The aim is, firstly, to establish the degree of discrepancy in the work experience and work preferences of the farm workers as regards leadership, motivation, communication, human relations, control and work performance in nine types of farm businesses over a wide area in the RSA. Second, the applicability and feasibility of the personnel management audit (PMA) in various types of businesses were evaluated. Nine PMAs were conducted with 239 farm workers in the Transvaal, Natal and the Orange Free State over the past five years. In general the workers are subject to consultative personnel management systems, but they prefer participative systems, which means that greater personnel management efficiency can be obtained in practice if the staff can attain more participation as regards leadership, motivation, communication, human relations, staff control and work performance. With the required adjustments, the PMA can be implemented in any farm business and applicable results can be obtained.