When you’re competing for top talent, having a strong PTO policy is table stakes.
Andy Blanchford, CEO of Blanchford Landscape Group, based in Bozeman, Montana, says their PTO offering is part of their multipronged approach to being an employer of choice in the local labor market in addition to their 4-day work weeks, top of the market pay, employee appreciation events, health care, 401(k) match and strong company culture.
For younger generations in particular, access to enough time off is pivotal. According to Randstad’s Workmonitor 2025 report, 74% prioritized work-life balance over pay.
“It’s more of an expectation than something that is a benefit,” says Kyle Cahill, founder of Grow and Company, based in Houston, Texas. “It’s extremely important that, not only do we have it available, but that we are generous with it as we can be.”
Evolving to Stay Competitive
In an industry where remote work is few and far between, generous PTO structures, flexible schedules and parental leave policies carry far more weight. Providing a generous PTO policy also signals to job seekers what kind of employer you are.
Frank Murphy, president of Advantage Landscape, based in Haymarket, Virginia, says the company has operated with a family-first mindset ever since he bought the business 10 years ago.
“We have obligations outside of work,” Murphy says. “We have kids who are playing activities. We have newborns in our company. That’s a priority is making sure everyone is okay at home and attending band practice, soccer games, and not missing any of those things that are important. Time moves fast so our flexible PTO is really built on trust and accountability.”
He says this flexibility resonates particularly with new parents when they are recruiting.
Both Blanchford and Cahill have adapted their PTO policies over the years. Blanchford says one change they’ve made is adding a higher accrual rate for 2+ year hourly employees.
“We wanted to give people another reason to return for another year with us,” Blanchford says.
Cahill says early on, his company could not afford to offer PTO, but now they have a tenure program where employees who have been with the company for five years can earn three weeks off, and if they are with the company for 10 years, they can earn up to a month of PTO.
“You’re incentivized to stay because your PTO continues to grow,” Cahill says.
Grow and Co. also introduced their 9/80 work schedule for their managerial team two years ago, which provides their staff with 21 additional days off, as a way to compete against work-from-home industries.
Cahill says they’ve also rolled out parental leave all the way down to the frontlines, where they can receive up to six weeks of paid time off.
Reviewing Your PTO Policy
There is no one perfect way to structure your PTO policy. Blanchford recommends reviewing how you set up the program from an employee’s perspective. It shouldn’t be tricky or complicated.
“Employees have different needs and wants,” Murphy says. “Home life balance is important. There’s more to life than just work. Work is so important. You have to work. You have to make money. But also, your family life is just as important.”
If you want to offer more flexibility to your employees, Murphy says it comes down to establishing trust, accountability and communication.
“Family is always first,” Murphy says. “Everyone has a life. Things come up. Babies are born, and you need to take time off. Take time off. There are always people to help you cover, communicate, and we just ask that you communicate with whoever you’re dealing with, that you’ll be taking time off, and you have the team helping in the backend.”
Cahill encourages offering as much PTO as you can offer responsibly as a company. Even when PTO becomes seen as standard, it doesn’t diminish its value in recruiting and retaining talent.
“I think it’s an extremely beneficial program to have in place for your team, so that your team stays fresh, they stay motivated, they have that opportunity to refresh and recharge,” Cahill says.
A strong PTO policy may not be the only factor in whether someone joins or stays with your company, but in a competitive labor market, it can signal your organization cares about people as individuals.
