According to Statista, the average American household spends $503 on lawn care and gardening. The landscaping industry itself is on the rise, with the market size of landscaping services hitting a total of 170 billion U.S. dollars in 2022; this rise 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.
The industry thrives on a strong workforce. No lawn care business can survive without employees. In fact, in the 2022 report by Statista, there were approximately 914,000 landscaping and groundskeeping workers in the United States. So, finding and retaining qualified employees is crucial for success in this field.
This article will explore effective strategies for attracting top talent and building a strong, reliable workforce for your lawn care business.
How to Find Lawn Care Employees
As earlier noted, finding and retaining reliable, skilled lawn care workers is critical for the success of any landscaping business. So, let’s quickly look at the ways to find lawn care workers easily:
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 the 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 after the onboarding process; 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 before you start hiring makes a difference; it will also greatly impact the success (or lack thereof) of your lawn care business.
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Put Together an Employee Handbook
As you work to hire lawn care employees, 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.
Conduct Interviews Properly
Knowing what your ideal employee looks like and having an employee handbook play a role in how you can find 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 a new employee 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 during the hiring process should center around skill sets and their other professional interests.
As business owners, 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 employers will give you a new perspective on your potential hires. Each of these steps is vital to ensuring that you find the best landscape employees for your business.
Advertise Effectively
Effective advertisement is so important when you need a new lawn care worker. For starters, to get a job seeker, you want to make the most of the internet. This means putting job ads on sites like Upwork, Facebook, or even Craigslist. In 2024, 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.
Network with Your Vendors
It can take time to find the right 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 pros 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 to help you find lawn care workers.
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 2024 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.
Tap into Your Team’s Network
Another great way to hire landscaping employees is through your current employees. Think about it – your team knows what it takes to succeed in your lawn care and landscaping business, and they probably know people who’d be a great fit to bring onboard. With a great work environment in place, setting up an employee referral program can be a win-win situation. It can save you time and money on recruitment and onboarding. It can also make your employees feel more invested in the company.
There are lots of ways to reward referrals. You could offer cash bonuses, gift cards, extra vacation days, or even create a tiered system based on the experience of the new hire. Just make sure to communicate the program clearly, keep the process simple, and follow through with rewards promptly.
Streamline Your Operations
Nobody likes a disorganized workplace. Using time-tracking software can make your lawn care business run smoother and more efficiently. This not only makes your life easier but also makes your company more attractive to potential hires.
Good time-tracking software can help with payroll, job costing, project tracking, and making sure you’re complying with labor laws. Plus, if employees can clock in and out using their smartphones, it shows you’re up-to-date with technology.
Invest in Your Team’s Growth
As earlier pointed out, people want to work for companies that invest in their development. Offering training and growth opportunities can be a huge draw for potential hires and can help you keep your best workers.
Mix up your training methods to keep things interesting. You could do on-the-job training, classroom sessions, online courses, or even help employees get industry certifications. And don’t forget to create clear career paths – it gives your team something to work towards.
Offer Competitive Pay and Benefits
Let’s be real – money talks. Make sure you’re offering competitive wages by researching what other lawn care companies in your area are paying. But don’t stop there. A good benefits package can really set you apart.
Think about offering health insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, and maybe even some unique perks like discounts with local businesses or flexible scheduling options. Show your team that you value them, and they’ll be more likely to stick around.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
In today’s world, social media is a powerful tool for finding new hires. Use platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to showcase your company culture, highlight employee success stories, and post job openings.
Don’t just post and forget, though. Engage with your audience, respond to comments and messages, and encourage your current employees to share job postings. You could even create short video job descriptions to give potential hires a better feel for what it’s like to work for you. That’s a good way to find potential employees.
Conclusion
Finding and retaining skilled lawn care workers is critical yet challenging in the growing landscaping industry. With low unemployment and high turnover, companies must utilize creative recruitment and retention strategies. This includes clearly defining your ideal employee, conducting effective interviews, advertising broadly, networking with vendors, fostering a positive work culture, leveraging employee referrals, streamlining operations with lawn care software, investing in training and growth opportunities, offering competitive compensation, harnessing social media, and more. Taking a multifaceted approach allows you to attract talented candidates, select the best fit, motivate and engage your team, and reduce turnover over time. With the right workers powering your lawn care business, you’ll be well-equipped to capitalize on the industry’s continued expansion. The effort to build a stellar team pays dividends through increased productivity, top-notch service delivery, enhanced reputation, and, ultimately, profitability.
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.