Your Essential Guide on How to Hire Landscape Employees Effectively
Ever notice how the best landscaping companies always seem to have great teams? Start hiring landscaping employees the right way, and you’ll avoid the headaches of constant turnover that plague so many landscape businesses.
Whether you’re looking to hire permanent staff or just bringing on temporary workers for the busy season, today’s competitive market demands more than just posting job roles and hoping for the best. When you nail your recruitment strategy and offer meaningful perks like health benefits, you’ll not only attract new talent but also keep your current employees happy enough to help you take on more jobs and expand into more services.
Determining the right time to hire
Ask some business owners, and they’ll say they’re always hiring. Others will tell you they look for job seekers during specific windows. Still others claim they have an intuitive sense of when to hire their next team member. Despite the range of strategies, there are ways to be ready when the time does come.
Signs it’s time to hire new landscaping employees
If you don’t recognize the signs, you could put your current landscaping workforce under added stress. You’ll want to bring on a few extra hands when you notice the following:
- Teams are working overtime to complete jobs.
- Jobs go unfinished, or teams struggle to hit deadlines.
- Your current staff is showing signs of burnout, like excessive callouts and retention issues.
- You have to turn work down or delay services due to staffing issues.
You’ll also want to be aware of seasonal demand, which may require hiring additional help. These signs present serious harm to your landscaping business’s reputation and growth potential.
Planning and strategic hiring for your landscape business
Not every hire has to be a full-time employee, and strategic hiring gives you greater flexibility in how you deploy your teams. Consider hiring part-time, temporary, or seasonal workers or on-call staff instead of regular employees to meet demand during peak seasons.
You should also take note of specific roles your team is skilled in as a potential way to expand or meet your clients’ needs. Using that logic, you can also identify skill gaps within your existing staff and focus on training team members to create a standard experience level.
Refine and roll out this strategy before you expect to see a boost in landscaping needs. Attempting to meet client demands without preparation is a sure way to overload current staff and compromise service.
Assessing your workload and staffing needs
Being open to creative employment arrangements is only part of the equation. You’ll also need to determine your headcount needs. To do this, evaluate your current workload. Ask yourself if it’s sustainable with the existing headcount. If not, you’ll need to decide how to proceed.
Here’s when you’ll need to ask some tough questions, like how a new hire will impact your bottom line, cash flow, and team dynamics. Consider the different employment arrangements and how they might affect your financials and client satisfaction.
Defining the ideal candidate
With a need for new hires established, it’s time to find qualified candidates. Defining your ideal candidates allows you to filter and select only those with the most potential.
Characteristics of a great landscape employee
Landscaping isn’t for the weak. The very best candidates will reliably demonstrate several of these characteristics:
- Has a strong work ethic
- Pays attention to detail
- Can work independently or as part of a team
- Shows up on time
- Has a positive attitude in the face of physical challenges
- Can communicate well
Of course, natural leaders with the ability to serve as liaisons between crews, clients, and owners are even more preferential.
Skills and qualifications for a landscaping job
Skills and qualifications are the meat and potatoes of any landscaper job description. If you’re looking for an experienced go-getter who can hit the ground running, they should possess most or all of the following credentials. But if you’re open to training a novice (and have the time and resources to do so), you might prioritize just a few select skills from this list.
- Previous experience in landscape, lawn maintenance, or related fields
- Experience in soil and irrigation management
- Knowledge of native and foreign plant species
- Ability to operate lawn equipment, including mowers, trucks, and hand tools
- Holds certifications for heavy equipment, like skid loaders, excavators, or forklifts
- Experience with tree trimming and hedge management
- Knowledge of pest control practices and/or chemical certifications
- Physically capable of working in outdoor environments under various conditions
- Ability to lift, carry, and load material weighing upwards of 100 lbs
- Can follow directions provided by job site supervisors
- Experience in snow removal and preventative snow/ice measures
- Specialized skills, such as hardscaping, trim carpentry, and horticulture
While this is by no means a comprehensive list of landscaper qualifications, it’s broad enough to help you refine job listings and screen candidates. The more of these traits a potential landscape employee possesses, the more likely they’ll be a good fit for your team.
What to look for in a candidate’s experience and background
Verifying a candidate’s eligibility to work for you is another step that will serve you well. In some cases, verification is a requirement, and in others, it protects your business from potential resume padding or worse.
In that vein, you’ll want to verify their relevant work experience. That could mean calling previous companies to corroborate employment dates or relying on a third-party company to investigate.
For potential employees operating heavy equipment or company vehicles, you should run a motor vehicle report (MVR) to ensure a clean driving record and a valid driver’s license. These checks prevent increases in insurance and reduce risk.
If you want to take your investigation a step further, you could require candidates to pass a background check and drug test. You might also request references from previous coworkers or managers.
Crafting a great job posting
The best landscapers are in high demand, so finding ways to attract that talent will serve you well. That means having a killer job posting that captures the attention of skilled workers and speaks to their wants and needs.
Writing a compelling job description for a landscaping job
A compelling job description attracts top talent while showcasing your company and outlining the expectations you have. The structure of the job description should include several key sections, such as:
- Job title
- A bit about your landscape company
- Description of the role
- Job duties, skills, and required qualifications
- A salary range and any benefits offered
Also, keep in mind that most applicants don’t want to read walls of text, so keep each section short and easy to read. The right description should net a steady flow of applicants within a few weeks.
Using keywords and phrases to attract the right candidates
Employment seekers filter job openings using keywords and phrases to help narrow down the results. The search engines, whether Google, LinkedIn, or Indeed, will present those results based on the relevant keywords within your posting. That means you should include relevant phrases like:
- Landscape maintenance
- Lawn care services
- Hardscape installation
- Irrigation system maintenance
- Planting and pruning
- Outdoor construction
- Tree and shrub care
- Groundskeeping
- Landscape design
- Mulching and soil management
Advertise open positions to find the best candidates
Once you’re happy with your job ad, it’s time to advertise it. Online job boards, social media platforms, and local physical locations are all great places to start.
You can also ask reliable employees about family members and friends who might be looking for employment. Employee referral programs are an excellent way to find new landscape employees and reward existing ones for supporting your business.
Networking events can also be powerful, as you can talk with other business owners and refine your methods.
Finding and attracting top talent
Sourcing top talent for your landscaping company is often the most challenging aspect of running your business, but it doesn’t have to be that way. These methods spread the word that you’re on the lookout for skilled talent.
Online job boards and platforms for finding landscape workers
Specialized job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn, alongside industry-specific platforms like LawnSite and GreenIndustryPros, allow landscape business owners to connect with qualified candidates. These platforms support targeted job postings with keywords like “landscape professionals” and “landscaping employees.”
Successful recruitment efforts should leverage both online job boards and social media platforms to maximize visibility among potential employees, especially when hiring seasonal workers for high-demand periods.
Local advertising and outreach to find the best candidates
While online postings have significant reach, many landscaping job seekers look for positions via offline methods, including community job boards, newspaper classifieds, and local newsletters.
Check with local colleges and trade schools to find talented individuals about to graduate. These budding landscape professionals are eager to gain experience, and many desire gainful employment.
Screening and interviewing candidates
Screening resumes and interviewing candidates give you a sense of how potential landscaping employees will fit your needs and company culture. Skipping the vetting process could have detrimental results, making these steps almost more important than sourcing.
Screen resumes and applications for your landscaping job
When reviewing applications for your landscaping company, prioritize candidates with relevant experience in the landscape industry. Verify certifications and experience that demonstrate professional skills.
Screen resumes carefully for attention to detail, checking for spelling and grammar errors that indicate poor communication skills. Establish a systematic screening process, either manually or with the help of an applicant tracking system (ATS), to identify qualified candidates who understand landscaping job responsibilities and can contribute immediately to your team.
Conduct in-person interviews to find the best fit
During the interview process, utilize the STAR method. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results. It’s a behavior model that gives you insight into how a candidate’s experience and skills align with landscape industry standards. These types of questions also provide you with a glimpse of a candidate’s work ethic and attitude.
Check references to ensure candidate quality
Before extending an offer to new landscaping employees, contact previous employers to verify their work history and assess their actual job performance. When speaking with references, inquire specifically about the candidate’s strengths related to landscape industry demands and any weaknesses that might affect their ability to handle landscaping job responsibilities.
Thorough reference checks can reveal valuable insights about reliability and work habits that aren’t apparent during interviews. Pay attention to any red flags that pop up, like frequent job hopping or conflicting employment dates, to avoid costly hiring mistakes.
Making a job offer
Finding qualified candidates for your landscaping business requires careful preparation from offer to onboarding. The following steps will help you successfully integrate new hires into your team of landscape professionals:
- Extend an official offer to your chosen candidate: Document job duties, compensation package, and employment terms clearly for potential employees to review.
- Determine payroll and recordkeeping best practices: Establish proper business systems to manage employee records and tax obligations while maintaining accurate documentation.
- Prepare for your new employee’s first day: Create a structured onboarding process with the necessary equipment and introductions to team members.
Onboarding and training
Successfully integrating new hires into your landscaping business requires thoughtful onboarding and continuous development opportunities. Implementing these strategies will help you build a skilled team of landscape professionals while creating a positive company culture that retains qualified employees.
- Start the onboarding process for your new landscaping employee: Create a structured introduction to your business operations, safety protocols, and specific job responsibilities. Pair new hires with experienced team members to provide hands-on guidance while communicating performance expectations and establishing accountability from day one.
- Invest in ongoing training and development for your team: Implement regular skill-building workshops and technical training sessions to keep landscape professionals current with industry trends and equipment. Offer certification opportunities and chart advancement pathways to demonstrate your commitment to employee growth while increasing your company’s service capabilities.
- Maintain transparent communication and a positive work environment: Schedule consistent project meetings to coordinate activities, address challenges, and recognize achievements. When you create multiple feedback channels, you identify potential issues early. Plus, team-building activities strengthen working relationships among seasonal workers and permanent staff.
A comprehensive onboarding helps employees transition while supporting the development of your existing landscapers. This commitment not only improves the quality of your landscaping services but also positions your business as an employer of choice in the competitive landscape industry.
Retaining your best employees
Losing employees to turnover is expensive. To avoid those costs, you want to create a work environment that values the landscape professionals on your team. These strategies are fool-proof ways to maintain your skilled workforce and build a strong team of landscape workers dedicated to your company’s success:
- Offer competitive compensation and benefits to retain employees: Offer competitive rates that meet or exceed industry standards to attract top-tier talent. Pad your employment package with meaningful benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and performance bonuses that recognize your team’s contributions.
- Celebrate milestones and achievements to boost morale: Implement formal recognition programs to acknowledge both individual accomplishments and team successes in completing challenging landscaping jobs. Start traditions around milestone celebrations, such as work anniversaries, project completions, and certifications, that reinforce your appreciation for dedicated team members.
- Foster a positive and inclusive work environment for your team: Develop policies that respect diverse perspectives and create equal opportunities for all employees regardless of background. Encourage open communication through regular feedback sessions and demonstrate commitment to reasonable scheduling that supports personal commitments alongside their professional responsibilities.
A thoughtful retention package addresses these key areas and significantly reduces recruitment costs. These methods also support building a team of experienced landscape professionals who understand your business operations and can provide consistent quality service to your clients.
Growing your landscaping business
Building a sustainable landscaping company requires strategic team development alongside smart business practices. While landscape business management software can do a lot of the heavy lifting, you’ll need some good old-fashioned human determination (and a couple of solid strategies).
Scale your business with the right team and strategies
Successful expansion of your landscaping business depends on recruiting qualified candidates who can maintain service quality while handling increased workloads. Investing in comprehensive training programs ensures your landscape professionals develop specialized skills that allow your company to offer services that command higher rates.
Regular assessment of team performance helps identify operational bottlenecks and talent gaps that might limit growth opportunities in the competitive landscape industry. Don’t forget to partner with other industry leaders to learn what they know and put new creative solutions into action.
Monitor and adjust your hiring strategy as your business evolves
As your landscaping company grows, recruiting needs will shift from generalists to specialists with expertise in specific landscape services or management capabilities. Stay connected with industry associations and attend trade shows to identify emerging trends in workforce management and compensation expectations among skilled workers.
It’s also a good idea to maintain flexibility in your recruitment efforts, which allows you to quickly respond to seasonal demands, economic fluctuations, and changing customer preferences. Of course, you’ll want to have data to back up your decisions, so think about investing in workforce metrics tracking software. A powerful tool will identify trends that you might otherwise miss.
Common mistakes to avoid
Even experienced business owners in the landscape industry can make critical errors when building their team of landscape professionals. By recognizing and avoiding these common pitfalls, you can improve your hiring process and create a more stable, productive workforce for your landscaping company.
- Rushing the hiring process and overlooking cultural fit: Hastily filling positions without thorough candidate screening often leads to costly turnover and disruption within your existing team. Dedicating time to properly evaluate resumes, conduct thoughtful interviews, and thoroughly check references helps you identify potential employees who will thrive in your specific company environment.
- Neglecting job descriptions and underestimating training importance: Vague job postings attract unqualified candidates and create misaligned expectations that damage employee satisfaction. Draft detailed descriptions of specific job responsibilities, required qualifications, and growth opportunities to show professionalism.
- Focusing solely on compensation and ignoring customer service: While competitive pay attracts skilled workers, overlooking the importance of strong customer service skills and a positive attitude can undermine your landscaping business’s reputation. Balance technical expertise with interpersonal abilities during your screening process.
Avoiding these common mistakes will strengthen your recruitment efforts and help you build a team of reliable employees who contribute to both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Ready to strengthen your landscaping crew with the right tools?
As you build a skilled landscaping team, a streamlined, centralized platform for scheduling, dispatching, and managing your employees is crucial. RealGreen offers an all-in-one solution that automates administrative tasks, keeps your routes efficient, and simplifies team coordination so you can focus on growing your business and supporting your new hires.
Schedule a demo to see how RealGreen can help you attract top talent, optimize operations, and boost profitability.
