Finding qualified employees remains a major challenge for landscape companies, but having a strong comp & benefits package can help attract and retain talent.
If you want to know how your business compares to others in the industry, the 2024 Compensation & Benefits Report (based on 2023 data) provides a detailed analysis of key compensation and benefits-related statistics for lawn care and landscape professionals.
The results are based on confidential surveys submitted to Industry Insights, Inc., an independent professional research and analytics firm, from 169 organizations representing over 460 locations. Industry Insights also compiled, tabulated and analyzed these results.
The 2024 Compensation & Benefits Report includes data on recruiting & retention; health care costs/trends; retirement benefits; vacations/PTO and holidays; sick and other leave; and sales practices.
The report also contains compensation-related statistics for common job titles in the industry broken down by sales volume, revenue categories, revenue by customer type, region and years with the company.
Check out some of the insights gathered from this year’s report.
Recruitment and Retention Trends
The most common way respondents are filling open positions is through referrals, with more than 77% being successful with this method.
Additionally, nearly 77% are utilizing online job boards. Another 52% are using social media platforms to share about openings.
Thirty-nine percent of respondents also rehired former employees, highlighting the importance of maintaining good relationships with departing staff.
Turnover is a key factor in the industry’s labor struggles. Quit rates were a significant contributor to turnover, with the largest firms reporting a 30% quit rate, far above the 10% overall quit rate across all respondents.
While the national quit rates fell from 37% in 2022 to 30% in 2023, turnover in operations roles has been a particular issue for larger companies, with their rate climbing to 35%, compared to 23% for all respondents overall.
Compensation Trends
As inflation surged in 2022 due to strong demand, it also drove up wage expectations as workers need compensation to keep pace with the increased cost of living.
In 2023, landscape companies made meaningful base salary adjustments to retain employees and stay competitive. Operations/field positions saw a 5% increase, the largest adjustment, while executive/senior management and general & administrative roles experienced a 4% increase. Sales and marketing positions had a 3% base salary adjustment.
Companies also anticipated to continue increases in 2024 with 4% for executives and operation/field positions and 3% for general & administrative and sales & marketing roles.
Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Employees
In response to continuing retention and recruitment challenges, many landscape companies have been enhancing their benefits and compensation packages.
Some of the popular expansions include added vacation days/PTO (66%), above-market salaries (61%), reimbursing certifications (57%), enhanced medical benefits (57%) and continuing education reimbursement (50%).
Although the survey didn’t capture niche benefits like pet insurance, there is a growing focus on flexible work schedules, mental health resources and tuition reimbursement. These trends point to offering benefits that focus on holistic employee well-being and work-life balance.
Access the 2024 Compensation & Benefits Report to benchmark your company’s offerings to employees here.
