shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com March 15, 2016 • Page 13 National Ag Week March 13-19, 2016 Where Would YOU be without agriculture? Naked and hungry? National Ag Week is a time to recognize and celebrate the importance of agriculture. Thank A Farmer Today! The Pull Of Generations Ag Employees First Day on the Job vs. Employee Retention Back Many employers complain, including those in agriculture, that they can’t keep people around. Statements such as “we just get them trained and they leave” are common. If this statement is all too familiar, you may need to take a look at your “onboarding” program. Many have heard that statement that “first impressions are lasting impressions”, this is also true when it comes to retention of employees. First days are critical The first day is critical if you plan to keep employees around. A recent Career Builder survey found that “47% of new employees begin searching for their next job within 2-3 weeks of starting their new job”. Additionally, in a white paper by TalentWise (2013) which evaluated employee retention they stated, “A new hire’s first day may be the day an employer is most scrutinized by that employee. A good experience will give an employer a start on building employee loyalty – but a poor experience will almost certainly have a new hire start thinking about other options and resuming a job search”. In another article written by Roy Maurer (2015, April 16.) for the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) he states “one-third of approximately 1,000 respondents to a February 2014 survey by BambooHR said they had quit a job within six months of starting it. Between 16-17 percent of the respondents left between the first week and the third month of starting their job”. Tips for a good first impression So what does this mean in agriculture where we are hiring people to typically do high manual labor jobs? It means you don’t overwhelm people the first day on the job with paperwork. You take the time to welcome them, personally, to your operation. Honestly, they are no different than anyone else the first day on the job, in regards to first day on the job anxieties. So what should you cover as they walk in the door? Even though you may have covered some of the information ahead of time, before the first official day, you may want to go REILLY BIEL/P&D From left: Gerald Jensen, Craig Jensen, Bill Jensen and Jae Koletzky of Koletzky Implement. The tractor shown was restored by Craig. Tractor Pulls Pull Family Together BY REILLY BIEL reilly.biel@yankton.net Fathers and sons typically have at least one activity they enjoy doing together. For men in one area family, that activity is tractor pulling. Bill Jensen, owner of Jensen Auto Body, Inc. in Vermillion, started tractor pulling when he was in his early teens. His father, Gerald Jensen, also tractor pulled at the time. Tractor pulling is a motorsport competition where modified tractors are required to pull a heavy sled along a dirt track. Whoever pulls the sled the farthest is the winner. “The tractor that wins is the one with the best traction and power,” Bill explained. “There are regulations of what can and can’t be done to the tractors. It comes down to who has their machine the most perfect for the track conditions.” This generational hobby has been passed on to Bill’s son Craig, who is currently a senior at Yankton High School. Craig started tractor pulling when he was 13 years old. “It’s something we can all do together,” Bill said. “Craig’s done pretty well for his age.” In 2013, Craig was a points cham- pion at a tractor pulling event in 2013. “I like building motors,” Craig said, adding that he’s thinking of going to tech school after graduation to be a mechanic. Both Jensens are members of the Great Plains Tractor Pullers Association. Craig and his father enjoy remodeling tractors as a pastime. Craig’s first remodeled tractor, a 1985 blue Ford New Holland, is currently on display at Koletzky Implement in Yankton. Craig estimates he spent a year working on it. Bill has remodeled his share of New Holland tractors over the years. The oldest tractor he restored was from 1947. He currently owns five restored tractors. The Jensens’ tractor of choice is blue New Holland brand, which has been used in all of their tractor pull competitions. The Jensens have traveled to Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska for tractor pulling competitions. Craig, who enjoys the competitive aspect of the sport, plans to continue tractor pulling for years to come. “Over the winter, you don’t know what everyone else is working on, so you have wait and see if what you made is better,” he said. “It’s just fun.” “I like the sport of it,” Bill added. “The people that follow it, we all have the same interest and we can talk about the same things.” The primary source of excitement in tractor pulls is witnessing the power of these large pieces of machinery. “The smoke and noise is where the fun comes in for us boys,” Bill said. Tractor pulls generally go off with few issues, though the Jensens have been witness to a couple problems in the past, mainly as a result of the dirt or mud on the track. “In Tea, there was standing water in the track and they let me dig until my axles touched the ground,” Craig said. “That was pretty fun.” “In all the years of our tractor pulling, no one’s gotten physically hurt,” Bill added. “We might have stepped on somebody’s foot, but no one’s gotten run over.” He credits the people at Koltezky Implement for assisting him and Craig with their tractor restoration over the years. “I want to thank all the friends and fans at Koletzky Implement for having me,” he said. ? EMPLOYEES Page 14 Hoxeng Crop Insurance LLC For Your Crop Insurance Needs MPCI & Crop Hail 33 years of crop insurance experience. Dave Hoxeng 44867 303rd St. • Volin, SD 57072 Office: 605-267-2767 Cell: 605-661-1136 • 1-855-969-2767 Follow @ReillyBiel on Twitter. 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