Many lawn care franchise owners are satisfied working as sole traders. You can take on as many jobs as you like and work as many hours as you see fit. However, there can be value in considering employees when you want to increase your profit potential and grow your business.

When the time comes to explore your expansion options, don’t be afraid to do your homework to learn more about the hiring process. You can then be confident that you’ve hired the best team to take your business to a new level. Here are some tips for creating the best team of workers for your needs.

Be Thorough During the Hiring Process

When you’re snowed under with work and need to hire lawn care workers as soon as possible, it can be tempting to hire the first person who shows an interest in lawn mowing. However, on-the-surface enthusiasm doesn’t always equal an employee that suits your business.

Go through all appropriate interviewing processes to find an employee who truly will be the right fit. Ask questions over the phone, meet with them for an in-person interview, and ring their references to ensure they have a satisfactory work history. While hiring someone can be time-consuming, putting in the extra effort might pay off.

Prioritise People Skills 

It’s certainly helpful when the people you hire know how to mow lawns, trim trees, and use a water blaster, but these are all skills that can be learned. To a degree, people skills can’t be. You might see the value in hiring employees who are eager to learn, grow, upskill, and provide excellent customer service. After all, your business’s reputation is on the line.

You can generally get a sense of someone’s people skills during the interviewing process. Ask questions about why they want to work for you, what appeals to them about lawn care, and how they would provide exceptional customer service when visiting a client’s property.  

Put the Word Out to Your Connections

When you have a job vacancy, publishing job ads on job seeker websites is the most natural action to take. However, you don’t have to rely on these avenues alone. Don’t be afraid to talk to friends, family members, and business associates to see if they know anyone looking for work who would thrive in your business. You might even see the value in posting ads on social media since people can tag their friends and family and get the word out far quicker than you could on your own.

Provide Plenty of Training

Many lawn care franchise owners can be worried about their productivity levels when they hire employees. Training can be labour-intensive, and you might not be able to leave new staff members to take care of clients on their own right away.

However, a high level of training can equal a high level of care for your customers. The more time and effort you put into helping your new team learn the ropes, the better service they can provide for your clients in the future.

Make sure your training plan incorporates customer service, health and safety, services like lawn mowing, edging, and tree trimming, safe driving, and safe power equipment use.

Utilise a Trial Period

Hiring a new employee can be nerve-wracking when you’re unsure if they’ll be the right fit. However, you might be able to hire more confidently if you utilise the 90-day trial period New Zealand business owners are entitled to include in employment agreements.

Employers with 19 or fewer employers can employ people on a trial period for up to 90 days as long as they meet specific criteria, such as it being agreed to in the employment agreement. If you aren’t satisfied with your employee in that window, you can dismiss them, and the employee can’t bring a personal grievance or other legal proceedings unless they relate to minimum employment rights and responsibilities.

Consider Collaborative Hiring

If you already have a close-knit team that loves working together, and you don’t want that dynamic to change, consider collaborative hiring. This involves giving your team a small amount of freedom over the hiring process to ensure they would be happy working with whoever you end up hiring.

While giving your employees such control might seem absurd, it can sometimes lead to higher retention rates and a team that’s genuinely passionate about your business and providing a high-quality service for your customers.

Lead Your Business to Success

A happy, motivated team can be a recipe for success, especially in the lawn care industry. Take note of these tips above, and you can be on your way to expanding your business with the right people to take care of your customers’ needs.