As we head into the 2020 season, the one thing we know for sure is that the labor shortage will continue. We have seen record low unemployment for several years now and 73% employers across all industries are having challenges finding qualified, dependable employees—and the Green Industry is no different.
Irrigation & Green Industry Magazine surveyed landscape companies throughout the U.S. and 67% responded that “no” when asked, “Does your region offer enough qualified workers to meet their companies needs.” This signifies a major issue when two-thirds of respondents say finding qualified workers is a problem. Many industry associations have implemented action plans to attract new and younger people to the green industry. Hopefully this will help solve this problem in the long term but what can you do to attract new employees, now?
Below are 5 tips to help you connect with more potential employees:
1. Always Be Recruiting
You cannot expect to build the best team if you are only looking for people during a small window of time each year. Great people become available at all different times throughout the year. That’s why it important to always be recruiting.
Some service business can spend nearly half of their gross sales on labor. What are you spending on yours? 30%? 40%? Labor costs make up a substantial portion of your overall costs. You owe it to your company, and its health, to always be looking for the best talent—even when you are fully staffed.
2. Showcase Your Company & Its Culture
The number one obstacle candidates experience when searching for a job is not knowing what it’s like to work at an organization. So, how do you solve this issue for potential employees? Tell them what it’s like by leveraging a Career page on your website.
Nearly two-thirds of candidates will research a company online before applying for a job. It’s vital to make sure that your website showcases what its like to work for your company. So, how do you do this? Create a dedicated Careers page on your website. This page should be easy to find in the navigation on your website, and should list the current openings at your company and tell the candidates how to apply. Make sure the application process is easy and that job seekers can submit an application any time of day.
Do you have a unique culture or something that makes working for you really special? Do you have core values? Does your team only work four days a week? No weekends? Share that on this page. Even better, people like to see what their potential co-workers look like and what a day in the life with your company might include. Share photos of the team working together or enjoying a special activity or team outing.
Finally, add a “Meet Our Team” section to this page and highlight key employees or departments. This shows potential employees that you care about your team and value their contributions.
Remember, job seekers are more informed than ever. By helping prospective talent find and access the information they want, you’ll be helping your recruiting efforts.
3. Start a Referral Program
Nearly half of all job seekers (45%) say they prefer hearing about a job from a friend or someone they know. This means a referral program can be a successful way to capture new employees while even increasing loyalty with existing employees.
To make the referral program successful and drive more referrals, establish a bonus program for your current employees. Give a bonus for every new hire that stays at least 90 to the employee that referred them. Be sure to continuously promote the program, clearly outline the details, and make it fun. This is the only way it will work. You can even give the program a fun name and highlight team members that have received bonuses for the new hire.
Your current team is a valuable asset to your company. Rely on them to help you find great talent.
4. LinkedIn + Job Posting Sites
LinkedIn and online job sites can be a very powerful tools for employers. With more than 500 million members, LinkedIn, is the largest social professional network. More than 56% of people use LinkedIn when looking for a new job. Since so many people have a profile created, applying for a job is very easy for them. As an employer, you can benefit by having the opportunity to see a candidate’s profile, contacts, and his or her level of participation in various groups and associations. Better yet, LinkedIn gives you the opportunity to promote your company and showcase the things that will make you more attractive to potential candidates.
60% of job seekers us online job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter. The job posting sites are an inexpensive way to target candidates that are actively looking for a new position. These websites allow job seekers easily search and apply for jobs that match their skills and experience. For employers, you can look for candidates that fit your requirements. These sites allow you to reach a bigger audience, easily change the status of the job post from active to closed, and helps you hire faster by leveraging the ATS technology. The Applicant Tracking System (ATS) allows you as the employer to get the shortlist of just the best applicants, without having to sift though hundreds of applications and resumes.
5. Staffing Agencies
Have you ever considered using a staffing agency? The staffing industry employs about three million workers each day and plays an important role in meeting the growing demand for skilled, qualified employees. If you haven’t considered a staffing agency, you may want to. Agencies can save time, money, and other resources. When working with an agency, they search for qualified candidates and preform the background checks. They handle payroll taxes, workers comp and unemployment benefits. And, they adjust to your business needs. Need temporary help for a big job this week but not the next? They can help fulfill the position you need quickly. Staffing services can provide talented workers who can meet a wide range of needs and qualifications.
Recruiting is challenging. To make sure your recruiting efforts are successful, you can’t rely on just one channel. Bottomline, you need to keep it a priority all year long and continue to test different areas to see what works best for you and your company.
Finally, rely on Central to help, whether it’s questions about hiring, business planning, or marketing strategy—we’re here to help. Central is the right partner for your business. We stay at the leading edge of the industry and we’re ready to help you grow!