Rich Angelo, president and operations manager of Stay Green, Inc., a 200-employee landscape maintenance company in Valencia,
CA, is convinced that employee retention is tied to a company's leaders demonstrating strong ethical values. "Employees will
emulate those examples," he notes. Peter Sortwell, President and owner of Arborwell in San Francisco, adds, "Pay them well, recognize and reward them for their
contributions and listen to them." ("The East Bay Business Times" ranked Arborwell at number nine out of the 50 fastest growing
private companies in the East Bay region. The company has grown 181 percent in the past three years!) "I take my team skiing once a year," reports Tom Denker, owner of Evergreen Landscaping, Sun Valley, ID. "I think it is important
for my crews to experience this particular benefit while living and working in Sun Valley. I also try to be very responsive
to each employee's career goals." Chris Wick, CFO of Luke Brothers Landscape, Inc, a landscape maintenance and installation company with 350 employees, based
in Orlando, FL, believes the key factor in retaining key employees is building a solid working relationship with their direct
supervisors. "We stress the importance of approachability at all levels of management. All employees need to feel that their contributions
have value and contribute to the overall success of the company. Giving proper recognition for a job well done goes a long
way in creating a sense of loyalty to the company," says Wick. "We work hard to create a "teamwork" attitude. Our bonus structure is based on overall performance so employees are motivated
to work together for favorable results. The sense of camaraderie also creates a sense of loyalty." Even so, Wick concedes that to retain good employees in his Florida market his company has to provide a comprehensive benefits
package for its managers. With laborers, the hourly wage remains king. Companies that consistently keep valuable managers and employees do it by educating them to a common mission and incorporating
them into the total team effort. They give employees recognition and respect and offer them opportunities to gain new skills
and meet new challenges. Of course, they set guidelines that spell out what they expect from them, then monitor and measure
their progress. Let's not downplay the importance of competitive compensation, but you will drive employee loyalty if follow
the lead of these business pros. — The author specializes in recruiting and career counseling for the landscape industry. Contact her at christine@landscapecareersearch.com
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