Why The Younger Horticulture Workforce Views Employment as a Partnership

HortScholars panel web

(L to R): Assistant Professor Dr. Melinda Knuth of North Carolina State University, and HortScholars Lisa Richards, Ethan Jenkins, Rachel Swicioinis, Brian Schulker, Daniela “Donna” Perez-Lugones, and Phoebe Austerman. Photo: Julie Hullett

Company culture is more important now than ever for employment, according to a panel of AmericanHort scholars at Cultivate’22. The younger generation in today’s workforce will be loyal to their employer, but they expect their employer to build a positive work environment and help them reach their goals.

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Dr. Melinda Knuth, an assistant professor at North Carolina State University, moderated a panel of AmericanHort scholars. The session was titled “Looking Ahead to Make Your Company Attractive to the Next Wave of Employees – A Panel Discussion with This Year’s HortScholars.” The HortScholars included Phoebe Austerman, Daniela “Donna” Perez-Lugones, Ethan Jenkins, Brian Schulker, Rachel Swicioinis, and Lisa Richards.

“If you don’t give them the same amount of energy, they will quit,” Knuth said of the younger members of the workforce. “It’s a partnership and they will be loyal to you.”

Company Culture Matters

The panelists focused on company culture, noting that culture is a byproduct of the people. The culture is evident from the first job interview through an employee’s last day at the company. Culture is a major factor in employees’ work ethic and the quality of their work. If the company culture is poor, employees will not feel inclined to work efficiently and they will not find pride in their work.

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It is incumbent upon company leadership to create a fun, collaborative, and positive work environment to retain their employees and recruit new ones. The HortScholars say employees will talk about the company to coworkers and friends either way, so the news might as well be good.

“Emphasize that there’s a way for you to grow in the company and grow as a person,” Lugones said of recruiting young talent.

If employers are proactive about setting up their employees for success, the employees will enjoy their work while also working efficiently. Jenkins shared a recent internship experience with an excellent company culture at Pairwise, a gene editing start-up for food crops. On the first day, his employer asked what his goals were. Pairwise supported Jenkins so he could reach his personal and professional goals.

“The values that I’m looking for are the same values that I want to bring,” Perez-Lugones said.

Richards said that young employees are self-motivated to work, but they need leaders to look up to. The leaders have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

“When I look at a job description, I think of how I can fulfill it,” Swicioinis said. “I’m going to match the employer’s energy. I’m here for you, but I want you to be here for me, as well.”

Young People Want to Work

The term “Great Resignation” appears in the news often, but Richards said young people want to work. Austerman said young people understand that their employers are taking a chance on them, but the new recruits want to prove themselves at their new jobs.

“There is so much potential for younger people,” she said. Jenkins said that is a benefit of hiring young people — they are eager to work.

Schulker said that growers should develop a pipeline to feed recent graduates to their operation. Austerman also suggested that growers connect with horticulture clubs at local universities to find students who are looking for an internship or a job. They value experience and feedback.

“Feedback is a gift,” Richards added. “Take it as an opportunity, not an insult.”

Swicioinis said it is hard to tell someone’s true personality before they get hired. To paint an accurate picture, she said growers should have an informal interview with candidates, where the candidates do not feel pressured to put on a façade.

The HortScholars also touched on job descriptions. Technical language and industry jargon can make any job feel inaccessible to recent graduates, so they prefer clear and concise language. Employers should use bullet points to show required and preferred qualifications, they said. Job descriptions should also show a full compensation and benefits package. These listings often describe what the employer wants from you, but the panelists said job descriptions should show how the employer and candidate can form a partnership to reach both parties’ goals.

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