As we all know, finding and keeping good workers is one of the ongoing struggles that landscaping companies face. Yet we often find that when we ask owners how much time a week they’re spending on solving their labor problems, we almost always hear the same answer: “Well, a couple hours, but that’s because I have so many other things to do!”
We can completely relate to that, but we also know that if you don’t make time to address your greatest challenge, you’ll never solve it.
Set aside time every day to focus on your team. Put it into your calendar and treat that appointment with the same attention you would give a sales call. Don't cancel the time you've set aside, and spend it planning out how you can:
Make your company a better place to work.
Find more talented team members like the ones already on your team.
Have a capable team member become an expert on hiring. You have to continuously find new ways to find talent and outsmart the companies you compete with for team members. Grunder Landscaping’s Amber Fox is always proactively looking for new ways to find the right talent for the jobs available. She digs into what channels bring in our most successful team members, and tries to replicate success and avoid repeating any hiring mistakes we do make. It's a lot of work, but we know we’re only as good as the people we hire.
Bring in professionals. Hiring a professional recruiting firm that specializes in the green industry is sometimes the best use of your time and resources, especially if there isn’t someone on your team who can champion hiring. Our partners at McFarlin Stanford can help you find the right candidates, and you only pay if they find and place a candidate with you successfully. Their network is vast, and they may already know the perfect candidate for your job opening, get in touch with them to learn more about how their process works.
To have a successful company, you need a winning team running alongside you. Start off your week by focusing on how you’ll recruit and retain the talented people you need to reach your goals.
As always, drop us a line if we can help you in any way at grow@growgroupinc.com, and have a great week!
Marty Grunder
President & CEO
The Grow Group & Grunder Landscaping Co.