Why Growers Need to Learn Best Practices for Recruiting, Hiring
November 10, 2022 
It is easier to hire someone with no background in horticulture, he says, because many other employees at the operation do have a horticulture background, so they can teach the new hire. Photo: The Plant Company
In a tight labor market, growers are doing everything they can to find and keep good workers. However, it is harder than it looks. Growers can’t hire new employees and expect them to stay for the long term without proper onboarding and training.
In the post-pandemic era, people are looking for different types of benefits in their jobs. Many are looking for flexible hours, unique soft benefits, and a positive company culture. Without proper training, a new hire is more likely to resign.
“We have to face the fact that we must invest more in our individuals,” says Todd Downing, Managing Partner of BEST Human Capital & Advisory Group.
Invest in Training
Mark Waschek, President of recruiting firm Ag1Source, says many companies claim to offer a training program, but it is not very in-depth. Companies hope that they do not have to train a new hire very much, he says. However, it is best for grower operations to invest in training on the front-end because a well-developed training program will help with recruitment. If an operation already has a strong training program in place, the interviewer can point that out during interviews, Waschek says.
“The company representative can tell the candidate that they recognize the candidate may not have all the skills or experiences they’re seeking, but there are training resources available to them that will not only get them up to speed on the new role, but also help to position them for the next step in their career,” he says.
He also advises growers to think about what skills they are not able to teach. It is easier to hire someone with no background in horticulture, he says, because many other employees at the operation do have a horticulture background, so they can teach the new hire. It may be more important to find a candidate with experience in data entry or logistics, for example, because most employees at the greenhouse may not have strong skills in those subject areas.
“If you have managed inventory in an Amazon warehouse, there might be roles in the greenhouse world that fit that,” Waschek says. “People are overlooking those warehouse workers because they don’t have the word ‘greenhouse’ or ‘horticulture’ in their title.”
Waschek says growers should recognize the behavioral styles of the people they are hiring. This helps determine if the new hire is outgoing, shy, or detail-oriented, for example. There are thousands of behavioral assessment tools to help determine what role in the company would be best suited for that candidate.
“If you have a team role and you want a person to be outgoing, don’t stick them in a job where they sit in a room alone for eight hours a day and count things,” Waschek says.
A behavioral assessment should be completed during the interview process. Waschek says if necessary, the candidate could apply to a different position at the same company that better fits their personality. This way, the candidate finds a better position and the company does not lose a qualified worker.
Downing will be speaking about the importance of putting your talent first during the upcoming GROW Executive Summit. Click on the logo above to learn more!
Proper Onboarding Affects Retention
In the horticulture industry, consistent, high-quality onboarding programs are hard to find. Employees’ onboarding experience has a significant impact on how long they stay with the company. Michael Maggiotto, Director of Human Capital Advisory with BEST Human Capital & Advisory Group, says growers need to develop consistent onboarding programs customized to their company and industry. This should include building rapport between new hires and management.
Employees should spend time with their manager and learn about their manager’s style of communication and leadership. Many businesses also pair new employees with a mentor, who can help answer questions, brief the employee on company culture, and guide new employees through the unwritten rules of the company.
“Just pop in and have a conversation,” Maggiotto says of check-ins between new hires and managers. “Keep them lowkey. It doesn’t have to be formal. The goal is to make sure they understand, ‘You’re working here for us, but you’re a human being and an important part of what we do.’ Show them you are willing to listen and want to hear their ideas — then be prepared to act on that feedback.”
The feedback cycle between employees and managers is critical, Maggiotto says. New hires have a different set of eyes than people who have worked for the company for years. They may see new opportunities for efficiency and bring fresh ideas to the table. New ideas from new hires bring opportunities to innovate. Innovation is the key to long-term company success and employee retention.
Onboarding is about educating new hires on the company’s internal methodology, not just compliance, such as paperwork. Maggiotto says new hires should know key stakeholders, decision trees, and unwritten rules of the company.
“Onboarding is all about putting people through the process to educate them and incorporate them into the culture of your organization and setting them up for success in their role,” he says.
Some people see access to talent as a recruitment issue, but Maggiotto says it’s a retention issue.
“We have a situation of businesses robbing Peter to pay Paul. They’re just trading employees between each other. It’s a revolving cycle of employees without actually expanding the pool,” he says. “But if you focus on retention, you stop the bleeding and you can really start to grow your head count.”
Retention strategies can include creating a bonus structure and incentivizing key actions to grow the organization and advance its strategic plan, Maggiotto says.
Bonuses Are Back
Many companies are offering sign-on and stay-on bonuses to help with recruitment and retention, according to compensation expert Cassandra Faurote, Founder and CEO of Total Reward Solutions. These bonuses are making a comeback so companies do not lose key employees.
Faurote also sees the development of more bonus plans to earn cash based on a team’s productivity, meaning they earn cash for meeting desired metrics.
“That creates great team camaraderie. They work together as a team,” she says. “When there’s extra cash out there, there’s a lot of peer pressure to meet those metrics.”
Employers are also doing a better job of market benchmarking to ensure that they pay a competitive wage based on the size of their operation and their location. Faurote says there is pressure to raise salaries because other industries have, such as restaurants, manufacturing, and call centers. Many people are paying attention to what is considered a living wage for their region.
“There’s a lot of movement around that. We’ve even seen boards get their companies to move their entry wage to a living wage rate,” Faurote says. “In Indianapolis and Louisville, those rates have moved on average $3 per hour in the last year, which is significant. For a lot of places, the living wage is easily $15 per hour.”
One of the most important things to do that many employers forget about, Faurote says, is to ask employees what they want. Depending on the employee, compensation and benefits may be very important or not make much of a difference. Some employees value the company culture, others may be looking for a daycare stipend.
“Find out what is really important to the employees and what they want. We call those stay interviews,” Faurote says. “Talk to your employees and figure out what they want, what will keep them there, and then do what you can.”
Youth Are the Future
When children are growing up, they are told to become doctors and lawyers. No one tells them to be a horticulturist, according to Jazmin Albarran, Executive Director of Seed Your Future. She says it is incumbent upon the horticulture industry to change that. This industry has impressive innovations in technology in STEM, which will draw young people. However, employers also have to offer benefits that young people are looking for.
The next generation workforce is looking for flexible hours and diverse job responsibilities. They would like to learn a little bit about every aspect of the business, rather than doing the same task every day. Young workers are willing to work hard if their employer provides them with opportunities to stay engaged. Albarran says young people do their research before accepting a job offer.
“I want a professional environment and people who are well organized,” says Donna Perez Lugones, an AmericanHort Scholar. “I like to read reviews and talk to people who have worked there before.”
She says she is looking for a job with a work-life balance and a positive company culture. Perez-Lugones and her peers are not looking for employers who do not fairly compensate their workers or value their contribution to the company.
“We have to find ways to be competitive,” Albarran says of attracting young people to horticulture instead of other jobs that may be popular, such as doctors, lawyers, and engineers. “We have just as much technology.”
Seed Your Future initiated Green Career Week, which took place Oct. 3-7, to educate young people on future careers in horticulture (learn more here). Nearly 140 businesses registered to participate in Green Career Week by inviting students to their operation or visiting their schools, and 40 businesses posted about their career opportunities on social media.
A mix of factors, including compensation, benefits, company culture, and professional development, will attract qualified candidates to horticulture.
Editor’s note: This is the second article in a four-part series on labor solutions. The first article can be found here, and the next article will come out in late November.
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