Wondering how much to pay lawn care employees?
There are a lot of factors to consider, and when you know how much to pay lawn care employees, you can maximize profits whilst hiring (and keeping) top talent.
Use this complete guide and calculator to help you properly determine how much to pay lawn care employees based on:
Remember, lawn care employee wages not only affect the bottom line, but they also influence the quality of work and attention to detail.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly how much to pay lawn care employees.
Check local lawn care job listings in your area to determine what similar positions are paying.
For example, a quick search on Indeed for “lawn care specialist” in Dallas, Texas pays anywhere from $13 to $28 an hour.
Here’s how the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks down the average salary for these positions:
Though, how much you pay depends on the benefits you're offering as the total compensation package.
Compensation packages typically include other things like:
In a moment, we’ll cover how to pay lawn care employees while also guaranteeing profitability.
Remember, payment varies by geographical area. Take a look at the landscaper wages from a few major regions across the US:
Check local lawn care job listings in your area to determine what similar positions are paying.
For example, a quick search on Indeed for “lawn care specialist” in Dallas, Texas pays anywhere from $13 to $28 an hour.
Here’s how the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks down the average salary for these positions:
Though, how much you pay depends on the benefits you're offering as the total compensation package.
Compensation packages typically include other things like:
In a moment, we’ll cover how to pay lawn care employees while also guaranteeing profitability.
Remember, payment varies by geographical area. Take a look at the landscaper wages from a few major regions across the US:
In the past, hourly compensation was considered the standard for how to pay lawn care employees.
Using this method, employees are paid a certain dollar amount per hour, as well as time and a half for anything over 40 hours per week.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Sometimes, it makes sense to offer a flat yearly salary for spray techs or anyone in leadership or management.
Salary compensation is a great way to keep things simple and streamlined for those upper-level positions.
Advantages:
Disadvantages
The pay-by-day structure pays an employee for each day (e.g. $130 per day).
A quick word of caution: employees still must be paid at least minimum wage for 40 hours.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
The performance-based compensation model pays an employee a certain amount for each job.
It is legal, but you still need to track your employees’ hours to ensure you’re not running into overtime problems.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Regardless of which pay structure you choose, there are ways to keep morale high while also making employees feel like a valued part of the business.
No matter which forms of compensation you choose for your lawn care business, there are a wide variety of factors to consider when determining pay structure.
Let’s look at a few of the main factors that determine how much to pay lawn care employees:
In a nutshell, higher pay can help lower turnover, but it’s not guaranteed.
Here's the thing, you don’t want to be the low payer among competitors because if you are, you’ll likely get:
However, remember that paying employees is so much more than their take-home pay.
Incentives (e.g. bonuses, benefits, lunches, etc.) also play an important role when trying to attract the best employees. Remember, every employee wants to feel appreciated.
If you treat your employees like family, then chances are they'll work hard for you and put their best foot forward.
If they get nickel-and-dimed and micromanaged, then they'll likely look elsewhere (e.g. the competition).
Senior Landscape Designer Karl Naegler from Rochester, NY has seen it all in his 20+ years of experience.
"If you take care of your employees, listen to them, treat them fair and as equals to one another, give them at least two reviews, have a clear set of goals you would like them to perform, and have an open-door policy on any topic, then you will retain them. Higher pay is just one item."
- KARL NAEGLER, CNLPVP NEW YORK STATE NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATE BOARD
So far, we've discussed the various ways regarding how to pay lawn care employees as well as various compensation models.
Now, let's talk about the best incentives for keeping local top talent.
Here are some of the best perks lawn care businesses can offer to remain competitive:
"I have done all sorts of things [for incentives]. My favorite was handing out scratch-off tickets if the crews hit their quota for the week. If all met it by noon on Friday, then a lunch party was provided at 1:00 PM, and they got paid for it. It helped keep overtime down, yet they were being rewarded. They also got the big scratch-off $10 ticket, and we had fun hanging out, talking shop at the end of the week. I had a ton of respect for my employees, and I tried to keep it on a professional level."
- Karl Naegler CNLPVP New York State Nursery and Landscape Association Board
As you determine how much to pay lawn care employees, keep these numbers in mind:
Since great employees are the lifeblood of any successful business, it's important to know how much to pay lawn care employees.
However, before finalizing any competitive wages, don't forget to ensure you're still meeting profit goals.
Also, keep in mind, it's absolutely essential to meet with a CPA (i.e. certified public accountant) before finalizing any new changes.
Now, how much to pay lawn care employees and keep the top talent in your area today!
Related: 5 Simple Fixes to Your Main Lawn Care Hiring Problems
Originally published June 18, 2020 7:00 AM, updated April 18, 2023 8:00 AM
Tags: Business Operation
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