A Landscaping Pro's Guide to Retaining Employees

As a professional landscaper, you know the importance of creating a reliable & skilled team of workers. However, retaining quality employees in the seasonal landscaping industry can be a challenge. To ensure consistent results and continue building a reputation in your community, it's crucial to create a company culture that people are happy to be a part of. The list of employee satisfaction tactics may be never-ending, but as you know, it’s always a good idea to look for ways to improve employee happiness. To get you started, consider implementing these strategies when trying to keep staff on board:

Create a culture where employees feel comfortable & supported

• Pair new hires with experienced employees that can help the learning process. They can absorb information on the job, form connections, and enjoy working with a new mentor!
• Recognize & show appreciation for your staff’s hard work, such as an employee of the month or a worker of the week program
• If workers have to stay late, find out what you can do to support them, even if you have to roll up your sleeves & do some dirty work!
• Provide opportunities for employee input & feedback, like regular performance evaluations or suggestion boxes
• Ensure management equally values initiatives that align with business objectives – Their enthusiasm will inspire workers to contribute to the company's success

Help employees create a roadmap for career growth & opportunities

• Openly share details about your own career path - Sharing the steps you’ve taken to get to your current role can help inspire employees to think about their own professional journey
• Offer guidance for career growth opportunities & advancement within the company
• Be transparent with staff about your business’ overall goals, challenges, and decisions that may affect their work
• Establish clear expectations & standards for employee performance. Then provide feedback or coaching to encourage your staff & help them in areas that could use improvement
• Provide regular training & development to improve individual skillsets and increase engagement

Improve job satisfaction by giving your staff tools to succeed

• Provide regular, consistent work to minimize downtime & employment uncertainty
• There’s only so many hours in a workday, but make sure that there is sufficient time set aside for water breaks, lunch, and other essential pauses for workers to refresh & recharge
• Invest in quality equipment & tools to help workers perform more productively & effectively
• Create a safe work environment that includes adequate safety equipment, water, and shade
• Workplace Camaraderie is vital to employee success - Present opportunities for staff to build relationships, such as team building activities or company outings & events

Present options & opportunities for a great work-life balance

• Offer flexible scheduling & work arrangements including part-time/seasonal work or job sharing
• Respect and support employees' personal time & needs for themselves and/or their loved ones
• Launch overtime incentives like added compensation, late starts, or opportunities to leave early
• On holidays, give staff holiday pay or a day off, especially if you take the day off yourself!
• Establish family outings to enjoy activities with your real family as well as your work family. Try bowling, an escape room, or attending a sporting event or movie – Ask for ideas & get creative!

Retaining quality employees all year long requires effort & commitment, but your dedication can certainly pay off in the long run. There is no "one-size-fits-all" method, but it's always important to listen to your hard-working employees because they can make or break your business. At the end of the day, happy employees make happy customers!

See Part 1 of our blog – A Landscaping Pro’s Guide to Recruiting – for helpful tips to keep in mind if you’re having trouble hiring quality employees in the first place!