Commentary
An exploratory study conducted to establish a baseline for worker motivation and to identify the primary factors that could be affecting biosecurity compliance in swine operations showed motivation is not the problem. Biosecurity compliance is influenced by job resources, availability of performance feedback and rewards.
The preliminary study discoveries should be important not only to swine producers, but to dairy, equine, kennel, cattery and boarding biosecurity efforts. Swine production biosecurity efforts are generally more advanced compared to other animal production and housing efforts.
Source: National Hog Farmer, June 21, 2024. Link.
. . . the analyses suggest workers are heavily impacted in doing their work and adhering to biosecurity protocols by physical workload and demanding contact with animals.”
INSIGHTS: Biosecurity protocols add more complexity to the jobs workers are tasked to complete in environments where getting things done quickly and efficiently is standard practice.
Related perspective: In a parallel healthcare setting, simple hand hygiene compliance prior to the Covid-19 pandemic was something hospitals struggled with. Research showed an average 50 percent compliance rate for hand hygiene among hospital care staff. With healthcare workers hyperaware, the rates of hand hygiene generally went up during the pandemic. Not yet ‘there’ hand hygiene compliance rates remain challenging.