One of the few positive changes brought about by the pandemic has been a shift in people’s focus — they spend more time at home and realize the value of having a great outdoor space where they can relax and unwind.
As a result, the demand for landscaping services is at an all-time high — leaving many companies scrambling to find enough team members to complete their projects.
Finding good employees has always been challenging in the landscaping industry — it’s hard work and often thought of as a summer job for students.
Fortunately, that’s not the case here at Raymar Landscapes. Our team members are given the training, support and encouragement to make landscaping a career, not just a job… which is great news if you’re looking for a professional landscape company you can trust.
So, how do we keep our team engaged and excited? Read on to find out!
1. Hire for fit
First and foremost, it’s important to hire people who have values that align with the mission and vision of the company. In our company, for instance, everyone on our team is focused on shaping outdoor spaces so people will want to spend more time outside exploring nature — and less time in front of screens.
Constructing a landscape requires a lot of teamwork, so it’s far better to hire people with similar personalities, attitudes and work ethics and teach them the skills they need to be successful.
2. Create a family atmosphere
This is fairly easy to do at Raymar because a lot of us actually are family! And those who aren’t related by blood quickly become part of our extended family — with everyone swapping stories, sharing meals and genuinely interested in each other’s lives.
3. Encourage growth
At Raymar Landscapes, we like to set everyone up for success by providing the training they need. Dan and I, for instance, have completed a two-year apprenticeship program through Mohawk College and we plan on having others on our team do the same!
We also set up a “sandbox” at our warehouse so we can practice building water features — such as pondless waterfalls — so the entire team will have the process down pat before heading to job sites. It improves our efficiency and allows us to work on our creativity so we can give you, the client, the absolute best product. It’s a great team-building exercise and a fun way to spend downtime in the winter, too!
Our team has been trained and certified by Aquascape (the industry’s foremost water feature installation experts).
4. Mix business with pleasure
People who have fun at work and share fun experiences outside of work are happier, less stressed, more creative and more engaged in their work.
In a previous post, we talked about going above and beyond for our customers — but we extend that philosophy to our team too. Here are just a few things we do as a team to build camaraderie and have a little fun:
- We take a yearly trip to a cottage in the fall to relax and unwind after a busy summer
- During the warmer months, we have monthly barbecues
- We golf together as a team
- Everyone brings in snacks and treats to share with each other
- We have a Christmas party with a gift exchange, followed by a dinner for everyone and their significant others
5. Provide good pay and benefits
While pay and benefits are pretty standard in the industry, there are a few other “perks” we provide to our team to compensate them for their hard work.
We aim for a five-day workweek, only working on a Saturday if we were rained out and need to keep a project on schedule. We don’t work super-crazy hours in the summer either… instead, we aim for a nice, healthy balance between work and family life so people don’t get burnt out — and you get a nice, well-rested team working on your property!
The work we do is rewarding, but it’s also physically demanding. So we look for ways to reward our team financially whenever possible. So we do pay extra for overtime, and we pay a bonus if the company does well on a job.
Work with a great team
Each and every member of our team prides themselves on professionalism and delivering an outstanding experience for you — just as your new outdoor space will refresh you, so will your experience with us.
So if you’re looking to update your space so you can spend more quality time outside, get in touch and request a consultation. Our skilled team will use their expertise to create an amazing place where you can sit back and relax in your new backyard oasis.