PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS
Off-Season Opportunities for Employee Engagement
By Jill Odom
FOR MANY LAWN CARE AND LANDSCAPE COMPANIES, THE SEASONAL nature of the work can make it even more challenging to retain employees, as team members might seek out new opportunities during the off-season.
However, there are a number of engagement strategies to keep your staff committed to your company. David Grover, a branch manager with Pacific Landscape Management, based in Hillsboro, Oregon, says their turnover rates were noticeably higher before implementing off-season engagement programs. He notes that their retention has improved dramatically by focusing on training, consistent communication, and alternative work opportunities. “Engagement ensures that our team
feels valued and invested in the com- pany,” Grover says. “It reduces turnover, maintains productivity, and helps every- one return to peak performance quickly when the busy season resumes.”
ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for keeping employees engaged at different companies. Your region and the makeup
of your business will determine the viability of some of these options.
YEAR-ROUND WORK While the most obvious option, offering year-round work for your team shouldn’t be overlooked. “We firmly believe that our team members are the very most important assets in our company and we believe they all want to contribute to the com- pany’s success,” says Jack Moore, CEO of Grassperson Lawn Care & Landscape, based in Lewisville, Texas. “Providing each of them a level of work and income security is paramount to our long-term success, and it’s a key component of the vision and mission of our organization.” Moore says they have a number of commercial and residential clients that require service throughout the year, including the off-season. They are also looking to secure more annual contracts
that will provide more off-season work to keep their teams busy and improve cash flow. Grover says their landscape main-
tenance crews focus on pruning, bed cleaning, pre-emergent applications and winter plant care, while enhancement projects concentrate on tree pruning, moss control, drainage, and irrigation upgrades during the off-season. “Snow removal services are also a
significant part of our off-season work,” Grover says. “Additionally, we handle ad- ministrative tasks like contract renewals, client communications, and equipment maintenance.” Moore notes that they typically see a net increase of personnel during the off-season as they are opportunistic when recruiting and note many local companies downsize during the slower months. “We will entertain anything that our
teams are skilled at doing,” Moore says. “We do not chase projects that are not in our wheelhouse as we have tried that before and it has not worked out for us.
26 The Edge //March/April 2025
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