Addressing Biosecurity Compliance Through Data: A Swine Industry Case Study

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When it comes to biosecurity control measures, they usually fall into two categories: ones that depend on people, called administrative measures, and ones that don’t, called engineered measures. Administrative measures include items like standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training programs. The swine industry’s biosecurity control measures rely heavily on their workers, and there are significant economic impacts related to disease outbreaks when these measures are not followed.

When it comes to biosecurity control measures, they usually fall into two categories: ones that depend on people, called administrative measures, and ones that don’t, called engineered measures. Administrative measures include items like standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training programs. The swine industry’s biosecurity control measures rely heavily on their workers, and there are significant economic impacts related to disease outbreaks when these measures are not followed.

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So, when the Swine Health Information Center issued a call for proposals in 2023, they specifically focused on research that would “… help understand worker motivation to consistently execute biocontainment and/or bioexclusion protocols.” Although significant resources are often allocated to SOPs and training workers in the correct implementation of control measures, until then there had been very little focus on understanding the motivations and obstacles that influence worker behavior. No previous research literature existed on worker motivation within this industry. A search of the farm/agriculture/veterinary medicine publications then did not yield any research focused on worker motivation or involving the application of psychological theory or principles to the industry. In other words, very little had been done to assess whether workers could do the work or were motivated to do the work. Talent development professionals know that many factors can affect a worker’s ability to do the job, even after they’ve been trained to do it.

So, when the Swine Health Information Center issued a call for proposals in 2023, they specifically focused on research that would “… help understand worker motivation to consistently execute biocontainment and/or bioexclusion protocols.” Although significant resources are often allocated to SOPs and training workers in the correct implementation of control measures, until then there had been very little focus on understanding the motivations and obstacles that influence worker behavior. No previous research literature existed on worker motivation within this industry. A search of the farm/agriculture/veterinary medicine publications then did not yield any research focused on worker motivation or involving the application of psychological theory or principles to the industry. In other words, very little had been done to assess whether workers could do the work or were motivated to do the work. Talent development professionals know that many factors can affect a worker’s ability to do the job, even after they’ve been trained to do it.

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Thus, when Talent Metrics Consulting’s Michael Chetta, PhD, took up this project, he was pioneering a novel application of psychological principles to the US swine industry. This study is a milestone in the industry, aiming to explore whether worker motivation affects biosecurity compliance and, if so, to establish a baseline for motivation levels and gain insights into the key influencing factors.

Thus, when Talent Metrics Consulting’s Michael Chetta, PhD, took up this project, he was pioneering a novel application of psychological principles to the US swine industry. This study is a milestone in the industry, aiming to explore whether worker motivation affects biosecurity compliance and, if so, to establish a baseline for motivation levels and gain insights into the key influencing factors.

Approach

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To understand complex behaviors and identify the root causes of the issue, data is essential. Data provides an objective view of what is really happening, builds trust with stakeholders, and enables tailored interventions. Data goes beyond just explaining the problem—it helps to test theoretical models in real-world settings.

To understand complex behaviors and identify the root causes of the issue, data is essential. Data provides an objective view of what is really happening, builds trust with stakeholders, and enables tailored interventions. Data goes beyond just explaining the problem—it helps to test theoretical models in real-world settings.

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Talent Metrics used an exploratory approach to designing this study. A survey was conducted of employees and contractors who serve as caretakers across five pork production companies in the USA. A total of 139 caretakers participated. The survey was available in English and Spanish and contained 52 items, mostly using Likert-style response scales.

Talent Metrics used an exploratory approach to designing this study. A survey was conducted of employees and contractors who serve as caretakers across five pork production companies in the USA. A total of 139 caretakers participated. The survey was available in English and Spanish and contained 52 items, mostly using Likert-style response scales.

Measuring With Theories

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This study drew on two important frameworks to understand the factors influencing worker behaviors: Icek Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior and Demerouti’s Job Demands/Resources (JD-R) Model of Burnout . The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how a worker’s intention to comply with measures is influenced by attitude towards the behavior, subjective norms (perceived social pressure to comply), and perceived behavioral control (the perception of how easy or difficult it is to perform the behavior). JD-R helps consider how job demands like workload or time pressure and job resources like feedback and autonomy interact and influence behaviors. This model is particularly useful for assessing whether workers are motivated to perform a behavior but face barriers that prevent them from following through.

This study drew on two important frameworks to understand the factors influencing worker behaviors: Icek Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior and Demerouti’s Job Demands/Resources (JD-R) Model of Burnout. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how a worker’s intention to comply with measures is influenced by attitude towards the behavior, subjective norms (perceived social pressure to comply), and perceived behavioral control (the perception of how easy or difficult it is to perform the behavior). JD-R helps consider how job demands like workload or time pressure and job resources like feedback and autonomy interact and influence behaviors. This model is particularly useful for assessing whether workers are motivated to perform a behavior but face barriers that prevent them from following through.

Insights From Data Analysis

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Analysis of the survey showed that caretakers value biosecurity and feel motivated to comply, but their perception of their ability to comply correctly was only moderately positive. The caretakers generally perceive their supervisors and coworkers as compliant and experience moderate positive social pressure to comply. However, they feel the recognition for compliance falls short. While most caretakers reported positive behaviors around biosecurity, open-ended responses revealed some recurring barriers. The most common explanation was a lack of ability, understanding, or perceived value of biosecurity. The second most common explanation was that perfect compliance is not possible due to incompatibility with other tasks, environmental factors such as building layout, or the belief that other workers are compromising biosecurity, rendering personal compliance worthless.

Analysis of the survey showed that caretakers value biosecurity and feel motivated to comply, but their perception of their ability to comply correctly was only moderately positive. The caretakers generally perceive their supervisors and coworkers as compliant and experience moderate positive social pressure to comply. However, they feel the recognition for compliance falls short. While most caretakers reported positive behaviors around biosecurity, open-ended responses revealed some recurring barriers. The most common explanation was a lack of ability, understanding, or perceived value of biosecurity. The second most common explanation was that perfect compliance is not possible due to incompatibility with other tasks, environmental factors such as building layout, or the belief that other workers are compromising biosecurity, rendering personal compliance worthless.

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The JD-R section of the survey results indicated that physical workload and demanding contact with livestock were recognized as the most costly job demands. Supervisor support emerged as the strongest job resource, closely followed by caretakers' autonomy while working. Lack of rewards was identified as the least supportive job resource. The data also indicates that workers experienced burnout , as expressed through exhaustion and disengagement.

The JD-R section of the survey results indicated that physical workload and demanding contact with livestock were recognized as the most costly job demands. Supervisor support emerged as the strongest job resource, closely followed by caretakers' autonomy while working. Lack of rewards was identified as the least supportive job resource. The data also indicates that workers experienced burnout, as expressed through exhaustion and disengagement.

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Overall, the results indicate that worker motivation is unlikely to be the primary issue in the swine industry. However, reliability challenges with the study’s measures prevent the findings from conclusively ruling out motivation as an influential factor.

Overall, the results indicate that worker motivation is unlikely to be the primary issue in the swine industry. However, reliability challenges with the study’s measures prevent the findings from conclusively ruling out motivation as an influential factor.

Path Forward

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This novel study successfully provided critical insight into the swine industry and the caretaker's role. Understanding which methods, models, measures, and items worked as expected and which did not is valuable for improving the quality of data collected and will be used in a redesigned version of this study and in any future research relevant to the topic and field.

This novel study successfully provided critical insight into the swine industry and the caretaker's role. Understanding which methods, models, measures, and items worked as expected and which did not is valuable for improving the quality of data collected and will be used in a redesigned version of this study and in any future research relevant to the topic and field.

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While the caretakers seemed to know what needed to be done to care for the animals, they still needed to be motivated to complete the necessary tasks. When designing interventions for this population of learners , we need to consider not only the material that must be covered, in this case, biosecurity measures, but also motivational aspects. Instructional designers often consider issues of reading level and content clarity, but it behooves instructional designers to consider transfer issues by including motivating factors into the design of the training and potentially the way the work is done in the field.

While the caretakers seemed to know what needed to be done to care for the animals, they still needed to be motivated to complete the necessary tasks. When designing interventions for this population of learners, we need to consider not only the material that must be covered, in this case, biosecurity measures, but also motivational aspects. Instructional designers often consider issues of reading level and content clarity, but it behooves instructional designers to consider transfer issues by including motivating factors into the design of the training and potentially the way the work is done in the field.

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In this situation, training transfer, defined as the use of learned behaviors on the job, is especially important for the swine industry. Understanding factors such as stress, burnout, and situational constraints, including time pressure on the job, can be important for improving the biosecurity of the swine industry. Other industries should also consider what factors affect their employees. Motivated employees can only work as hard as their jobs demand.

In this situation, training transfer, defined as the use of learned behaviors on the job, is especially important for the swine industry. Understanding factors such as stress, burnout, and situational constraints, including time pressure on the job, can be important for improving the biosecurity of the swine industry. Other industries should also consider what factors affect their employees. Motivated employees can only work as hard as their jobs demand.