Legislation. Information can be obtained from the Equal

Employment Opportunity Commission, 2401 E Street,

NW, Washington, DC 20507, or the nearest of 12 field

offices of the Commission.

Other Legislation

A number of Federal and State laws relate to pay scales,

hours of employment, working conditions, and other

matters. The wise cooperative employer will be

acquainted with all legislation that can in any way affect

busines operations.

SUCCESSFUL RECRUITING

Effective personnel recruiting is finding the best person

for the job. A simple objective, surely, but one involving

all sorts of complications. Complicating factors over

which cooperatives have little control include distance

from a labor market, a tight labor market, legal restraints

on hours and types of work for women and children, and

cultural patterns, usually of a local nature.

Principles of Recruiting

However, a few basic principles, if followed, will

enhance recruiting effectiveness:

l The first principle in recruiting employees is to be

thoroughly aware of any complicating factors of which the

cooperative has no control and find exceptions to what

seem to be prevailing situations or to devise offsetting

compensations for them. The cooperative may have more

options than the manager or the board realize at first

glance.

The geographical handicap, for instance, might be

overcome by developing and upgrading existing

employees for hard-to-fill positions and making

replacements in the lower grades from local hiring.

In some instances, it may be worthwhile to arrange

transportation for recruits living some distance from the

cooperative or provide local housing or other inducements

for a move into the local area.
Recruiting in a distant labor market might be undertaken

by contacting a cooperative manager or other qualified

agents in that location.

If jobs are going begging for lack of qualified employees,

the manager may have to intensify the cooperative’s onthe-job training program and do more hiring at the

entrance level.

Other possibilities are realigning work and responsibilities

to increase efficiency, hire more part-time employees

among retired persons and homemakers with spare time,

and recruit handicapped persons and those heretofore considered unemployable.

l The second principle in recruiting employees is to

improve the internal factors over which the cooperative

has control. These include the cooperative’s image and

reputation, offering competitive wages and working

conditions, hiring a personnel officer or staff, institute an

employee training and development program, and

maintain high visibility through contacts with other

organizations and educational institutions.

l The third principle in recruiting is to be certain that

hiring practices are firmly based on policies the board and

manager understand and support.

In many cooperatives, the board determines personnel

policy in consultation with the manager. This policy is

published in a personnel manual so any member or

employee can refer to it. A published policy will help

avoid misunderstanding. The manual can be updated from

time to time to fit changing needs.

Federal, State, and local legal requirements for safe

working conditions must be observed. Familiarity with

these laws and practices by managers, personnel directors,

and supervisors must be encouraged.

l The fourth principle of recruiting is advance planning.

An alert manager does not wait until a vacancy occurs

before recruiting for the position. Retirement, and even

resignations, are usually known in advance. This provides

opportunity to search for the best possible replacement.

The alert manager will also consider well in advance

possible replacements for the unplanned resignation or

untimely death of a key member of the staff so that most

or all of the recruitment efforts are confined to entry level

positions.

In larger enterprises, an analysis of personnel records

yields a pattern of job separations, permitting manpower

requirements to be forecast. This kind of advance

planning ties in to a continuing program of recruiting.

Better employees can be obtained when replacements are

anticipated 6 months or more in advance. The cooperative

is then under no pressure to hire the first applicant and

can find the best person for the opening.

Locating Applicants

Hanging out a “Help Wanted” sign is the most obvious

way to recruit new employees. It also is least satisfactory.

Other methods and sources include:

l Hiring from within, or from suggestions by employees;

l advertising in local newspapers;

l public or private employment offices;

l schools or colleges;

l other cooperatives or a regional with which the

association is affiliated;

l professional societies, trade associations, civic, farm,

labor, and other organizations; and

l special sources of employees such as minors, the

elderly, handicapped persons, women, those of minority

groups, and “unemployables.”

Hiring from Within Filling vacancies from within the

cooperative by promoting qualified employees and then

turning to outside recruiting for the lower grade or

entrance level jobs has many advantages. It is the least

expensive method and it is fast. It represents a lesser risk

than bringing in an outside recruit at a higher pay level.

It encourages present employees, improves staff morale,

and reduces turnover.

The method can be used successfully also for lateral

transfers. It does, however, have some disadvantages.

Too strict adherence to promotion from within can produce an ingrown staff lacking in youth and fresh ideas.

Carried to extremes, firms would deprive themselves of

the cross-fertilization of ideas from outside.

For a successful promote-from-within policy, management

must maintain a current file of employee skills and must

advertise upcoming vacancies within the cooperative. This
gives each employee the opportunity to apply for the

vacancy on the basis of qualifications.

Suggestions from Employees For many years, small

enterprises recruited for vacancies by using names

suggested by employees. Savings and other advantages of

encouraging employees to suggest names for recruiting

are obvious. However, a danger is that this procedure

produces inbreeding and the formation of cliques in the

staff.

Advertising in Newspapers Even if hiring from within

is successfully practiced, some jobs cannot be filled by

such methods. This is especially true for lower-paying,

entry-level jobs and, at the other end, specialized

positions requiring a higher level education and

professional training.

Classified help wanted ads are generally placed in local

newspapers for lower paying jobs while display

advertisements are used for more specialized positions. A

small cooperative with an occasional vacancy places a

job-opening advertisement only when a vacancy occurs. A

larger cooperative with a continuing recruiting program

may advertise on a regular schedule.

Advertising can be “open,” giving the name and address

of the cooperative, or “blind” with a box number. The

open ad yields more applicants and at the same time

advertises the cooperative’s existence in the community.

All applications responding to “open” ads should be

acknowledged. Any ad should be worded to sell the

cooperative to job applicants who can pick and choose

from a number of job offers.

Some cooperatives regularly advertise job openings in

employee newsletters. This kind of recruiting strengthens

the cooperative image and promotes employee stability.

Public Employment Offices For many jobs,

particularly at semi-skilled levels, employers turn to State

employment services. These have offices in all the larger

cities and branches in many smaller communities. They

can be an especially productive source of candidates for

jobs, because all workers drawing unemployment

compensation must register as seeking employment.

Prospective employers can keep unsuitable applicants to a

minimum by being specific in listing job requirements.

Registering with the local employment office usually will

give the cooperative access to applicants in nearby

communities. This is particularly useful if the job opening

proves hard to fill.

Private Employment Agencies Private employment

agencies are operated for profit and charge a fee-often

amounting to the first month’s pay. Sometimes the

employer pays the fee, more often the employee.

A reliable firm locates applicants and does the initial

screening if the cooperative supplies sufficient details

about the vacancy it wants to fill. It is wise to check with

a Better Business Bureau before contacting one of these

agencies.

Also available are mutual, non-profit hiring agencies

subsidized by a group of businesses. A cooperative with

extensive needs for new employees over a continuing

period should consider this possibility.

Local School Sources Many jobs with businesses

could be filled as well or better by recruits from high

schools, trade schools, or private business schools.

Managers and personnel directors of cooperatives will

find it helpful to get acquainted with local school officials

and let them know of the cooperative’s personnel needs.

This is also an excellent way to get part-time help and

give young people an early familiarity with a cooperative.

Another excellent source of part-time and emergency help

is the distributive education and vocational agriculture

programs under way in many high schools and vocational

schools. Often young people in these programs need parttime employment or school release-time employment.

Those on a 2-year training program for skilled jobs, with

a part of this program consisting of 2 or 3 months of

summertime work, may be available. These programs are

excellent sources of part-time help and give management

a good opportunity to observe the employee’s ability.

When their formal training is completed, they are already

well oriented and ready to go to work at full production.

Colleges and Universities Personnel recruiting from

the Nation’s colleges and universities has become a

competitive, highly sophisticated, and somewhat expensive

activity.

Many larger corporations seeking trained young people

for engineering, scientific, and administrative careers

maintain special college-recruiting departments to enlist

the most promising graduates. Often this type of

6
recruiting is not to fill a specific job but to ensure

companies of a continuing inflow of future technicians,

managers, and executives.

On-campus interviews that offer high starting salaries, a

wide variety of fringe benefits, and the promise of

management development programs, put this type of

recruiting beyond the reach of many cooperatives.

Some cooperatives go to smaller, less prominent

colleges-perhaps one in the same part of the State where

the cooperative is located.

Some cooperatives work through a friendly faculty

member aware of the needs of a cooperative and

employment opportunities it has to offer.

Some smaller colleges and universities have summer work

programs in agribusiness. These programs usually begin

in the junior year and end in the senior year. Similar

programs are offered by junior colleges and area

vocational technical schools. Cooperatives should look

into these programs as a potential source of help and

future employees.

Other Cooperatives Employees of other cooperatives

are another source of experienced help. This is not to

suggest personnel raiding, but to point out that changes in

services offered by a particular cooperative or a shift in

its internal organization may result in some employees

becoming surplus or preferring a new start in some other

enterprise.

It is also natural to expect that employees who

demonstrate outstanding ability should be interested in

joining an enterprise where their skills have the greatest

room to develop. There are instances, also, of employees

who do not work out well in one job situation but respond favorably to a different environment.

Regional Cooperatives Some regional cooperatives

have recruiting and screening programs to assist their

locals. Regionals have better access to the larger labor

markets and sources of employees. They are acquainted

with employees in their local cooperatives who are

moving to a higher paid position in another.

Other Businesses A manager or personnel director who

is an active member of civic, farm, or professional

organizations has opportunities to learn of employment

changes in various businesses in the community.

Newspapers are also a good source for this information.

These sometimes offer recruiting opportunities for the

cooperative.

Also, if a cooperative has a favorable community image,

it may receive a good many inquiries from employees of

competing firms who are interested in making a change.

Professional Societies and Trade Associations

Many professionals belong to national associations, which

normally have local chapters in the larger cities. Some

publish for their members periodicals containing a section

of position wanted and help wanted ads.

Some professional societies also offer placement services

for members. The maintenance of professional standards

by these organizations ensures the qualifications of

referrals obtained from them. In a few larger cities, the

staffs of professional societies help locate candidates for

vacancies. Their offices are listed in the telephone

directory.

Similarly, there are trade associations for livestock

producers, supermarkets, rural electric systems, and a

wide variety of other agricultural, commercial, and

industrial interests, including cooperatives. They generally

provide some personnel assistance.

Labor Unions Collective bargaining agreements in some

lines of work and in some areas constitute an important

source of workers. The ability of unions and their

members to locate and recruit employees has been well

demonstrated. This will be especially helpful in small

towns and rural areas. Managers and personnel directors

of cooperatives need to be informed about aspects of labor law and the practical advantages as well as the problems involved in collective bargaining and

management-union relations.

Hiring Those With Special Difficulties

Identifiable categories of individuals within the population

face special difficulties in obtaining employment.

Minors-Child labor and minimum wage laws, designed

to protect the very young against exploitation, tend to

discourage the hiring of minors under any circumstances.

Employers who become familiar with protective labor

laws and any local measures find many opportunities for

placing young people. This is especially important for

cooperatives with a special stake in attracting the interest

of a new generation to the advantages of cooperative

enterprise.

7
The Elderly-Older people are often more reliable than

younger workers and have many years of valuable

experience. When labor is in short supply and inflation

works special hardship on people depending on retirement

income, it makes sense to hire senior citizens. Part-time

employment and positions calling for mature judgment

rather than physical exertion are important considerations

here.

Handicapped Persons-Studies of productivity consistently

report that absenteeism, accident rates, and job turnover

are lower for handicapped workers.

Placed in suitable jobs, persons who are crippled, blind,

deaf, mentally retarded, or otherwise handicapped

demonstrate equal or above average productivity.

Non-veteran handicapped persons can be recruited best

through the State-Federal Vocational Rehabilitation

Program offices in various State or district offices in

larger cities or through the State Industrial Commission in

the State capital.

Women-It should not be necessary to consider women as

a special source for labor recruiting. Nevertheless, many

cooperatives are in rural communities where hiring

practices have not progressed to the point where they take

into the consideration the availability and competencey of

women to do an excellent job, including supervisory and

staff positions. Many women who held jobs before

marriage and have now raised their children are again

seeking outside employment.

Minorities-Certain minority segments of the population

in terms of religion, race, or national origin still face

employment handicaps in some localities, despite laws

designed to establish equal opportunity. Cooperatives have

a special advantage here because they often emphasize in

their basic principles and bylaws a person’s worth without

regard to these prejudices. Cooperatives willing to make

the effort may be able to fill some of their job vacancies

from a special recruiting effort among minority groups.

Hard Core Unemployed-Until recently, many persons

who dropped out of school or had no training whatever

were regarded as unemployable. Government and private

efforts have been made to train these “unemployables”

for jobs. Some city-based cooperatives and a few in rural

areas are participating in these programs.

Application Form

A carefully designed application form helps identify

qualified applicants and weed out unqualified applicants.

It saves time and expense in interviewing or investigating

such applicants.

The completed application form should furnish enough

information to reveal an applicant’s ability to do a

particular job with a minimum of training as well as to

adapt to the working situation and become part of the

cooperative’s team. Information unrelated to preliminary

selection can be obtained at the time of interview or later.

The application form should include name, address,

telephone number, social security number, education,

details of previous employment or experience, and

references.

The form should be brief, easy to read and understand,

and provide ample space for writing in the data requested.

The applicant should completely fill out the form,

enabling adequate followup to check the applicant’s record. Neatness, handwriting clarity, and conciseness may

indicate fitness for certain types of work, especially office

jobs. (See Appendix A, Form 3, for a sample form.)

Distortions, falsification, and errors can be reduced if the

applicant knows the information will be checked.

Checking Past Employment

The applicant’s work record and personal reference

indicated on the application form should be checked by

telephone or letter of inquiry. In hiring supervisory

personnel, it may be worthwhile to check one or more

references in person to gain opinions not likely to be

expressed by telephone or mail. Checking the applicant’s

school record can sometimes be useful.

Former employers should be asked specifically about the

applicant’s length of employment, work performance,

attitude, safety record, absenteeism, ability to work

harmoniously with others, reasons for separation, and any

other information that would help determine

qualifications. A former employer usually does not wish

to reduce an ex-employee’s chances for another job and

may avoid mentioning unfavorable aspects of the work

record.

8
References usually are personal friends of the applicant.

An inquiry merely asking for an opinion as to the

applicant’s job performance ability or character invariably

brings a positive response. However, if specific questions

are asked, the reference, even though a personal friend,

usually hesitates to give a misleading answer. References

from community residents who are known to be

responsible give a measure of assurance in hiring.

Form 4 in Appendix A lists useful questions for a

telephone check. Form 5 is used to check references by

mail. These can be used as guidelines for your own

forms.

Interviewing

Interviewing is one of the more important phases of the

selection process. The personal interview generates

information not available from other sources used and will

have greatest value if they are standardized, conducted by

a trained interviewer, objective, and planned in advance.

Planning the Interview The interview should cover

points of information determined well in advance. This

enables the interviewer to consider the applicant’s

answers, rather than being diverted by formulating

questions. In addition, the well-planned interview will

include advance determination of specific leads to be

explored with each applicant. Leads may be based on the

information contained in the application form, scores from

any tests given prior to the interview, and responses to

reference inquiries.

The following paragraphs list some characteristics that

may be developed in the personal interview, depending on

the nature of the position being filled.

It is helpful to group the items of information under three

headings: (1) technical qualifications; (2) managerial

qualifications, and (3) personal characteristics.

1. Technical qualifications

l Is the experience shown on the candidate’s application

important to the job you are going to fill?

l Is the candidate’s knowledge adequate in the areas

needed to do the job?

l Is the candidate primarily a technical expert or a

manager?

l To what extent is the candidate’s background and work

experience important to the job?

l What are the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate

in relation to job criteria?

2. Managerial qualijcations.

l Does the candidate have basic management skills. Can

the candidate supervise a group, relate to several activities

at one time, delegate authority, and organize activities and

people?

l How large of area or range of activities could be

sup&vised?

l How effective is the candidate under deadline

pressures?

l How much ability in budgeting and personnel planning

is displayed?

l Is the individual a motivator of people and activities?

3. Personal characteristics

l Would the candidate be effective in contacts with

members, and technical, educational, media, and

professional groups?

l Would the individual be effective in selling ideas or

products, apply the right style in the proper situation, and

advance ideas without being offensive?

l How well does the candidate hold up under pressure in

a controversial setting?

Conducting the Interview

When conducting an interview:

1. The interview room should be private, well-lighted and

convenient; the applicant should have a comfortable chair

next to the interviewer’s desk, which should be free of

clutter.

2. Set a definite time for the interview. Both the

interviewer’s time and the applicant’s times are valuable.

Plan the interview so as not to waste it. Use adequate

time to gain a good impression of the applicant’s

ability-perhaps 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the

9
importance of the job to be filled-but do not prolong the

interview needlessly.

3. A courteous and friendly attitude by the interviewer

puts the applicant at ease and gives the applicant a good

first impression of the cooperative. Use vocabulary to fit

the job under discussion and don’t talk down to the

applicant.

4. The interviewer should be looking for the following

areas to be covered: early years, education, work

experience, family, and recent time.

What do you know about the cooperative? The applicant

should know something about the products handled, size

of business, services offered, people, skills, image, goals,

and history.

Could the applicant make a definite contribution to

specific cooperative goals‘? Look for past experience that

represents success in solving problems for a past

employer or related experience in training programs.

Before closing the interview, explain the cooperative’s

objectives, employee policies, and advantages of working

for the organization but don’t oversell the job. In most

cases, an experienced applicant will ask these questions

either directly or indirectly during the course of the

interview.

Interviewer’s Appraisal Before the next applicant

comes in, make notes on the applicant just interviewed.

Base opinions of the applicant’s qualifications,

characteristics, and personality traits on what the

interview reveals. How will the applicant affect employee

morale and fit into the cooperative? Notes ought to be

sufficiently comprehensive to give a full picture of the

applicant.

It is good policy in filling the most important positions to

have at least one other person interview applicants. This

could well be the immediate supervisor for the employee

who will fill the vacancy. Information obtained during the

interview should be kept confidential.

It is not wise to make a commitment on hiring the first

applicant; others to be interviewed may be better. All

interviewers should be informed of the decision after all

interviews have been completed.

Sample interview records are included in appendix A,

Forms 6 and 7. They can serve as guidelines in

conducting the interview, in recording the results, answers

and evaluation of the answers, interviewer impressions,

judgment, and evaluation.

Pre-Screening Screening of applicants before the

interview will save time. High school counselors in small

communities are usually willing, for a small fee, to

provide appropriate vocational or aptitude tests to assist in

proper job placement. Local employment agencies will

also provide this service. A number of regional

cooperatives offer this service to locals.

Using Tests

Tests are more effective in predicting failures than in

predicting success. They should rarely be used and only

as an additional tool for selection. A test used should be

specifically designed to reflect the characteristic to be

explored and recognized as valid only for that purpose. It

should be of reasonable difficulty in relation to the

candidates who will be tested to avoid bunching at either

end of the scale.

Finally, it should count less than 40 percent in making a

selection, leaving the rest to past experience and

education of the applicant and the judgment of the

interviewer.

Tests are given for learning ability, manual dexterity

aptitude, clerical skills, or knowledge of a particular

trade.

Selecting and Hiring

After all interviews have been completed, the information

obtained on each applicant must be evaluated. A

department head or key personnel should also review the

information and offer opinions as to the best qualified

applicant. The applicant selected should be informed

promptly. Some cooperatives require the successful

applicant to take a pre-employment physical exam. In

some instances, hiring is contingent upon the applicant

passing the physical.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPING

Training and developing employees involves both formal

and informal processes.

Ideally, a formal training program involves orientation,

on-the-job training, group training, and often outside

training. Informal training includes information on co-ops,

10
day-to-day supervision, and a periodic performance

evaluation.

Orientation

The new employee must be introduced to the job,

working environment, and fellow employees. This

orientation process affects how well the new employee

adjusts to the job and ultimately how successful the tenure

with the cooperative will be. Orientation should provide

information the employee must have to perform the job

well, answer questions to save time and trouble for the

supervisor and fellow employees later on, and prevent or

reduce the chance of grievances or resignations.

From the employee’s standpoint, orientation should create

a favorable but realistic impression of the cooperative and

of the job, establish a sense of belonging, and offer a

sense of assurance that the employee can cope with the

job and move ahead.

The person responsible for the orientation should do it in

a friendly and welcoming manner. The new employee

should be introduced to other employees and, where

circumstances warrant, to cooperative directors. The

program and objectives of the cooperative, its reason for

being in business, its special nature as an economic

institution, and the importance of each employee in

developing and maintaining good member and public

relations should all be reviewed.

The organizational structure-how and where the new

employee fits into the pattern-should be discussed, along

with lines of supervision and communication.

The employee will also learn the policies of the

organization, with particular reference to hours of work,

regular and overtime pay, vacation and sick leave, and

employee welfare benefits. Also, during the orientation

period the new employee should be given a set of selected

written policies of the cooperative.

On-the-job Training

In small businesses, initial training for new employees

may vary from a few hours to several days, depending on

the experience of the employee and the complexity of the

work.

A supervisor or a senior employee who has developed

teaching techniques usually conducts the on-the-job

training in larger cooperatives.

Some advantages of on-the-job training over formal

training are that it is more economical, permits production

to continue during the learning period, and it is more

realistic.

To prepare induction training, supervisors have found it

helpful to first break the job down into its various steps.

They do this in writing after actually performing each

task. The trainer should explain how a task is

accomplished and why the task must be performed in a

certain way. If this is not done the employee may be

tempted to take short cuts or change procedure in a

detrimental way.

A supervisor should have the ability to do the job before

undertaking the training of new employees. He or she

must know the methods and procedures and how they are

used.

Group Training

Group training sessions are especially applicable for job

relations training when the purpose is to promote better

relationships among employees, between the employee

and supervisor, between the employee and the

cooperative, and particularly between the employee and

the cooperative’s patrons.

Group training also can be used to teach new methods to

several employees at a time, or give employees additional

knowledge that helps prepare them for promotions and

transfers to other types of work.

Development of staff members can be encouraged by

carefully prepared presentations on supervisory

techniques, public relations, information about

cooperatives, effective communication, safety practices,

practical economics, and many other subjects.

Literally hundreds of films for training purposes are

available for loan, rental, or purchase. A catalog of U.S.

Government training films is available from United World

Films, Inc., 1445 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10029.

Several regional cooperatives produce video cassette tapes

for training and product information purposes. These may

be purchased for a nominal fee. If the cooperative doesn’t

own a video cassette player, one may be rented from a

convenience store or an audio visual dealer in most larger

communities.

11
Factory representatives generally are available to present

information on products handled by the cooperative.

Manufacturers often provide instructors to demonstrate

how to use and maintain their office equipment and plant

machinery.

Many land-grant universities supply instructors to visit

nearby cooperatives to give talks or demonstrations on

subjects useful in employee training and development.

Other large regional cooperatives have a complete training

library and listing of training aids that are available for

use by the locals.

To ensure employee attendance and maintain goodwill,

training sessions should be held during working hours,

though this may not be possible for smaller cooperatives.

If employees are trained outside the normal work day, in

most cases they need to be compensated at regular rates

of pay. Wage and hour regulations should be reviewed

before proceeding.

Programmed Instruction

Programmed instruction is a technique for which a

program (usually written) takes the place of an instructor.

The program leads the employee through a set of

statements and questions (specified behaviors) designed

and ordered to make it more probable that the employee

will respond in a desired way.

Programmed instruction is an example of what is called

the systems approach to training. This is because it

requires the writer (of the program) to go through the

steps of a system to develop the program.

Programmed instruction is used in a wide variety of

subject matter fields, from technical to liberal arts. It is

often used in correspondence study courses. It has a

special advantage in that the employee may take the

training without needing to be in a classroom or working

situation. The employee need not turn in or mail in work

for review and grading. The feedback supplied by the

program gives the employee instant knowledge of

progress.

Programmed instruction may be carried on with the aid of

a teaching machine and the program in book or pamphlet

form. Several self-help programs on the market use

personal computers.

Government use programmed instruction. Cooperatives

interested in using programmed instruction may find

suitable programs available from correspondence schools

or bookstores.

Outside Training

Many firms supplement their own training efforts with

conferences, seminars, or classroom instruction at public

schools, business colleges, universities, or industry

institutes.

Some cooperatives pay for such correspondence courses

in job-related fields. Cooperatives may find the expense a

good investment in grooming employees with the potential

to move into higher positions on the staff.

Many cooperative employees gain outside training at

professional institutes, technical training conferences, and

meetings of cooperative leaders. Among organizations

offering training opportunities are the following:

American Institute of Cooperation

50 F St., NW

Suite 900

Washington, DC 2000 1

National Cooperative Business Institute

1401 New York Ave., NW

Suite 1100

Washington, DC 20005

National Telephone Cooperative Association

2626 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20037

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

1800 Massachusetts Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20036

Farmland Industries, Inc.

P.O. Box 7305

Kansas City, MO 64116

Agway Inc.

P.O. Box 4933

Syracuse, NY 13221

Land O’Lakes, Inc.

P.O. Box 116

Minneapolis, MN 55440

Many of the larger American corporations and the Federal

12
Cenex

P.O. Box 43089

St. Paul, MN 55164

Learning About Co-ops

Cooperatives must train employees in member relations

and cooperative principles and practices.

“Every employee a cooperative ambassador” would be a

good motto for every cooperative to adopt. As

cooperatives expand in the territory they serve, the

member-owners become further removed from the business institution they own and that serves them. For most

members of a large cooperative, the only contact is with

the clerk at the counter, the truck driver, the cashier, or

who answers the telephone. To the average member,

these are the voices of the cooperative. If employees do

not understand the organization’s objectives, structure,

background, and operations, they are unable to answer

members’ questions or contribute to members’

appreciation of their cooperative. Every employee must

feel that projecting a favorable cooperative image is the

employee’s personal responsibility. The employee needs

to be imbued with the idea that the more successful the

cooperative is, the better chance the employee has for a

promotion within the cooperative or for a better job in

some other cooperative.

For assistance in locating appropriate training material

about farmer cooperatives, contact:

Agricultural Cooperative Service-USDA

Information & Education Staff

14th & Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC 20250

Maintaining High Morale

Establishing and maintaining high morale among

employees at all levels is vital to bringing out the best in

employees. High morale contributes to loyalty and

favorable attitudes toward the cooperative.

Proper emphasis on human relations promotes good morale among employees. Winning employee loyalty and

inspiring good employee attitudes reduces employee turnover and inspires them to be self-starters and act in a

positive way,

Employees want to feel they are a part of the operation.

These feelings are necessary among peers as well as

supervisors. Some of the practices that establish good

human relations and high employee morale are wellplanned, communicated and understood work assignments,

equitable distribution of workload, job assignments

according to abilities, and more responsibility with

experience.

Leadership and Supervision The objective of a good

supervisor is “getting things done through and with other

people. ’ ’ Good leadership is necessary to reach this

objective. Good supervisors will see that employees

support and enforce policies established by the

cooperative. They will see that employees’ talents are

used in the best way. Good supervisors understand people

and know they are the most important asset of the

cooperative. Quality supervisors respect their employees,

look out for their best interests, and give credit when

credit is due.

Styles of Supervisors Some supervisors use a personto-person approach or line everyone up against the wall

each morning and give out work assignments. The most

effective supervisors use a team approach. This style

yields the most employee productivity and the greatest job

satisfaction for the employee.

The team approach takes more planning on the part of the

supervisor. It requires that employees be informed about

their work and what are the expected results.

It requires delegating the correct amount of authority to

the employees and then holding them responsible for their

activities. Evaluation and followup are important functions

in this style. Most employees respond favorably to this

supervisory style, because they are reaching a level of

self-achievement. However, the final responsibility for

acts or decisions can never be passed. The supervisor is

responsible for the end result of the activities

Evaluating Performance

Employee Performance Appraisal The supervisor

should approach performance appraisals with the thought,

“How can I help you do your job better?” Employees

should view this session from the perspective of being

able to relate their goals for advancement and review

ideas for making their job more productive. The sessions

will give employees an evaluation of how the supervisor

views their job performance.

The session should be scheduled well in advance. Both
have planned the day’s activities so the session will not be

interrupted. Probably no longer than one hour is

necessary, if well planned. The session is held behind

closed doors in comfortable facilities. Both parties must

feel free to be candid and truthful. Recent copies of the

employee’s job description must be available for review

along with the goals and objectives established at the last

session. Both participants should have thoroughly

reviewed the job description and given thought to current

status of planned goals and objectives, with suggested

plans of adjustment if necessary.

Actual session activities include a review of the tasks

listed in the job description and an agreement reached on

what changes need to be made if necessary. Progress

made on last year’s goals plus a measure of the

quantitative values in the goals should be discussed. A

“give and take” session will reveal if the goals were valid and, if not, why they weren’t attainable. Goals and

objectives for the next year should be established. These

should be agreed upon by both the employee and the

supervisor. Review personnel and company policies and

clarify any misunderstanding. The employee may express

ideas and make suggestions in these areas.

If adjustments are going to be made in the overall wage

and salary or changes in fringe benefits, these need to be

discussed. The actual adjustment of salary or wages for

the individual employee is not discussed in this session.

This adjustment is made in a later session after the

supervisor has had time to evaluate the session and

possibly review all adjustments in relation to the

cooperative’s operating budget.

Performance appraisals should be held at least once a

year. This session doesn’t replace the need for day to day

contact between the supervisor and employee nor the need

for a free exchange of information. For the new

employee, the session should be no later than the end of

the sixth month. This review should straighten out any

misunderstanding about the tasks assigned to the position

or the goals assigned to the tasks. If both parties agree

that either the employee is not suited for the job or cannot

perform the assigned tasks, termination at this point is

advantageous to both rather than waiting a full year.

Concluding Session A good performance appraisal

session is “give and take” on the part of both, but when

completed, both should have a positive (team) feeling. If

there is a disagreement, these should be resolved and a

plan of action determined before the session ends. The

areas that need improvement should be documented, their

satisfactory goals stated, and a time set to review the

suggested improvements in the employee’s performance.

Supervisors should keep in mind they are assessing the

employee’s performance in the job, not the individual.

(Sample forms useful as guidelines are included in

Appendix A, Forms 8-10.)

Looking at Work Habits A discussion of performance

appraisal and job duties lead into looking at work habits.

Are the most efficient work methods used? What are the

employee’s characteristic ways of tackling problems,

dealing with people, and handling tools and knowledge?

Evaluating employee work habits is useful for predicting

areas of future success. For the less than satisfactory

employee, evaluation of work habits may uncover the

source of difficulty.

Personality Factors In judging an employee’s personality in relation to work, the supervisor must recognize the

need for having the required skill and experience in

human relations to evaluate personality factors in the

employee.

Certainly supervisors need to be aware of the employee’s

personal traits. Such characteristics as honesty,

promptness, industry, and attitudes toward fellow workers

are important and frequently critical factors in the job

situation.

The full skill of the supervisor is called upon in seeking

to correct deficiencies in behavior on the job without

causing the employee to suffer a loss of self-esteem or

arousing antagonism.

Here again the easiest path is through a discussion of the

job requirements and how they fit into the total needs of

the organization. If possible, the employee should be led

to recognize his or her own responsibility for certain

performance factors.

Evaluation Problems Most people dislike being judged

or rated according to standards they had no part in

determining and with which they may even disagree. The

mechanics of the rating classification are easily

overemphasized and can crowd out the human

relationship. To counter this, the employees should be

made to feel that the supervisor has a genuine interest in

them as individuals and concern for their welfare on the

job. The coaching role of the supervisor in developing the

abilities of employees must, in the long run, be based not

1 4
so much on periodic reviews as on daily two-way

communication and exchange of ideas.

Planning for the Future Many cooperatives help

employees plan for the future by adopting a policy of

promotion from within wherever possible. Posting job

vacancies encourages employees to prepare themselves for

promotion by learning additional skills. A program for the

employee’s development depends in part upon

performance in present work assignments and indicated

ability for more important assignments. A responsibility

frequently overlooked in cooperatives is the need to train

and develop replacements at the supervisory level. As

existing supervisors move on to new and larger

responsibilities or leave the organization, trained

replacements should be readily available to fill vacancies.

Developing Executives

Management development is a program to train personnel

with executive potential. It increases ability to perform the

basic functions of management (planning, organizing,

directing, coordinating, and controlling) and thereby helps

provide executive manpower as required. Such training is

usually designed to give a broad perspective of the

purposes and functions of the organization.

Managers of cooperatives can improve their own capacity

for larger operations and increased responsibilities through

a development program. They can see that qualified

personnel participate in training activities and gain

experience in all phases of the cooperative’s activities.

Such participation is valuable by making it possible for

the cooperative to function properly when the manager is

absent.

To develop management potential, key personnel should

become members of management organizations and attend

meetings. When practical, personnel should attend short

courses in business management at colleges and

universities.

Through weekly staff conferences with all key employees,

management matters and problems confronted during the

past week should be discussed. During these conferences,

pose pending management matters and solicit suggestions.

Periodically, have key personnel with other key people

and the manager during consultations, considerations,

decisions, board meetings, or other activities.

When the manager feels that key personnel have gained

sufficient knowledge to handle managerial affairs, key

personnel can be appointed in rotation to take charge

when the manager is absent. Of course, the manager

would not appoint anyone as acting manager until the

board of directors has been fully acquainted with the

training program for key personnel and has authorized the

manager to make such appointments.

Retaining Good Employees

Programs for recruiting and training good employees must

be accompanied by a conscious effort to keep those

employees on the payroll.

incentive Programs Several years ago, Agricultural

Cooperative Service conducted a survey with farmer

cooperatives to determine types of employee incentive

programs used. From some 5,000 replies they found that

about two-thirds of the cooperatives used some type of

incentive program. More farm supply cooperatives had

incentive programs for employees than marketing

cooperatives. Information on consumer cooperatives

indicates no uniform policies or practice on incentive

programs.

Employee benefit packages are being widely used,

providing special insurance and retirement annuities for

employees who continue their service on the cooperative’s

staff. The cooperative bears most, if not all, of the cost

of such plans.

No matter how good policies and procedures are, they

must be adhered to if they are to be of any value-and

they must be kept up to date. Cooperatives of all sorts

have found that established methods and procedures may

become inadequate or obsolete as business grows and volume of work increases. Without a periodic review,

performance may become lax. Confusion in direction may

develop. Workload piles up and accomplishments bog

down. Employee morale and the business suffer.

As times and management techniques change, policies,

methods and procedures need updating to conform to

changing conditions so the cooperative will advance with

the times. The cooperative’s manpower needs should be

re-evaluated by the board and manager regularly. This

should be part of a long range projection in the

cooperative’s overall planning. Many cooperative boards

require the manager to submit an updated 3-year program

annually. The coming year is presented in more detail

than the ensuing 2 years.

15
Such a review and projection examines manpower

requirements, staff turnover, recruiting techniques,

training program, salary scale (by category only), and the

whole range of employee benefits and incentives.

Cooperatives that do this on a regularly scheduled plan

report they get better results in employee relations than

they did when they handled staffing without scheduled

evaluation and review.

Most business consultants consider people an

organization’s most valuable asset, and staffing as a

critical function of management. Therefore, care of

human assets should command at least as much attention

as is directed to other physical assets.

A cooperative’s management of human assets has two

fundamental elements. One comprises recruiting,

selecting, and placing qualified people in the cooperative.

The other involves continuous and progressive education

and training programs.

AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS

Agricultural Cooperatives: Pioneer to Modern, CIR 1,

Sec. 2

Cooperatives in Agribusiness, CIR 5

Manager Holds Important Key to Co-op Success, CIR 16

Employees Help Co-ops Serve, CIR 17

Guidelines Co-op Employees Need, CIR 18

Cooperative Management, CIR 1, Sec. 8

Cooperative Education and Training, CIR 1, Sec. 10

A copy of each of these publications may be obtained

from :

AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE SERVICE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

14th & INDEPENDENCE AVE, SW

WASHINGTON, DC 20250

16
Form 1 -JOB ANALYSIS

Position: Mixer and Feed Mill Operator

Department: Feed

Position Objective: To operate all milling equipment.

A. Duties and Responsibilities

1. Operate controls to draw ingredients from bulk bins to mixers in accordance with

formulas.

2. Obtain and dump bagged ingredients in mixers.

3. Meter and dump liquids in water.

4. Dispense drugs as required and maintain inventory controls.

5. Change grinder screens as required.

6. Start, stop, and check operation of hammer mill.

7. Line up grinding.

8. Maintain all necessary operating records.

9. Balance and adjust all scales at least weekly.

10. Sweep and clean up mixer area once a day.

11. Dust off equipment once a week.

12. Make out all tickets.

B. Skill Requirements

1. Must have mechanical aptitude.

2. Must have a high school education or equivalent.

3. Must understand all mill policies and operating procedures.

4. Must understand feed programs.

5. Must be knowledgeable of drugs and their uses.

17
Form 2-JOB DESCRIPTION

Feed Mill Employee

A. Association Objective

To render maximum service through a well-managed, soundly financed, and democratically

controlled cooperative established to improve the economic condition of members and patrons.

B. Reporting Relationships

Reports to: Feed Mill Supervisor

C. Personally Responsible for the Following Activities

1. Dumps ingredients in feed mixer.

2. Assists in bagging feed.

3. Assists with housekeeping of mill and premises.

4. Assists with minor maintenance.

5. Waits on customers in a prompt, courteous, and efficient manner.

6. Helps with the unloading of incoming freight.

7. Assists other employees in the performance of duties assigned to the (location/facility).

It is understood that employees should strive to do this at all times and should not

have to be directed by supervisor.

8. Attends meetings as directed by supervisor.

9. Returns tools, equipment, and vehicles to their designated place after using them in

the performance of duties.

10. Performs such other activities as directed by supervisor.

D. Coordination and Communication Relationships

1. To lend full assistance for the growth and progress of the (location/facility) and the

cooperative.

2. Other Employees-To cooperate with and do my part to build good employee relations

and high morale.

3. Patrons-To serve and to help them see the necessity for farmers uniting and actively

supporting the cooperative.

4. To promote goodwill and seek every opportunity to develop understanding and acceptance of the cooperative’s plans, programs, and objectives.

18
Form 3-APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

Date ___A/__

1. Print Last Name

2. Social Security #

3. Number and Street Address, R.D./Box

4. City State Zip Code

5. Telephone No.

( ) -

6. Birth Date

7. Citizen of U.S.: Yes No

8. Position Desired:

9. Earnings Expected $

10. Date Available ____/_.__/_

11. Who referred you to this cooperative?

12. Are you a former employee of the cooperative? Yes No

13. Relatives employed by this cooperative

19
Education

School Name and Location Dates

Attended

DipVDegree Major

Yes_ NoGrade

Secondary

College

Business/Trade

Extra Curricular Activities

Hobbies

Office machines you can operate:

Words per minute: Typing Shorthand

Would you be willing to leave your present home community

portunity? Yes_ Nofor a satisfactory employment op20
Experience

Employer Address Type Business

Starting Date Starting Salary Reason for Leaving

-_._I/

Job Title

$

Supervisor Name May we contact?

Yes No

Description of Work

Employer Address Type Business

Starting Date Starting Salary Reason for Leaving

--_I/

Job Title

$

Supervisor Name May we contact?

Yes NoDescription of Work

Address Type Business

Starting Date Starting Salary Reason for Leaving

--_I/

Job Title

$

Supervisor Name May we contact?

Description of Work

Yes No

Are there any other experiences, skills, or qualifications you feel would expecially fit you for

work with this cooperative?

21
References

(Please List Three)

Name Address Occupation

1.

2.

3.

List organizations you belong to, excluding those the name or character of which reveal the

race, creed, color, national origin or ancestry of its members. (Optional) _

Official positions, if any, you have held in organizations listed above. (Optional)

I hereby authorize this cooperative to investigate all statements contained in this application. I understand that misrepresentation or

omission of material facts will be cause for dismissal.

Your signature

Interviewed by

Interviewer’s comments

Date of interview / /

22
Form 4-PHONE REFERENCE CHECK

(Contact two or more former employers if possible)

My name is . I work for xyz cooperative,

and I have been reviewing the application of (applicant name) for a position with us. (Applicant

name) has indicated employment with your firm. We believe (applicant name) has the qualifications we are seeking, but before we make a final decision we need to know a few details of

(applicant’s name) work with you.

Name of person giving information

Title

Firm name

Phone -( )

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Did you employ the applicant? Yes No .

How long was the applicant your employee? Years Months __

What was his/her assignment?

Was applicant’s work satisfactory? Yes No

If no, where was applicant deficient?

Why did applicant leave your employ?

Would you rehire (applicant name)? Yes No . If “NO” where was

(applicant name) deficient?

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Was applicant ever absent, except for illness or vacation?

Often Seldom Never

Did applicant have any supervisory or administrative responsibility?

Yes- No

Did applicant’s assignments involve responsibility for company funds?

Yes No If “Yes” did you have any shortages? Yes-_ No

Did applicant have any personal problems that might affect work?

Financial Domestic Excessive gambling Drugs or alcohol

Applicant reported earnings of $ per (month-year) when leaving your firm.

Is that amount correct? Yes NoIn your judgment what were applicant’s strongest characteristics?

Weakest characteristics?

Interviewer Date of interview __._//

23
Form 5-MAIL REFERENCE CHECK

To: (Individual listed as reference) Date __--//-

The person named below has applied to us for a position as (Job Title)_

This individual has named you as a reference and has authorized us to address this inquiry

regarding character and qualifications. We would appreciate your evaluation of this individual

by inserting check marks in the spaces below and submit any comments you wish to make.

(Signature)

(Title)

Name of applicant

Address

QUALIFICATIONS GOOD FAIR POOR REMARKS

1. Diligence

2. Honesty

3. Enthusiasm

4. Stability

5. Courtesy

6. Health

7. Ambition

8. Initiative

9. Dependability

10. Friendliness

11, Satisfactory service?

12. Self control

13. Cooperation

14. Customer needs

15. Attitude

16. How long was applicant in your employ?

17. Reason for leaving your employ?

Please use back of form for further comments you wish to make.

Signed

Firm

24
Form 6-SCORE SHEET FOR EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE

Name of Appliciant

Address: Telephone __

Date of Birth~- Married Y Children

How was applicant obtained?

Answered ad

Patron referal

References:

1.

Referred by

Through school

Employment service

Other

2.

3.

Quality Desirable answers Undesirable answers

Customer needs

Ability to size up

Ambition

Curiosity

Friendliness

Honesty

initiative

Mechanical

Orderliness

Originality

Self control

Versatility

aptitude

Interest in field

Your evaluation of appliciant

Total Total

Disposition:

Hired:

Would have hired, but appliciant decided against

Will hire as soon as we have opening

Appliciant does not meet standards for job:

25
Form 7-RATING SCALE FOR FIELD APPLICANTS

/_-I9

Date

Name of Applicant

Instructions: Evaluate and mark the areas of the rating form in one of the catagories good,

fair, or poor. Impressions are most objective if registered immediately after the interview

session.

GOOD FAIR POOR

Aggressiveness Tactful in

conversation

Fairly

aggressive

Just sits

and listens

Appearance Makes fine

impression

Good enough

to get by

Makes a poor

impression

Attitude

Character

Education

Ambitious in

future

Confident and

inspiring

Just right

for our line

Average interest in future

Seems all

right

Adequate

Merely wants

a job

Definitely

doubtful

Too much or

too little

Enthusiasm Forceful and

eager

Average Doesn’t seem

to care

Expression Direct, clear Average voice Poor voice &

and fluent and fluency expression

Finances Has done very Average Poor money

well for age manager

Health and Energy Abundant Should be able Not much

energy to keep up vitality

Home and Social Life Seems well Average Unsocial &

adjusted undomestic

26
Business Knowledge Better than Average Little or

average none

Leadership executive

qualities

May or may not None

develop apparent

Manners Pleasing&

appropriate

Passable Lacks social

sense

Maturity Serious &

thoughtful

Average Immature for

age

Mental Alertness Reacts quick

& intelligent

Average Not

impressive

Personality Just our type Should fit in Definitely

unfavorable

Poise Pleasant &

self-assured

Average Fidgety &

ill at ease

Sales Experience Excellent for

our work

Adequate Inadequate

Stability He/she will

wear well

Should be

average

Seems to be

a “floater”

comments

Recommended for employment

Not recommended for employment

Signed
Form 8-PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

Name Current Date

Position Supervisor

Locat ion Employment Date

Performance appraisal is the process of evaluating an individual’s work relative to the responsibilities and activities defined in the job description. Performance is usually evaluated for a

specific time period, normally 1 year. Performance can be measured objectively only if the supervisor and the employee have reached an agreement, prior to the evaluation period, as to

what will be expected of the employee. The questions what, how, and when responsibilities

will be accomplished must be answered to serve as a basis for the appraisal.

After the supervisor and employee have discussed the employee’s job description or expected

duties, they should determine the criteria on which the employee’s performance will be evaluated. There are 15 suggested performance appraisal factors listed on the following pages.

The supervisor and the employee should assign the performance appraisal factors to 1 of 3

categories. Five factors should be assigned to each category. The five most important factors

should be indicated by placing a 3 on the line next to those factors. The five less important

factors should be indicated by placing a 2 on the line next to those factors. The five least important factors should be indicated by placing a 1 on the line next to those factors. All 15 factors must be used and assigned a number 3, 2, or 1.

The assignment of a factor to a category should be based on the relative importance of that

factor on the job. The employee should participate with the supervisor in ranking the appraisal

factors. This provides the employee with a clear understanding of the factors the supervisor

will use in appraising performance and the relative importance of each factor.

Factor ranking should be reviewed annually or as changes occur in the job that would change

their relative importance. The employee should be involved in any change to maintain awareness of how performance will be measured.

The completed form should be sent to the individual who scores the performance appraisal

form. This form is used in scoring procedure and should be maintained in the scorer’s files.

28
Performance Appraisal Factors

Rank each of the 15 factors with the numerical classification of either 1, 2, or 3.

Five of the factors will ranked in each numerical classification.

ACCURACY-The absence of mistakes during the performance of work duties.

ALERTNESS-The ability to comprehend instructions quickly and recognize

changing conditions.

ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY-The faithfulness in coming to work daily

and conforming to the work hours (Arriving and leaving work at the designated

time and conforming to work breaks and lunch schedules.)

ATTITUDE-An individual’s outward behavior displayed in job performance that

may indicate mental state when performing the job.

COURTESY-The polite attention an individual gives other people.

CREATIVITY-The talent of having new ideas, finding new and better ways

of doing things and being imaginative.

DEPENDABILITY-The quality of performing jobs or following directions

with minimal supervision.

DRIVE-The desire to attain goals, to achieve.

FRIENDLINESS-The sociability and warmth an individual imparts in behavior

towards customers and other employees.

JOB KNOWLEDGE-The information concerning work duties an individual

should know for a satisfactory job performance.

MAINTENANCE AND HOUSEKEEPING-The care an individual uses toward

maintaining equipment and clean work area.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE-The personal impression an individual makes on

other (cleanliness, grooming, neatness, and appropriateness of dress on the job)

PHYSICAL FITNESS-The ability to work consistently throughout the normal day

with only normal fatigue (energy and alertness).

QUANTITY OF WORK-The amount of work an individual does in a work day.

STABILITY-The ability to withstand pressure and remain calm in crisis situations.

29
Performance Appraisal Procedure

Name Date

Position Supervisor

Location Employment Date

The following points should be considered when completing this performance appraisal form:

TIME---The appraisal process should occur consistent with each appraisal period within a

specified time period.

PRIVACY---The supervisor should complete this form without distractions or interruptions.

SUPERVISOR ATTITUDE---The supervisor’s attitude toward the employee, personality, or other

matters should be as nearly neutral as possible. The supervisor should devote a completely conscious effort toward the employee’s work record only. No other matters should distract the supervisor’s thought process.

JOB DESCRIPTION---The supervisor should review the employee’s job description and other

materials to refresh memory of what is being measured. The supervisor should form a mental

picture of the employee’s work for the appraisal period being considered.

COMPLETING THE FORM---The supervisor should mark and “X” on the rating scale that

most nearly describes the performance of the employee. Each factor should be considered

separately and independent of all other factors.

The tendency to rate an employee high, low, or average on all factors should be avoided.

After completing the form, submit it to the designated individual for evaluation.

This form should not be discussed with the employee in detail, but rather should be used as a

guide for preparing for the discussion with the employee at a formal review meeting. After the

formal review meeting, this form should be placed in the confidential employee personnel file.

30
Performance Appraisal Worksheet

ACCURACY-Absence of mistakes during the performance of work duties.(Check only one)

Makes frequent errors. Must check almost all work for errors.

Careless worker. Makes more errors than the average worker.

Usually accurate. Makes only an average number of mistakes.

Precise worker. Makes minimum number of errors. Very little checking of work required.

Consistently accurate. No checking of work required.

SCORE

ALERTNESS - The ability to comprehend instructions quickly and recognize changing conditions.(Check only one)

Has difficulty understanding instructions. Does not recognize changing conditions.

Requires more than average explanation of instructions. Slow to recognize changing conditions.

Grasps instructions and recognizes changing conditions with average ability.

Quick to understand instructions and perceives most changing conditions.

Exceptional keen and alert. Quickly recognizes changing conditions.

SCORE

ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY-The faithfulness in coming to work daily and conforming

to the work hours. Consider arriving and leaving work at the designated time and conforming

to work break and luncheon schedules. (Check only one)

Often absent without good excuse and/or frequently arrives late or leaves early.

Somewhat lax in attendance and/or conforming to scheduled work hours.

Normally present and on time.

Consistently maintains work schedules. Very prompt. Regular in attendance.

Exceptional attendance. Normally ready to begin work at designated time and

works until quitting time.

SCORE

ATTITUDE-An individual’s outward behavior displayed in job performance that may indicate

mental state when performing the job.(Check only one) - .

Behavior is negative. Individual appears to dislike the job.

Behavior could be improved.

Behavior is satisfactory.

Behavior is above average.

Individual appears to demonstrate enthusiasm for all phases of job performance.

SCORE

31
COURTESY---Polite attention an individual gives other people

Blunt; discourteous; antagonistic.

Sometimes tactless.

Agreeable and pleasant.

Always polite and willing to help.

Inspiring to others in being courteous and pleasant.

Inspiring to others in being courteous and pleasant.

SCORE

CREATIVITY---T’he talent of having new ideas, finding new and better ways of doing

things and being imaginative.

Rarely has a new idea. Unimaginative.

Occasionally comes up with a new idea.

Has an average number of new ideas.

Frequently suggests new ways of doing business.

Continually seeks new and better ways of doing things. Imaginative.

SCORE

DEPENDABILITY---Quality of performing jobs or following directions with a minimum

of supervision.

Unreliable. Requires close supervision.

Sometimes requires prompting.

Usually performs tasks with reasonable promptness.

Reliable. Requires little supervision.

Requires minimum supervision. Extremely reliable.

SCORE

DRIVE---Desire to attain goals, to achieve.

Has poorly defined goals and acts without purpose. Puts forth practically no

effort.

Sets goals too low. Puts forth little effort to achieve.

Has average goals and usually puts forth effort to reach these.

Strives hard. Has high desire to achieve.

Sets high goals and strives incessantly to reach these.

SCORE

32
FRIENDLINESS--- Sociability and warmth an individual imparts in behavior toward customers

and other employees.

Very distant.

Unsociable but friendly once known by others.

Friendly; sociable.

Very friendly, sociable, and outgoing.

Extremely sociable and friendly. Excellent at establishing good will.

SCORE

JOB KNOWLEDGE--- Information concerning work duties that an individual should know for a

satisfactory job performance.

Poorly informed about work duties.

Lacks knowledge of some phases of work.

Moderately informed. Can answer most common questions.

Understands all phases of work.

Has complete mastery of all phases of job.

SCORE

MAINTENANCE AND HOUSEKEEPING---Care with which an individual uses and maintains

equipmeht and the cleanliness of work area.

Careless with equipment and/or has a disorderly or dirty work area.

Somewhat careless with equipment. Work area could be cleaner or better organized.

Normally keeps work area orderly and/or clean. Average care in use of

equipment.

Quite conscientious using and maintaining equipment and keeping a clean, orderly work area.

Displays exceptional care using and maintaining equipment. Work area is always

clean and orderly.

SCORE

PERSONAL APPEARANCE--- Personal impression an individual makes on others (cleanliness,

grooming, neatness, and appropriateness of dress on the job)

Very untidy. Poor personal appearance.

Careless about appearance.

Generally satisfactory personal appearance. Clean and, neat for this job.

Careful about personal appearance. Above average for this job.

Very well groomed. Projects an excellent appearance.

SCORE

33
PHYSICAL FITNESS---Ability to work consistently throughout the normal work day with only

normal fatigue (energy and alertness)

Tires easily. Poor physical condition for this job.

Frequently slows down because of fatigue.

Meets the physical requirements of this job.

Energetic. Seldom tires.

Excellent physical condition. Shows no sign of tiring.

SCORE

QUANTITY OF WORK---Amount of work an individual does in a day.

Does not meet minimum requirements.

Does just enough to get by.

Volume of work is satisfactory.

Industrious. Does more than is required.

Superior work production record.

SCORE

STABILITY--- Ability to withstand pressure and to remain calm in crisis situations,

Goes “to pieces” under pressure. Is “jumpy” and nervous.

Occasionally “blows up” under pressure. Is easily irritated.

Has average tolerance for crises. Usually remains calm.

Tolerates most pressure. Good tolerance for crises.

Thrives under pressure. Really enjoys solving crises.

SCORE

OVERALL EVALUATION--- In comparison with other employees with the same length

of service on the job.

Definitely unsatisfactory.

Substandard but making progress.

Doing an average job.

Definitely above average.

Outstanding.

SCORE

TOTAL SCORE

34
Action Plans

Major weak points are---

1.

4.

5.

and these can be strengthened by doing the following:

Major strong points are---

3.

4.

5.

and these can be used more effectively by doing the following:

Rated by

Title

Employee Signature

35
Performance Appraisal Scoring

The supervisor should mark only one performance level for each appraisal factor. If more than

one or no level is marked, it must be corrected by the supervisor.

The following example indicates the number of points associated with each performance level.

Performance Level Values

-2

-1

0

1

"X"

2

Using the Performance Appraisal Factor form, determine the ranking-one, two, or three-of

the factor. Multiply the ranking of the factor by the performance level value, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, indicated by the supervisor’s mark. Place the score for each factor in the “SCORE” area of the

appraisal form. Total the scores and compare with the following chart.

Score-Rank Table

SERVICE

CLERICAL

SUPERVISOR

L

“TOO” ‘BELOW AVERAGE AVERAGE ABOVE AVERAGE

“LOW” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

O-6 7-11 12-19 20-26 27-35 36-44 45-51 52-55 56-58 59-60

O-6 7-13 14-18 19-27 28-56 37-44 45-50 51-55 56-58 59-60

O-6 7-10 11-18 19-25 26-33 34-43 44-49 50-54 55-57 58-60

Rank of 1 -Unacceptable 19 out of 20 employees better performers

Rank of 2-Poor 9 out of 10 employees better performers

Rank of 3-Marginal 4 out of 5 employees better performers

Rank of 4-Acceptable 3 out of 5 employees better performers

Rank of 5Standard Employee at average of all employees

Rank of 6-Good Better than 3 out of every 5 employees

Rank of 7-Excellent Better than 4 out of every 5 employees

Rank of 8Superior Better than 9 out of every 10 employees

Rank of g-outstanding Better than 19 out of every 20 employees

Performance Scales

36
Form g--MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

Summary Sheet

(See attached for detailed ratings)

This form is to be filled out annually, whether an increase is given or not, within 60 days after

the audit of the cooperative. Appraisal must be completed and approved by all the board of

directors before an increase can be effected.

Manager Name Date//-

Signatures

(Director Review Committee)

Place the proper numerical value beside each area evaluated using the following scale.

1. Not acceptable

2. Below desired levels

3. Average or typical

4. Above average

5. Outstanding

A. Operations and control D. Membership and Community Relations

Increase in sale volume

Internal control and operating costs

Production per employee

Appearance of facilities

B. Financial management

Financial planning

Accounts Receivable control

(Average Day’s Sales in Receivables)

Inventory turnover

Net margins

C. Board relations

Membership communications

Community relations

E. Supervision and personnel management

Personnel policies

Hiring and employee development

Employee attitudes

Employee appearance

Delegation

F. Management tools

Use of management tools

Recommendations and presentations

Management and board coordination

Reports on operations

37
A. OPERATIONS

1. Increase in sales volume (Directors should recognize unusual or localized situations

clearly beyond any control by manager. Three-year average of total commodity sales

should be used. Where current year figures are available, include them as part of average -otherwise, use most recent 3 years for which data are available.)

One of lowest in area in percentage of increase. Little or no programing.

Percent increase below area average. More planning programing needed.

Percent increase about equal to general co-op average in area. Good programing

Greater percent increase than area average. Some special programs.

Outstanding in area in percent of sales increase and sales programing.

REMARKS:

2. Internal controls and opeating costs

Excessive costs and shrink. No system to control losses and costs.

Some looseness in controls. System needs tightening up.

Average shrink. Makes good use of statements and audits.

Good systematic controls. Problems and shrink at a minimum

Excellent system of controls and auditing. Very low shrink, costs well in line at all

times

REMARKS:

3. Production per employee - ratio of annual department sales volume to number of employees or production per hour.

Minimum

More than 50% below standard.

10% to 50% below standards.

About equal to standards.

Up to 50% above standards.

More than 50% above standards.

standards per employee are:

Bulk Petroleum

Clothing

Feed

Fertilizer

Groceries

Hardware

Meats

Produce

Service station

Grain

REMARKS:

(Standards may be established by: Your Auditor, Extension Service at State university or

regional cooperative.)

38
4. Net Margins (Directors should recognize unusual or localized situations clearly beyond

manager’s control. Condition of cooperative earnings at time manager was selected

should be kept in mind. Three-year average normally should be used in rating to give

better measure of results than any one year.)

Poor results getting no better or even worse needs prompt attention.

Results below average somewhat too often, no noticable trend to improve.

Results are OK-normally up to area average, or improvement toward that level.

Good results either above area average or real trend in that direction.

Exceeds board expectations-consistent leader in area averages, or outstanding improvement much better than anticipated.

REMARKS:

5. Appearance of Facilities

Very unattractive appearances well below good competition.

Needs some sprucing up on painting identification, lighting or housekeeping.

Average.

Good appearance-up to good competition-identification and lighting up to date.

Best in town A-l painting, identification, lighting. Excellent housekeeping program.

REMARKS:

B. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

1. Financial Planning

No fiscal plans on day-to-day emergency basis.

Sometime caught “unaware” with emergencies hard to overcome.

Average-emergencies avoided or met quite easily.

Above average financing programs.

Sound policies and long-range programs. Financial arrangements in advance of

needs.

REMARKS:

2. Accounts Receivable Control (Average Days in Sales)

More than 60 days

31 to 60 Days

25 to 30 Days

24 to 15 Days

14 Days or less

REMARKS:

39
3. Inventory turnover-Ratio of sales to inventory-(Use month-end balances to give average for the year. Because of different closing dates and seasonal inventory fluctuations, the year-end inventory should not be used as standard.)

(Select only one)

Over 50% less than standards.

Up to 50% less turnover than standards.

Turnover of main lines about equal to standards.

Turnover up to 50% greater than standards.

Over 50% greater than standards.

Standards of turnover per year are:

Clothing ~ Feed

Hardware T.B.A.

Fertilizer ~ Bulk Fuels

Groceries

Produce

Grain

REMARKS:

C. BOARD RELATIONS

1. Recommendations and presentation to board

(Select only one)

Sometimes disorganized-some data either unreliable or hard to follow.

Planning and presentations ability, but some recommendations seem rushed

without full consideration.

Satisfactory.

Good-generally timed and planned well, understandable and quite complete.

Excellent planning and presentations, timely, well supported by facts and logic.

REMARKS:

2. General teamwork and leadership with board

(Select only one)

Friction and strained relations-quite unsatisfactory.

Need more organized communication and teamwork with board.

Average.

- - Quite good in keeping board informed. Sound balance between board areas and

manager areas.

Outstanding in leadership. Keeps board manager teamwork on high level.

REMARKS:

40
D. MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Membership education and communications

(Se:ect only one)

Must be improved-membership slipping, complaints, lack of member interest.

Programming meetings and mailings need more attention. Sometimes misses opportunities.

Membership growth and meetings OK-mailings to member list and sometimes

more.

Some long-range programs, good meetings, mailings consistently go beyond

membership list.

Outstanding program of tours, mailings, meetings covering present and potential

members. Growing and enthusiastic membership.

REMARKS:

2. Community relations-With schools, businesses, key leaders, government agencies,

young adults

(Select only one)

Must be improved-too much community misunderstanding and lack of interest.

or far too much time spent away from work for results achieved.

Some contacts and participation, but doesn’t seem organized. Too little or too

much time spent.

Relations OK-some activities and publicity, no criticism of program.

Good program of contacts, publicity and participation. Time in activities seem

about right.

Outstanding programs, use of publicity, community leadership, excellent time

balance between work and activities.

REMARKS:

E. SUPERVISION AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

1. Personnel policies and planning

(Select only one)

Hardly any policies or plans evident. Day-to-day handling varies.

Need for more systematic policies and planning.

Some planning and adequate policy handling.

Above average attention to policies and planning.

Excellent personnel policies recommendations and long-range planning.

REMARKS:
2. Hiring and personnel development

(Select only one)

Need to hire and develop better employees. Employees not up to necessary

standards.

Some hires seem mediocre. Selection and training need some work.

OK-some good, some so-so. Adequate training.

Selection and training is generally good to very good.

Picks able people and trains them to outstanding level.

3. Employee Attitudes

(Select only one)

Major problem-serious employee dissatisfaction is obvious

Some lack of discipline and team spirit. Too many members complain on service.

Average.

Good leadership-employee attitudes seem sound-some compliments.

Outstanding leadership-many compliments on employee attitudes-really on the

ball.

REMARKS:

4. Appearance of employees

(Select only one)

Giving poor impressions.

Some “slips” in appearance.

~ OK.

Usually makes a good impression.

Always in clean uniform, looks really sharp.

REMARKS:

5. Delegation

(Select only one)

Delegation seems vague, lacks controls and organization.

Some delegation but tends to do too much personally.

~ OK.

Gets things done-delegates work load and authority quite well.

Superior in organizing and delegation work with good controls.

42
F. USE OF MANAGEMENT TOOLS

(Respond to each item)

yes n o

- - Monthly financial statements

- - Departmentalized

- - Budgets

- - Regular employee meetings

- - Job descriptions

- - Employee appraisal program

- - Employee salary program

- - Management and product meetings

(Select only one)

Uses almost none

Below average

Average

Above average

Uses all or most tools

REMARKS:

G. SUMMARY

1. Best areas are:

2. Since last rating session, progress has been shown in (see last year’s rating for possible items)

3. The main areas that need further development are (refer to checklist items above and

give specific examples where possible).

4. Suggestions and planned action to develop in these areas (show follow-up dates to

give definite “targets”).

I have had a opportunity to discuss and ask questions about my progress and performance.

General Manager

-.--.-I/ .

Date--/-/

43
Form IO-SALARY REVIEW

(Cooperative Name) Date____//_

Department head or supervisor whose signature appears below submits this recommendation

for approval of the general manager

Proposed salary

Date employed

Last raise

$

Signature/department head

Name of employee Department

Present position Present salary

$1119

Raise recommended by Effective date

Reasons for recommending increase in salary (Explain in detail)

The above request for salary adjustment is (approved / rejected)

Signed

General Manager

Recorded

Comptroller Pension plan Group insurance Payroll records

44 Q U.S.G.P.O.: 1990. 719-358/10893
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Cooperative Service

P.O. Box 96576

Washington, D.C. 20090-6576

Agricultural Cooperative Service (ACS) provides research, management, and

educational assistance to cooperatives to strengthen the economic position of farmers

and other rural residents. It works directly with cooperative leaders and Federal and

State agencies to improve organization, leadership, and operation of cooperatives and

to give guidance to further development.

The agency (1) helps farmers and other rural residents develop cooperatives to obtain

supplies and services at lower cost and to get better prices for products they sell; (2)

advises rural residents on developing existing resources through cooperative action to

enhance rural living; (3) helps cooperatives improve services and operating efficiency;

(4) informs members, directors, employees, and the public on how cooperatives work

and benefit their members and their communities; and (5) encourages international

cooperative programs.

ACS publishes research and educational materials and issues Farmer Cooperatives

magazine. All programs and activities are conducted on a nondiscriminatory basis,

without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, marital status, handicap, or national

origin.