Marisa PalmieriNov 3, 2023
Why—and how—some landscape companies are recruiting workers from Puerto Rico. Late last year, William Merkler was on vacation in Puerto Rico, thinking about how he would reconcile his landscape firm’s contracts with the new prevailing wage the Department of Labor…
LM StaffMar 29, 2016
In the March 2016 Editor's Note, Editor Marisa Palmieri highlighted an approach LM columnist Mel Kleiman recommends for recruiting new employees: the recruiting card. Potential employees are all around you, he says. Owners and managers struggling to find good workers…
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…
LM StaffNov 7, 2023
What one thing separates companies that are succeeding in recruitment from ones that aren't? Landscape Professionals Richard Bare Arbor-Nomics Turf Norcross, Ga. “You have to create an environment to draw the best and the brightest because people come in from…
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…
Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018
In a previous blog post, I jokingly referred to hiring zombies as a way to solve the labor shortage. I don’t actually think this the best solution, not only because zombies don’t exist, but also because the real solution isn’t…
We have decided to start hiring zombies. You see, we've done everything possible to find normal, living beings but they just aren’t available. So, we're going to go after a non-traditional population. The only issue with zombies is their preferred…
Very few green industry companies are not hiring. In other words, they're fully staffed with no openings. Most companies are actively looking for help, and many are desperately scrambling to just find anyone willing to work for them. This raises…
Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023
“There aren’t enough people interested in working in the cold, at night, plowing and shoveling snow. We’re worried about being able to perform the work we’ve sold. A similar problem exists on the green side, but at least the work…
To assess your company's recruiting strength, answer the following list of questions and make note of the questions you cannot answer in the affirmative. Is someone responsible for recruitment strategy and processes? Does your company proactively anticipate specific staffing needs?…
Jeffrey ScottNov 3, 2023
With H-2B on hold and the economy picking up steam, you need to proactively build a "steam engine" made up of good, hardworking local employees. Many companies find these folks in the Latino community. But you can't just post an…
Bruce WilsonNov 3, 2023
This year may well be a breakout. Economic indicators show a faster growth rate for business, credit markets are loosening up and data point to an increase in labor market momentum. With construction spending on the rise, more robust growth…
LM StaffNov 10, 2023
Registration is open for landscaping companies to attend Student Career Days (SCD), scheduled for March 12–15 at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C. Hosted by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), SCD brings together approximately 850 horticulture and landscape students…
Mel KleimanNov 3, 2023
If you were asked to come up with a list of the top 10 reasons excellent employees should want to work for you, could you do it? Would the first five reasons come easily and then you’d have to dig…
LM StaffFeb 27, 2023
The Davey Tree Expert Co. promoted Mark Noark to manager of recruiting and training. Noark started with Davey in 1984 and has worked in the field and the corporate office in his tenure. His field experience includes working in Davey’s…
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