Remote Work: Is it the future?

During the Covid issues over the last couple of years, our office stayed open every day. We kept working, I never missed a day at the office, and my wife is very thankful for that! I am one person who would not do well working remotely. The distractions of home projects, lawn work, and other things that need done would constantly be calling my name. My focus would be reduced and there would likely be a bit of ADD injected into my system. I truly need separation of my work and my home.

Clearly, we have learned that people are different. At AGRI-SEARCH, we had people in our company who worked remote when remote wasn’t cool. Today, half of our team is remote and located in four different states. Software and technology improvements have made this not only possible, but highly successful. I remember not that many years back when there was absolutely no way this would have worked.

Today, companies must be smart and evaluate what it is you do for your customers, the different ways you can do it, what your people want, and what your possibilities are to get the work done. No “one size fits all” approach is possible. Leadership must be realistic (and honest) for the sake of both the customers and the people on your team in sorting out what reality can look like.

My wife is a nurse who is passionate about caring for people who are sick. She was forced to work remote for a couple of months, and she, too, found that to be miserable. It is hard to care for a sick patient over a computer screen. Our story is one of millions. The world has changed. We must embrace the change, find out what works, and keep loving what we do.

To gain more insight into remote work, read Brad Jansen’s article, "Remote Work: Is it the Future?" elsewhere in this newsletter.

3891 Sales and Location Manager - Central Illinois

Sales and Location Manager is needed for an established agronomy retail facility in central Illinois with a variety of crops, customers and multi-faceted responsibilities. This is a full-time role with a premier agronomy company known for its ability to get the job done quickly and accurately.

5780 Ag Cooperative General Manager - Ohio

Well-established and financially strong multi-division Ohio cooperative is seeking a General Manager who is a visionary and strategic leader. In this role, you will bring positive energy and the capability to think with a long-term view while forecasting, planning, and implementing ongoing change.

4115 Agricultural & Farm Accounting Tax Partner - United States

Manage and drive the success of multiple engagements on a national scale. Your client base will range from mid-level size companies to companies with over one billion in sales. A creative, entrepreneurial spirit, excellent management and supervisory skills and a high level of analytical and organizational capabilities are needed for success. You will lead the development and execution of the firm’s growth strategies in addition to promoting the firm’s brand and abilities.

5790 Grain Location Superintendent - Northern IL

A thriving grain company offers a great opportunity in northern Illinois for a highly motivated up-and-coming leader with grain handling experience to serve as a hands-on Grain Location Superintendent.

5776 Location Manager - Indiana

Highly successful grain company is seeking a Location Manager to guide merchandising, operations, and profitability of a large rail terminal in Indiana. The ideal candidate will be a seasoned grain professional with experience in both Operations and Merchandising. Located within a larger metropolitan commuting range, you will have great options for living in a rural or suburban setting.

2065 Regional Sales - Sales Manager - Ag Equipment - Southeastern US

A worldwide leader in the manufacturing of indoor environment management equipment is seeking a Regional Sales Manager for its southeast United States territory. The company specializes in serving the livestock and indoor farming industries by supplying state-of-the-art technology for heating and cooling.

5785 Ingredient Sales - Kansas City

A successful and growing western US feed company is seeking an Ingredient Sales professional. This position is responsible for marketing straight ingredients to beef producers in the Oklahoma/Arkansas region.

3911 Lead Agronomy Precision Manager - Northern Illinois

Full-service agronomy company is seeking a Lead Agronomy Precision Manager for this key, multi-faceted role. You will work directly with farmers and salespeople selling additional precision services and be the lead resource for technology in the business. Your goal is to build a profitable precision sector. BS in agronomy or agribusiness and a successful record in developing or implementing agronomy technology are required.

5769 Grain Origination / Merchandising / Ops Role - Northern Illinois

Thriving northern Illinois grain company is seeking a valued team member who wants to learn all aspects of the grain business and be a part of a very family-oriented atmosphere. Ideal for an Operations professional who wants to learn all aspects of the grain business.

5784 Grain Origination & Merchandising Manager - Indiana

Indiana grain processing company with an extensive record of success is looking for an Origination & Merchandising Manager who is passionate about talking to farmers and buying grain, and desires to manage the origination and merchandising programs for this key facility.

5777 Operations Manager - Indiana

Highly successful grain company is seeking an Operations Manager for one of their fast-paced locations. The right candidate will have experience in grain facility management. Experience should include managing employees and solid mechanical knowledge. You will also be responsible for blending, inventory, minor projects, and safety. The successful candidate should be a self-starter and be highly motivated.

5783 River Grain Facility Manager - Kentucky

Outstanding grain company is seeking a River Facility Manager focusing on operations for their Kentucky river terminal.

1061 Service Manager - Ag / Turf Equipment - Southwest Illinois

Equipment service managerial role in southwestern Illinois for an ag equipment and turf dealership. Responsible for the day-to-day operations and overseeing 15 direct reports, you will have many responsibilities; priorities may change depending upon the day or season. Prefer a minimum five years of experience working in a service technician type role. John Deere experience is desired.

Remote work and labor shortages: they seem to be the hot topics in today’s workplace. March of 2020 brought about the perfect storm of necessity and the technological ability to test if remote work was viable. There was no trial run. Remote work was instantly thrust into action by a virus. In-person meetings were replaced with virtual. The classroom was replaced with video calls. Zoom stock was up over 800% from January to October 2020. Many offices were closed for as long as two years. COVID-19 changed the landscape of the workplace seemingly overnight. The office, commercial space and the commute were now ancient relics. Dinosaurs, gone forever, right? Well not exactly.

Before March of 2020, a measly 1.5% of US jobs were remote. Two years later about 10% of the US workforce is fully remote and about 35% are hybrid remote (some days in office and some days remote). It sounds great right? Roll out of bed and begin the long commute to your basement desk in your pajamas. What could be better? Many employees agree and are seeking the remote option in a big way. While there are several advantages to be gained in your personal life from remote work, it’s not all roses. Because it is more difficult to effectively communicate remotely, (whether Zoom, email, or calls) the number of meetings is increasing. Not only that, but anyone starting a new job has a much bigger learning curve being in isolation. Many remote and hybrid workers feel like they are in some sort of work purgatory. People in hybrid situations find themselves making a commute to a half-empty office, just to sit on a Zoom call. Many complain of simply missing the daily human interaction and others claim that it is negatively impacting mental health.

Do you have the grit to not give up and stay true to the course, no matter how difficult it may be? Are you competitive and possess a strong sales mentality where every “no” is just one step closer to a “yes”?

If so, and you have a passion for connecting with and helping people, plus a strong agricultural industry background in agronomy, grain, or other areas, please contact Dave Allen. We would enjoy having a discussion with you about how a recruiting career may be a great fit for you.

Founded in 1995, AGRI-SEARCH is a professional recruiting firm providing clients with customized recruiting solutions in various niches within the agricultural industry. Our success results from our industry focus, our specialized approach to recruiting, and our staff's lifelong roots in, dedication to, and vast understanding and knowledge of the agricultural industry.

At AGRI-SEARCH, our mission states that we “are committed to serving the agricultural industry with integrity, passion and excellence by assisting our candidates to reach their career goals and helping our client companies build successful teams.”