How to retain lawn company employees for next season

Posted on:Jul 5, 2023

Hiring and retaining talent in the landscape industry is a perennial challenge—and the labor market is especially tough now, with companies struggling to find great workers to keep up with the demand for lawn care services. You can grow your business only if you have team members to maintain new properties. In many cases, owners get stuck because there is demand for their services but not enough crew members to deliver quality results.

Also, when there’s employee turnover, you lose productivity. According to a HubSpot report, lost productivity costs U.S. businesses $1.8 trillion annually. Turnover can impact customer retention, too. If quality slides as you look to fill empty roles, clients might decide the grass is greener with a competitor.

We know retaining a great worker costs less than recruiting and onboarding a new employee. According to Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) data, the average cost per hire is $4,700, and your total hiring cost can be much more.  

By retaining lawn care company employees, you can reinvest the dollars you would spend looking for new hires into other business operations. And at the very least, you’ll have fewer holes to fill and can focus on expanding your team without shuffling to restaff due to turnover. 

Here are some strategies for retaining your lawn care company employees for next season.

Career Pathways—Show Potential Opportunities

Ultimately, great people stay on board when they know there’s a career path—they see a future and understand their role is much more than making tall grass short. When asked why they quit their jobs, 63% of respondents to a Pew Research study said low pay and no opportunities for advancement. 

Provide continuing education opportunities by connecting with vendors and your equipment dealer for training tailgate huddles. Industry association conferences allow lawn care employees to connect with others in their field and learn the latest best practices. There is a plethora of online training tools and videos, as well. Explain how enhancing skills can help employees advance in your company. 

>>Tip: Document what a career path can look like at your business and how taking on new responsibilities results in promotions and pay increases. 

Take Care Of Your People—Offer Benefits

Benefits like health insurance and paid time off (PTO) rank high on job-seeking priorities. By taking care of your people, they’ll also take care of your business. The Pew Research study showed that 43% of respondents left an employer because the benefits weren’t good enough. Yes, benefits are expensive, but it’s an investment in recruiting and retaining talent. Because benefits are not necessarily an industry standard, offering them is a way to stand out among competitors as an employer of choice. 

>>Tip: Communicate the benefits you offer and spell out the total compensation package so employees understand the value. 

Say Thank You—Reward Lawn Care Employees

While money is a motivator, it’s not what is most important to many employees. Simple things like recognizing a job well done go a long way toward retaining hard workers. 

Block time during weekly company meetings to reward employees who have met or beat production goals, received compliments from customers for exceptional attention to detail, or helped out other team members. During the busiest seasons, provide drinks or lunch for your team every once in a while. Thank their families with a gift card, recognizing that long hours mean time away from home. There are many ways to show your employees their contributions matter. 

>>Tip: As for monetary rewards, creating a bonus plan tied to performance-based metrics fosters teamwork by outlining company goals that must be met to earn incentives. 

Keep Lawn Care Employees Busy Year-Round

In many regions, lawn care is seasonal, so companies lay off employees during winter months. The risk is that those workers likely need to maintain a steady income–so they will find another job and not return in the spring for peak lawn maintenance season. 

There are a couple of different solutions to the off-season employment dilemma. You could add on a service such as snow and ice removal or holiday décor. This requires business planning and investment in equipment and training. (Also, employees must want to do the work; otherwise, they will leave.)

Another option is to keep employees on board and dedicate winter as training time. Employees can help manage other tasks during the off-season, including equipment and shop maintenance or helping with marketing efforts. While these are not necessarily revenue-generating activities, they prepare your business for the busy season.  

>>Tip: Seasonality is a struggle, but by offering services like snow clearing, holiday lighting, or tree and shrub work that can continue in early winter, you can retain lawn care employees during slower months. 

Invest In Equipment That Rides Comfortably & Delivers Quality

Investing in equipment can also pay off with higher employee retention. Running rugged equipment all day can take a toll on the body, so ergonomics are important when selecting a commercial-grade mower. And with equipment that delivers a quality cut, employees can meet customers’ expectations, which leads to referrals and more business. 

Interested in more mowing tips from the pros at Grasshopper? Check out our library of how-to videos or sign up for our newsletter. Thinking about a new mower? Our team can help you choose the best model for your needs.