Cape Cod landscape companies—even the ones that don’t rely on H-2B workers—are singing the labor shortage blues. “It’s nuts,” Bob Maffei, owner of Maffei Landscape Contractors in Mashpee, told the Cape Cod Times, referring to the difficulty of finding workers. “We knew it was going to be challenging this year.” Delays in H-2B visa applications have been widely reported across the U.S.... read more
Retain ’em with tech Austin, Texas, is known as a tech hub—and that fact isn’t lost on Ben Collinsworth, CEO of Native Land Design, based there. When it comes to foremen, account managers and other management roles, Collinsworth focuses on not hiring just anyone but hiring the best. He has an excellent pool of candidates for manager positions, thanks to... read more
To recruit and retain workers, smart landscape companies leverage culture, compensation and technology. Every morning, Chris Joyce greets every one of his employees. He stands in the parking lot, shakes their hands and says “hello” to each member of the team, which amounts to about 140 people in the summertime. “I’ve been doing it since when I started and only... read more
As I researched and reported on our cover story about the labor shortage in the landscape industry—and all service industries, really—I put in a call to our resident HR expert, our quarterly Business Basics: People columnist, Mel Kleiman. He’s known for his practical advice on recruiting and retaining frontline associates, and he helps employers all over the country address these... read more
Lower fuel prices help companies keep costs under control. Most is quiet on the expenses front for landscape professionals. Although industry members expect an overall operating cost increase of 11 percent—on par with what they reported for last year—they seem to be at ease thanks to fuel price relief. “I bought gas today for $1.95,” says Steve Biernacki, general manager... read more
LCOs from our 2015 Lawn Care Forum, including Chris Joyce of Joyce Landscaping; Luke Hawthorne of Emerald Lawns; and Dayna Wagner of Fit Turf, talk about business challenges they’ve faced in 2015. Find out how they’ve solved issues of employee retention and expansion. read more
