lbtcadmin
11-23-2006, 12:37 PM
Boosting Landscape Company Morale
(It's Not Just About Money)
by Phil Nilsson, Green Industry Consultant
www.nilssonbooks.com (http://www.nilssonbooks.com)
Writers of business articles have a tendency to dwell on money issues. I'm just as guilty of this as the next guy. Bidding, costs, profit - over and over until many of the articles, I'm sure, seem to overlap and blend together. Well, this one will be easier reading. It details some wisdom I picked up when I was in the landscaping business that I'd like to share with you.
When I was in the landscape business, I recognized two problems I knew Iwould have to overcome to be happy about running a green industry business. The first was taking care of my employees. Working very hard for relatively low wages, these self-sacrificing people don't have access to new cars, home ownership and savings accounts - those items we all want for our families and ourselves. The syndrome of "The boss makes all the money while we do all the work." left me concerned about employee morale and happiness. Because of this concern, I decided to adopt the attitude that as an employer - and as a person - I would make it my business to do the absolute most for my people, not the least.
The second problem that made me uneasy was that in addition to low wages, jobs didn't offer security of any kind. The employees "work like the devil" all season and are then discarded - thrown away - and left to fend for themselves at season's end. Many are put on unemployment, which some view asa humiliation in itself. Others are simply let go with not so much as a handshake for doing a good job and sticking with the program. Although that was a common practice years ago, the problem still persists today.
Employees are expected to "beat themselves up" all season as if work ethic alone is enough. It isn't. I think part of the problem is that the industry can't afford to pay them enough. To some, it is the equivalent to being a migrant farm worker - as if employees are just hanging around waiting to beemployed by a landscape company. Most agree that is not the case, but it could be or should be. Instead, workers vie for jobs that offer steady employment, fair wages and a future. In many ways the green industry isn't in a position to offer those incentives. Therefore, part of the employee problem is that it is caused by the industry itself. Higher rates per hour could help solve that, enabling employers to be able to afford the workers they need. However, customer demand for lower prices can often keep salaries low. And at this point in time almost 50% of all high school grads go onto college, thus depleting the supply of workers further. Many companies have chosen H2B labor as an alternative.
We're all responsible for what happens to our workers. It's not just about money. It's mostly getting to know your business to the extreme - making the most of it - so that you can pass along good wages and benefits to your people. Make sure that every job is as profitable as it can be such that you can compensate the employees well. I did this very thing when I was in the business. My employees averaged about 20 percent higher wages than what my competitors were paying. And motivation and production on my staff was so high it didn't cost me the difference in pay. I offered mutual respect. The employees knew I was on their side, and in turn, they kept the company's best interests in mind.
The next hurdle I overcame was instability. Layoffs became a thing of the past. I did not want to see my employees broke all winter. I arranged ways of keeping them employed all winter. Each Friday, twelve months a year they received a paycheck. They need to make money every day just like the rest of us. Did I want employees who couldn't afford cars? Did I want employees getting the idea that I wasn't willing to spread the wealth around? Did I want to have to fight with my people to get them to work? My answer is "No," to all of those questions. So, what did I want?
It may sound corny, but pride had a lot to do with it. I wanted cooperation. I wanted to work as a team. I wanted to create a family-like atmosphere and have everyone win at working together. We worked together as a team. No fragmented effort could be found anywhere. Developing that kind of cooperation didn't come from being selfish. I took on the responsibility for their well being. And I never really had what you could call an employee problem. In fact, people would call me to ask if there were any openings.
Your company is your family - at least your extended family. You and your employees make it together. You develop as the boss, but they develop right along with you. That's what makes a good business, at least from my point of view. Having pride, being a sharp business, having sharp employees and making sure you always have profitable work ahead of you can make all of the difference.
And ... when you make money in this business it shows!! because you look sharp, employees look sharp, equipment and vehicles look sharp ... that's part of the pride of "making it". So you may wonder what the requirements were for coming to work with me. I asked just two questions during the interview after qualifying the candidate ... Are you an honest person? Are you a hard worker? To those that answered both questions with a "Yes," I said, "Welcome aboard
Business
solution
links:
Advertising (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Bidding Jobs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) - (http://www.asharpdesign.com/nilsson/discounts_and_deals.htm)
Business Growth (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Business Plan (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Business Planning Workbook) -
Commercial (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Company Policy (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Writing Your Company Policy Manual) -
Contract Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) -
Customers (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Employees (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm) -
Estimating (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm) -
Job Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Job Specs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Writing The Maintenance Speci-fications) -
Labor Time Data (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Maintenance (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Grounds Maintenance Manual) -
Management (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Mowing Profits (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Maximizing Profits In Mowing) -
Pricing (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Pricing Your Services) - Sales (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Sales Letters (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#How To Write Effective Sales Letters) -
Sales Skills (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Snow Removal (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#The Snow Removal Business) -
Subcontracting (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm#Subcontracting the Work) -
Training Video (http://nilssonbooks.com/video_tapes.htm) -
Website Services (http://nilssonbooks.com/other_services.htm#Web Design) -
Winter Income (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm)
Other
resources:
Sales Boosters (http://nilssonbooks.com/sales_booster_package.htm)
Job Estimating Package (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm)
FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)
New Business Startup Package (http://nilssonbooks.com/just_getting_started.htm)
Complete Operations Management System (http://nilssonbooks.com/coms_package.htm)
Nilsson's FREE Job Pricing Guidelines
When it comes to pricing lawn and landscape jobsnobody has more landscape industry pricing information than Nilsson Associates, Green Industry Consultants. Nilsson's Job Price Guides covers lawn care bids, job bidding & estimating for tree care, irrigation installation & service, pavement sweeping & maintenance, snow plowing operations, landscaping and hardscaping job bids for both commercial & residential customers as well as real estate management, parks & recreation departments, municipalities, college and univeristy grounds. The prices cover; estimates & bids for grounds services, landscaping pricing estimates , estimating & bid the price seasonal work, year around commercial estimate contracts, price per square foot, best grounds maintenance & landscaping job to bid & pricing, price of lawn care, lawn mowing price, aeration pricing, lawns, commercial landscape job bid estimates, most all outdoor maintenance estimating & pricing, mulching prices, pricing chemicals, weeding & aerating pricing, fertilizer prices, prices for organic fertilizer, pricing weeds in beds, pricing pruning & trimming trees & shrubs, pricing commercial & residential snow plowing, hardscape pricing, pricing hydroseeding, irrigation service estimates for commercial & residential, pricing seeding lawns, pricing lawn sod, prices for slit seeding lawns, pricing edging lawn beds, spring cleanup prices, pricing fall cleanups, hourly price of pressure washing walks & patios, pricing trees, stump grinding prices, price for gutter cleaning, lawn dethatching price, price for shoveling snow, pricing salting, price for sanding.
For more information: Click Here for FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)
http://nilssonbooks.com/_borders/Phil-Nilsson-Picture.jpg
Phil Nilsson
"Best Selling Author"
www.nilssonbooks.com (http://www.nilssonbooks.com/)
Background & References
Nilsson Associates are Consultants to the membership of the Professional Lawn Care Association of America. Our Learning Systems are endorsed by the leading Industry Associations, by the Horticultural Departments at Ohio State University, The University of Tennessee, The University of Georgia, and in use by thousands of Landscape Contractors, Lawn Service Companies, Property Managers, Government Facilities, Park Departments and Municipalities nationwide.
(It's Not Just About Money)
by Phil Nilsson, Green Industry Consultant
www.nilssonbooks.com (http://www.nilssonbooks.com)
Writers of business articles have a tendency to dwell on money issues. I'm just as guilty of this as the next guy. Bidding, costs, profit - over and over until many of the articles, I'm sure, seem to overlap and blend together. Well, this one will be easier reading. It details some wisdom I picked up when I was in the landscaping business that I'd like to share with you.
When I was in the landscape business, I recognized two problems I knew Iwould have to overcome to be happy about running a green industry business. The first was taking care of my employees. Working very hard for relatively low wages, these self-sacrificing people don't have access to new cars, home ownership and savings accounts - those items we all want for our families and ourselves. The syndrome of "The boss makes all the money while we do all the work." left me concerned about employee morale and happiness. Because of this concern, I decided to adopt the attitude that as an employer - and as a person - I would make it my business to do the absolute most for my people, not the least.
The second problem that made me uneasy was that in addition to low wages, jobs didn't offer security of any kind. The employees "work like the devil" all season and are then discarded - thrown away - and left to fend for themselves at season's end. Many are put on unemployment, which some view asa humiliation in itself. Others are simply let go with not so much as a handshake for doing a good job and sticking with the program. Although that was a common practice years ago, the problem still persists today.
Employees are expected to "beat themselves up" all season as if work ethic alone is enough. It isn't. I think part of the problem is that the industry can't afford to pay them enough. To some, it is the equivalent to being a migrant farm worker - as if employees are just hanging around waiting to beemployed by a landscape company. Most agree that is not the case, but it could be or should be. Instead, workers vie for jobs that offer steady employment, fair wages and a future. In many ways the green industry isn't in a position to offer those incentives. Therefore, part of the employee problem is that it is caused by the industry itself. Higher rates per hour could help solve that, enabling employers to be able to afford the workers they need. However, customer demand for lower prices can often keep salaries low. And at this point in time almost 50% of all high school grads go onto college, thus depleting the supply of workers further. Many companies have chosen H2B labor as an alternative.
We're all responsible for what happens to our workers. It's not just about money. It's mostly getting to know your business to the extreme - making the most of it - so that you can pass along good wages and benefits to your people. Make sure that every job is as profitable as it can be such that you can compensate the employees well. I did this very thing when I was in the business. My employees averaged about 20 percent higher wages than what my competitors were paying. And motivation and production on my staff was so high it didn't cost me the difference in pay. I offered mutual respect. The employees knew I was on their side, and in turn, they kept the company's best interests in mind.
The next hurdle I overcame was instability. Layoffs became a thing of the past. I did not want to see my employees broke all winter. I arranged ways of keeping them employed all winter. Each Friday, twelve months a year they received a paycheck. They need to make money every day just like the rest of us. Did I want employees who couldn't afford cars? Did I want employees getting the idea that I wasn't willing to spread the wealth around? Did I want to have to fight with my people to get them to work? My answer is "No," to all of those questions. So, what did I want?
It may sound corny, but pride had a lot to do with it. I wanted cooperation. I wanted to work as a team. I wanted to create a family-like atmosphere and have everyone win at working together. We worked together as a team. No fragmented effort could be found anywhere. Developing that kind of cooperation didn't come from being selfish. I took on the responsibility for their well being. And I never really had what you could call an employee problem. In fact, people would call me to ask if there were any openings.
Your company is your family - at least your extended family. You and your employees make it together. You develop as the boss, but they develop right along with you. That's what makes a good business, at least from my point of view. Having pride, being a sharp business, having sharp employees and making sure you always have profitable work ahead of you can make all of the difference.
And ... when you make money in this business it shows!! because you look sharp, employees look sharp, equipment and vehicles look sharp ... that's part of the pride of "making it". So you may wonder what the requirements were for coming to work with me. I asked just two questions during the interview after qualifying the candidate ... Are you an honest person? Are you a hard worker? To those that answered both questions with a "Yes," I said, "Welcome aboard
Business
solution
links:
Advertising (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Bidding Jobs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) - (http://www.asharpdesign.com/nilsson/discounts_and_deals.htm)
Business Growth (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Business Plan (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Business Planning Workbook) -
Commercial (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Company Policy (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm#Writing Your Company Policy Manual) -
Contract Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm) -
Customers (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#Selling To Commercial Customers) -
Employees (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm) -
Estimating (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm) -
Job Cost (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Job Specs (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Writing The Maintenance Speci-fications) -
Labor Time Data (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Labor Time Data Handbook) -
Maintenance (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Grounds Maintenance Manual) -
Management (http://nilssonbooks.com/mangement.htm) -
Mowing Profits (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#Maximizing Profits In Mowing) -
Pricing (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_bidding_pricing.htm#Pricing Your Services) - Sales (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Sales Letters (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm#How To Write Effective Sales Letters) -
Sales Skills (http://nilssonbooks.com/advertising_and_sales.htm) -
Snow Removal (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm#The Snow Removal Business) -
Subcontracting (http://nilssonbooks.com/employee.htm#Subcontracting the Work) -
Training Video (http://nilssonbooks.com/video_tapes.htm) -
Website Services (http://nilssonbooks.com/other_services.htm#Web Design) -
Winter Income (http://nilssonbooks.com/operations.htm)
Other
resources:
Sales Boosters (http://nilssonbooks.com/sales_booster_package.htm)
Job Estimating Package (http://nilssonbooks.com/job_estimating_package.htm)
FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)
New Business Startup Package (http://nilssonbooks.com/just_getting_started.htm)
Complete Operations Management System (http://nilssonbooks.com/coms_package.htm)
Nilsson's FREE Job Pricing Guidelines
When it comes to pricing lawn and landscape jobsnobody has more landscape industry pricing information than Nilsson Associates, Green Industry Consultants. Nilsson's Job Price Guides covers lawn care bids, job bidding & estimating for tree care, irrigation installation & service, pavement sweeping & maintenance, snow plowing operations, landscaping and hardscaping job bids for both commercial & residential customers as well as real estate management, parks & recreation departments, municipalities, college and univeristy grounds. The prices cover; estimates & bids for grounds services, landscaping pricing estimates , estimating & bid the price seasonal work, year around commercial estimate contracts, price per square foot, best grounds maintenance & landscaping job to bid & pricing, price of lawn care, lawn mowing price, aeration pricing, lawns, commercial landscape job bid estimates, most all outdoor maintenance estimating & pricing, mulching prices, pricing chemicals, weeding & aerating pricing, fertilizer prices, prices for organic fertilizer, pricing weeds in beds, pricing pruning & trimming trees & shrubs, pricing commercial & residential snow plowing, hardscape pricing, pricing hydroseeding, irrigation service estimates for commercial & residential, pricing seeding lawns, pricing lawn sod, prices for slit seeding lawns, pricing edging lawn beds, spring cleanup prices, pricing fall cleanups, hourly price of pressure washing walks & patios, pricing trees, stump grinding prices, price for gutter cleaning, lawn dethatching price, price for shoveling snow, pricing salting, price for sanding.
For more information: Click Here for FREE Job Pricing Guidelines (http://nilssonbooks.com/free_job_guidelines.htm)
http://nilssonbooks.com/_borders/Phil-Nilsson-Picture.jpg
Phil Nilsson
"Best Selling Author"
www.nilssonbooks.com (http://www.nilssonbooks.com/)
Background & References
Nilsson Associates are Consultants to the membership of the Professional Lawn Care Association of America. Our Learning Systems are endorsed by the leading Industry Associations, by the Horticultural Departments at Ohio State University, The University of Tennessee, The University of Georgia, and in use by thousands of Landscape Contractors, Lawn Service Companies, Property Managers, Government Facilities, Park Departments and Municipalities nationwide.