UK agriculture has made remarkable strides in productivity, efficiency, and technological innovation. However, certain aspects can be outdated on some farms - like livestock handling and welfare standards – which is where people management and forward-thinking leadership could help.

How people treat animals is directly influenced by how farm leaders manage and support their teams, says Paul Harris, managing director at Real Success.

"When leadership focuses purely on compliance - ensuring employees meet minimum welfare requirements but failing to cultivate a shared sense of responsibility - gaps can lead to mistreatment, neglect, and reputational risk," he explains. "Instead, embedding a culture of high welfare standards across the farm feeds through to every aspect of daily operations."

The difference between compliance and culture

A compliance-based approach to animal welfare centres on adherence to legal requirements and assurance schemes. "While this provides an essential baseline, it often fosters a 'tick-box' mentality, where employees view welfare as an obligation rather than a fundamental principle," says Mr Harris. "In contrast, a cultural approach goes beyond meeting set standards - it instils a mindset where animal care is intrinsic to every action on the farm."

On farms that take a cultural approach, good welfare practices are reinforced through training, leadership, and an ethos prioritising animal respect. This means ensuring that every staff member - regardless of role or experience - understands the welfare standards and why they matter. "Leaders must model the right behaviours, provide ongoing education, and foster an environment where speaking up about concerns is encouraged rather than feared."

Ensuring livestock are never mistreated

Creating a culture of high welfare begins with how employees are recruited, trained, and managed. Employers must ensure that:

• Hiring practices reflect farm values: The right people must be selected from the outset, and recruitment should focus on skills as well as an individual's attitude towards animals.
• Training is ongoing and practical: Staff need regular, hands-on training in animal behaviour, handling techniques, and stress reduction methods. This training should be refreshed regularly to prevent complacency.
• Leadership is proactive, not reactive: Farm owners and managers should lead by example, demonstrating best practices and immediately addressing welfare concerns.
• Workloads are manageable: Overworked and fatigued employees are more likely to make mistakes or take shortcuts that could compromise welfare. Staff welfare and animal welfare go hand-in-hand.

Encouraging a culture of reporting

One of the most critical aspects of embedding high welfare standards is creating an environment where employees can report concerns without fear of retaliation.

Employers should put precise reporting mechanisms in place, like:

• Anonymous reporting options for employees who may fear backlash.
• Open-door policies, where staff are encouraged to raise concerns without judgment.
• Third-party auditing, ensuring an external perspective is available to monitor welfare conditions.
• Recognition and reward for employees who uphold high welfare standards, reinforcing positive behaviours.

Consumers, retailers, and processors increasingly scrutinise farming practices, and farms that fail to prioritise animal welfare risk losing market access and consumer trust.

"A cultural approach to welfare is not just about protecting the industry's reputation; it is about ensuring its long-term sustainability," says Mr Harris. "The next generation of farm workers and managers must grow up in a farming environment where high welfare standards are the norm, not an expectation imposed from the outside."

Farm owners and managers must lead with vision, ensuring their teams understand that how they treat livestock defines the farm's success. "By embedding welfare as a core value rather than a compliance requirement, UK agriculture can build a skilled workforce that is deeply invested in the well-being of the animals in its care.

"If UK farming is to remain a world leader in livestock production, it must ensure that any outdated attitudes towards animal treatment are left in the past," says Mr Harris. "The industry has embraced technological innovation, and it must do the same for cultural change.  Our livestock's welfare, our people and the industry's success depend on it."

For more information, visit: https://real-success.co.uk/