According to Statista, the average American household spends $503 on lawn care and gardening. The landscaping industry itself is on the rise; this is a pattern that’s developed over the past six years.
This information makes one thing very clear; there is plenty of room for profitability and success in the lawn care industry. However, there are some important things to be aware of in the lawn care industry.
Knowing how to find lawn care workers comes first. No lawn care industry can survive without employees. With that said, it all comes down to knowing how to find lawn care workers.
Advertise Effectively
Effective advertisement is so important when you need lawn care workers. For starters, you want to make the most of the internet. This means putting job ads on sites like Upwork, Facebook, or even Craigslist. In 2021, the internet is vital for advertising; also, you will want to make sure that your website is in order.
When you are seeking lawn care employees, your website needs to reflect this; hence, your lawn care website should have a job board set up. This will ultimately make sure that your business has a greater likelihood of reaching the right candidates.
Know What the Ideal Employee Looks Like
When you are in need of lawn care workers, it is also important to know what your ideal employee looks like. Do you need employees with residential lawn care skills or commercial lawn care skills? Also, is it necessary for your workers to have hard landscaping skills, soft landscaping skills, or both? These questions — along with others — are very important to consider.
When asked how he finds great workers, Pete Ciotti, the owner of successful lawn care business Ciotti Yard Maintenance, responded, “I look at a resume and I say, ‘Do they have actual direct experience for this type of work?’ I ask, ‘What do you know about planting trees? Can you name certain plants? When should you prune? Have you ever worked on a landscaping crew or used a chainsaw?’ From there, a good interviewer asks a series of questions to see if they’re going to be the right fit.”
At the end of the day, you want hired lawn care workers to stay on for quite some time; also, you want these employees to help your business thrive and grow. Knowing the necessary skills in your ideal employee matters; another matter of importance deals with the work ethic of the prospects for your lawn care business.
Are they punctual? Will your employees consistently meet the needs of the clientele? Are they reliable or will they constantly call out of work? Having the answers to these questions makes a difference; it will also greatly impact the success (or lack thereof) of your lawn care business.
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Conduct Interviews Properly
Effective advertising and knowing what your ideal employee looks like definitely plays a role in finding lawn care workers; however, conducting interviews in the proper manner also plays a critical role.
When you are preparing to interview prospective lawn care workers, you need to know what to ask them. This will greatly impact whether or not new hires turn out to be a great fit for the business. Knowing the right questions to ask is also sometimes referred to as a recruiting plan.
There are some important criteria for your recruiting plan; for instance, ask your lawn care applicants about their professional goals. Additional questions should center around skill sets and their other professional interests.
Asking questions of your prospective lawn care employees is undoubtedly paramount; so is getting references and running background checks. Many people can ace interviews and say the right things; although, a background check and references from former employees will give you a new perspective into your potential hires. Each of these steps are vital to ensuring that you find the best lawn care employees for your business.
Put Together an Employee Handbook
As you work to find lawn care workers, having an employee handbook in your arsenal will matter big time. There are many benefits to having an employee handbook; however, the best benefits of all become apparent as you search for lawn care employees.
An employee handbook helps you appeal to prospective lawn care workers who you may want to hire. With this tool, you can point out to potential hires why they should work for you and not the competition; an employee handbook also helps you clarify workplace protections, workplace benefits, your paid time off policy, and more. Also, when you have an employee handbook, answering questions that prospective hires may present to you becomes easier.
Network with Your Vendors
It can take time to find lawn care workers, especially when you are most in need of them. However, this is all the more reason to network with your vendors. Many lawn care workers forget about this; hence, they often miss a lot of great opportunities.
In most cases, your vendors will likely know about experienced locals in your industry looking for work. However, networking with your vendors does not happen overnight. It takes time and consistency. Some great ways to get the ball rolling include being nice to them and even doing small favors.
In time, this places you in a position to receive favors yourself. You can then ask if your vendors know of anyone looking for work in the lawn care business. You may ultimately be surprised at the outcome. With the rise of the landscaping industry, there may be more people looking for work in lawn care than you think. Always keep your options open.
Foster a Great Work Environment
When most people think about word of mouth, the experiences of customers come to mind; however, word of mouth can also benefit you in your quest to find lawn care workers. The quality of your workers’ environment will play a role in whether they continue to work for you; it will also impact what they say to their friends about your business.
Many people in 2021 are looking for you. By having a great work environment, you make your business appealing to people with the right skill sets in the landscaping business. Above-average wages (if possible) and the proper training of workers are awesome ways to set into motion a great work environment; also, you will want to make sure that your systems, equipment, and other necessary tools are up to date.
Even with the best of advertising, interviewing, and more, finding lawn care workers will ultimately take time; however, by following the six steps listed above, your search — and workforce — becomes a lot smoother and more effective.
2 comments
You made a good point that a good lawn care service advertises sufficiently. I’d like to know more about how to find such services because I’d like to make my grass look more even. Perhaps some special trimming techniques could help with that.