Cultivating a workplace that delivers for farmers
AGCO’s record performance in 2023 underscores the effectiveness of our Farmer-First strategy. That effectiveness depends on our nearly 28,000 employees around the world. This team comes to work every day fully committed to putting our Farmers First, innovating to create outstanding products and services for them and working together to maximize results.
As we continue to expand our technology-based offering, it is critical that we bring together the brightest minds to sustainably deliver solutions that will help farmers optimize both yields and profitability. During 2023, we opened a second acceleration center in the U.S. dedicated to software and electronics development in autonomy, precision ag, artificial intelligence and digital products. Located at Arizona State University’s SkySong Innovation Campus, the center is positioned to attract more of the top talent needed to help us build our expanding tech stack and advance agriculture for the benefit of everyone.
Once we attract talented people, we must retain and invest in them. One program designed with this goal in mind is CATALYST, our early-career, new-hire rotational program, where recent graduates are hired as employees and rotate through several business areas to ensure well-rounded exposure and overall development. Likewise, our award-winning Leadership Excellence Acceleration Program (LEAP) helps ensure we have the right people with the right skills in the right roles at the right time. Through a combination of on-the-job experience, knowledge from others and structured learning, LEAP provides managers and leaders the opportunity to build skills and prepare for career growth.
Pioneering advancements in agriculture and technology also require us to look beyond our walls. To create a more diverse and inclusive agriculture industry, we’re expanding our talent pipeline and collaborating with industry and community partners. Currently, the AGCO Agriculture Foundation partners with Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences to advance opportunities for minority professionals in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences. As part of the program, the Foundation grants $80,000 annually for three years1 to fund internships and scholarship opportunities and supports AGCO in hiring talent from underrepresented groups. The Foundation’s scholarship program provides opportunities to intern at AGCO and is tailored for students from underrepresented groups who have expressed an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Investing in our talent also involves ensuring the health and wellbeing of our employees and their families is paramount. We offer a holistic suite of wellbeing tools that span physical wellness, mental fitness, social connection, financial security and work-life balance. To ensure we’re actively listening to our employees, in 2023 we initiated a global wellbeing survey and have already begun to deliver on initial feedback through the introduction of global monthly toolkits, which are customizable and translatable for different audiences, and address key health topics.
AGCO strives to be the investment of choice, the partner of choice and the employer of choice, and we are making great strides in transforming our culture to cultivate a dynamic, engaging workplace where all employees are empowered to deliver on our vision and embody our Cultural Beliefs – Farmer First, Team Up! and Speak Up!. In 2023, we integrated these Cultural Beliefs into processes and systems across the business such as goal setting, performance reviews, talent acquisition and ways of working. Over 10,000 employees attended culture workshops and, from quarter three onwards, all new hires are now enrolled in our New Employee Onboarding Network where they will enjoy the chance to connect with peers and leaders across the business. Nearly 23,000 employees shared their voice in our annual employee engagement survey, with 88% saying they are proud to work for AGCO or its brands and 76% saying they would recommend AGCO as a great place to work. Both survey results and retention rates tell us that our employees are engaged and proud of their commitment to putting Farmers First and playing a role in ensuring a more food-secure and sustainable world.
- Beginning in 2022
