Employees???

Always Greener

Hello all you lawn and landscapers.. Is it just me or are the rest of you having a hard time finding laborers??? We have tried 5 guys already this year and not one of them want to work the field, they want to be crew leaders right away and get paid 60 grand a year. Well I tell them they need to prove themselves first working out in the field and then if one of my former leaders quits then maybe we will work on it. I have talked to many lawn & landscape companies in my area and they are in the same boat.. Just wondering if it’s our area or is it everywhere..

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www.alwaysgreenerlawn.com

Glasshousebltr

I'm short of help here myself. I don't know if it's everywhere, but if it's mostly in the SW maybe the mexicans left.

Bob

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Bob

Always Greener

LOL.. I know there are people who need to work out in my area, Belvidere, Rockford, but they want the good money NOW and some of them don’t even know how to use a sod cutter or other tools that need to be used in this industry that is the problem I’m having. I need workers now...

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www.alwaysgreenerlawn.com

rikanit

Same here AG. Seems like everyone wants to start out as a foreman regardless of experience.

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Rick Hayden
www.haydenlandscaping.com

PipeGuy

Overall, we've been fortunate. We've had our share of knotheads so far but have also managed to find some very good guys. Laborers are the most transient. Typically we find the best ones 'out in the country' (versus in the urban areas) - but there's always exceptions.

joasis

I got one for you guys: I hired a new kid in December...said he was experienced since he worked for a truss manufacturer in Tacoma and can read a tape measure....Yesterday...on the way to a job site, he actually asked me when we start the next 2 specs, if I would let him run the framing and finish since he now really knows his stuff.....and of course, he thinks since he has helped frame a house, he is entitled to a sligh raise...like $6 an hour increase.....!

Anyone care to top that?

Always Greener

We have three guys coming in to fill out apps today.. Wish me luck..

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www.alwaysgreenerlawn.com

EDENSCAPES@DNET

I hear youu loud and clear AG. I can't find anyone and to be truthful I only want to hire people that I know or have been reccommended to me. Spent a lot of time building this business and still have a long way to go. I don't need someone who doesn't look like a professional and my customers expect someone they can trust with their biggest investment. The ones who have approached me didn't inspire me to trust my business reputation to them. Most of them want to be paid more than I make and they don't want to run a weedeater or dig. Just ride on a big mower and make big money. Good luck.

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Eden Scapes

Always Greener

Yea this is getting crazy...You are absolutely right about company image. We don’t need anyone that is inexperienced to cause more problems for us. We all work hard on and in the business and we take pride in what we do, but all you need is one guy to start bringing you down by not doing a good job and it’s all down hill from there. So far no new guys or girls but soon I hope we will have some good workers…Good luck to you also.

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www.alwaysgreenerlawn.com

numenator

HEY!!!


I AM LOOKING FOR A LABOR JOB, WORK FOR CASH ONLY, WILL WORK TILL SEPTEMBER.

MY E-MAIL: numerator@hotmail.com


VLAD

reids

they are out there ??? we are in new jersey and its hard to to find good help. what are you paying a green horn ??

AintNoFun

hey reid, where in jersey are ya.. im down by the shore.. this year has been the toughest year for finding good help... i've been consistently short 2 guys all year...

red carpet

Joasis I have you beat... I hired this guy and he was working good for about 2 weeks then one day on the job he's in the bushes puking his brains out (so he says) I didn't go and look. The next day he calls and says he is being rushed to a hospital in Orlando (were in Fort Lauderdale) for emergancy brain surgery... I wish him luck. Then 2 days later he calls for a pay phone in Ft. Lauderdale and says hes in the hospital and the surgery went great could I give his room mate his 1 days pay.. mind you we worked for 2 hours before he got "sick"... TOP THAT

Always Greener

Just fired another one today.. Called in sick way to many times... This has been a bad year for me with employees.

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www.alwaysgreenerlawn.com

emeryslandscape

Well guys I have had a few bad workers myself. Unfortunately they(the good ones) are very hard to find. They are out there, but require alot of fishing for. I hear 1 good employee for 20-25 people interveived- YIKES thats alot of time screening people. I now work with a freind who is a part timer and things are running pretty much "even keil", sometimes I like all of us fall behind but as for searching for good employees GRRRRRRR!!!

POOLMANinCT

ok here is my topper....
guy who made it through season on the skin of his teeth. he called demanding holiday bonus & said since he knows where I live, he would just swing by & pick it up.

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......Less with the jaw & More with the paw.....

little_hammer

You're going to have to do better to motivate someone.

Why not show them a light at the end of the tunnel? Offer them something they can earn and aspire to. Tell them you are a succesful, growing enterprise and there are great opportunities for the right individuals. Come up with a bonus plan for not being late, not missing work and having no complaints or accidents for the week. Offer them an incentive like a SPIF for bringing in a new customer, so they can make more money. People want recognition, stability and a future, not ifs, maybe or we'll see. Otherwise, they leave. You have to try to lock them in for the long term and give them a sense they're missing out on a real opportunity if they comply. They have to feel like they are a part of something.

Ayatollah

I'd have to say that many of your prospective employees are out in the field working under the table as unlicensed landscapers. In another part of my life I do "research" on businesses that operate in a less than above board manner and I can say with relative certainty that in my area, there are hundreds of gardener/maintennance/landscapers out there who find it a whole lot easier to set up a business of their own than to work for an over-bearing employer. I mean, it takes a pick-up truck; a few business cards; and most everything else can be rented. No need for workers comp or other insurances. Just hire your employees from the local day labor areas or home depot. there's little enforcement coming from municipalities, so there's practically nothing to fear. If these guys had to compete fairly and pay all the expenses required of your business, you'd have potential employees stacked up out front of your office thinking of ways to cut the throat of the applicants standing in front of him.

TigerHomeRepair

I want to top all your stories. hehe. Subcontractor, walks in the current rehab we are doing. Owner is pulling in driveway to see how the house is coming along. The guy we subcontracted for electric disappears in basement to smoke crack while home owner is looking around. And yes he was "fired" as soon as homeowner left. Mind you this was only after 3 months of being of business. Oh well, rather a quick lesson than an ongoing problem.
Kate