What can landscape contractors do to offset the limitations of the H-2B program and navigate the current labor shortage? Focus on full-time employees (FTE). While it may seem counterintuitive, using these strategies to enhance and optimize your FTE’s experience and productivity can lessen the impact of unreliable seasonal staffing.

1. Maintain the bulk of your crew full time. A dedicated full-time staff makes you less dependent on H-2B and more able to weather its inconsistencies.

To find the right balance for your company, compare your financials in the higher-income summer months to lower-income winter months. Consider adding off season work in the winter like landscape project prep work, snowplow operations, seasonal maintenance, storage yard organization, and personal development and education.

Employers can also consider Job Attached Unemployment, in which workers can claim unemployment benefits for 16 weeks as long as they are job-attached. With that data and those considerations, determine how many team members you can keep on payroll throughout the year.

2. Create a great company culture. A strong, positive company culture attracts talent and keeps your team happy. Offer reward programs for employees where they can earn prizes through their hard work and receive bonuses for recommending friends or family for employment. Build a sense of community within your team by planning frequent socials and including your workers’ families. And remember to tell your unique company story online and in person at your headquarters. Use your website and social media to showcase what makes your organization great – and why people should want to work for you.

Employers can also invite employees to share their stories through social media or include these personal stories on their website – having a positive impact on recruiting.

3. Designate a full-time internal recruiter. Green Industry Pros magazine recommends a business spend $500 per seasonal worker they intend to hire. If your business needs 30 workers to staff your crews, that equates to a $15,000 investment in recruiting. Instead of outsourcing that spend, turn it inward and designate a team member to focus solely on recruitment. Recruitment strategies can include job listings, working with a local recruiter, referral bonuses for employees and recruiting through local high schools and community organizations. For inspiration, check out the July/August 2019 issue of Colorado Green to learn how Fisk Lawnscapes owner Benjamin Fisk developed innovative “Hiring Days” to meet his labor, skills and cultural fit needs.

Kim Naughtin is the owner and founder of the Denver-Based AEC Consultant Group. This is an excerpt from her story in the July/August 2019 issue of Colorado Green. Read the full story online.

Read more in this issue of Colorado Green NOW:
BestYard expands into seasonal lighting retail
Colorado Springs Utilities to host meetings about updating water shortage ordinance
New guidance provided by DOL on compliance issues
Updated final rule on overtime pay issued by DOL