According to Daniel Pink in the book “Drive”, autonomy is a large part of the motivation package. They found research that this is a part of what motivates people in the United States and also in other countries. This remains consistent in different socioeconomic situation and different cultures.
Autonomy in this book is not defined as rugged American independence but when a person is given a CHOICE.
Daniel Pink says it has four main aspects:
- What people do
- When they do it
- How they do it
- Whom they do it with
What people do: Well… we work with pigs so if people are applying for a job…. than that’s assumed.
However, do we give them a choice if they work in breeding or farrowing? People with high energy may fit in an environment where things are always happening such as farrowing. People who are systematic may enjoy picking up on heats in the breeding barn. Do we give a new employee a chance to try different teams and which one they may fit the best?
When they do it: Kind of a bust here for the most part. In sow units and commercial barns, this is often a challenge. Sometimes we have some flexibility in the time we do things in some finishing barns, but this isn’t always the case. Sow units and nursery barns are very time dependent. Pigs need feed at a certain time, sows are farrowing at all times, sows need breed in the morning… not a lot a flexibility here.
How they do it: Do we have options for how people tackle problems in the farms. When and where to address issues?
Certain SOPs and protocols are there for a reason. It is so that things get done correctly and we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. BUT are there options for other things? How they set up their team? How they problem solve an issue?
If the goal is communicated clearly, we can sometimes state the outcome needed but not necessarily all the steps. What are some options on your farm?
Whom they do it with: See the “what people do” section above. Sometimes we have control on which team they get to work with and sometimes we don’t.
As we search for increased motivation in our employees, what type of freedom can we give our employees and the people that work with pigs? A majority of the tasks are routine, but can we help?
Pigs and People 