Customer reviews can make or break a company—but so can employee reviews, according to Maria Mayorga, director of sales at Coalmarch Productions, a digital marketing agency for service-based businesses. “The reviews give social proof to people applying to a company that it’s a great place to work,” says Mayorga, who has been working with firms in the lawn and pest... read more
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Serpico Landscaping has struggled to hire people—due in part to the region’s economic growth that has created some of the highest wages in the country. President Peter Novak says hiring and retention have been challenging for many years, but the struggle has intensified over the last several years. “Demand has driven wages way... read more
Two companies on the LM150 list of the largest landscape companies are in the news this month, getting coverage from their local media outlets about their labor challenges. The Greenery was featured in a story on WSAV about its struggle to hire in the resort town of Hilton Head Island, S.C. Limited affordable housing in this area has prompted the... read more
Congressional negotiators reached an agreement late Sunday on a spending bill that contains “limited H-2B cap relief,” according to an email alert from the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). If approved by the House and Senate and signed by President Trump before May 5, the bill will fund the government through the end of September. The bill provides the... read more
At a breakfast panel on Nov. 16 during the 2016 Landscape Management Lawn Care Forum, our group of experts weighed in on a burning question: “In each of your areas of expertise, what is the biggest mistake you see lawn care companies make?” Here’s how they responded. Karen Reardon—vice president of public affairs, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE) Area of expertise: pesticide and fertilizer policy... read more
Green industry members from across the Midwest converged on the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 11-13 for CENTS 2016, hosted by the Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association. Attendees struggling with labor issues had the opportunity to learn from the father-son team at The Bruce Co., which has mastered employee retention. The Wisconsin-based firm has employees that have served the... read more
