LM EAB: October 2021

Graphic: LM Staff

What’s one solution landscapers can use to help crack the labor issue?

Landscape Professionals

Paul Fraynd
Sun Valley Landscaping
Omaha, Neb.

“Money talks in this market. We have raised our pay rates, doubled our referral bonus and offered significant sign-on bonuses. Improving our onboarding and training program have also helped provide a better employee experience from day one.”

Jerry McKay
McKay Landscape Lighting
Omaha, Neb.

“Continue to advertise online for your openings. Do research to find out what phase or keywords might work to attract the right people.”

Bryan Stolz
Winterberry Landscape & Garden Center
Southington, Conn.

“Focus more on retention than recruitment. One of the aspects of the current labor market is drastically increased churn, which can actually be a positive if you have strong retention. Lots of professionals are out there looking for their next opportunity, so if you can get your negative churn lower than your competitors, the current labor market can present an opportunity to actually strengthen your employee base. Those employees retained because they’re happy will also become your best recruiters out in the market.”

Industry Consultants

Marty Grunder
The Grow Group
Dayton, Ohio

“There is no one solution; it’s a multiprong approach. Look for all sorts of ways to keep your people engaged and challenged at work; give them financial reasons to want to join your firm and stay; and provide them an organized, open and safe environment where they can see a path to fulfillment at work. “Closely analyze where your best people come from, find out why they stay and do more of that.”

Phil Harwood
Grow the Bench
Grand Rapids, Mich.

“Make larger investments in professional development leading to long-term careers in our industry.”

Kevin Kehoe
3PG Consulting
Laguna, Calif.

“Slow the rate of growth by focusing on profits, and the way to do that is to raise prices. It is very hard to get a recruiting advantage. Pay what the market will bear on labor, cleanse the bad customers, and grow slower and raise prices.”

Jeffrey Scott
Jeffrey Scott Consulting
New Orleans, La.

“The best companies are fully staffed because they have become a Destination Company, and they promote it heavily on social media. The owner should prioritize their time (25 percent) to building culture, employee retention and recruiting in order to crack the labor issue.”