The (Hiring) Struggle is Real.
A lot has changed in a few years. But one thing that’s remained the same is the struggle with hiring. It doesn't matter who you talk to in the landscape world, everyone says the same thing: "there are not enough people". In this market, it can be tempting to hire anyone and everyone and not fire those who need to be fired. I want to caution you about this, as it is more costly than you may think.
An increasingly important part of hiring is staff onboarding and training. Long, long ago on my very first day in landscaping, I showed up and was put on a crew without any training. You simply cannot do that anymore - properly onboarding new staff has become crucial. New staff needs to be aware of how things are done at your company. Having all your staff trained for their position ensures that everyone knows what is expected of them, and their supervisors know what they’re required to teach. It streamlines the process, allowing new staff to feel prepared and supervisors to feel confident that their staff is well trained. It also reduces supervisor frustration because they’re not spending so much of their time answering basic questions.
Initial training aside, continuing education and great company culture are key for retaining A-players. Great staff want growth opportunities and they want to enjoy the environment they spend most of their time in.
My advice about hiring?
- Don’t stop training. This is not a one-and-done kind of thing.
- Focus on company culture. What can you do better? What are you doing well?
- Have a system - and use it! A clear system will save so much time and frustration.
Have questions about staffing you want to talk about? Book a call with me HERE: https://www.nextraconsulting.ca/meeting
