How Much to Pay Snow Removal Employees

Knowing how much to pay snow removal employees is one of the best ways to secure the best professionals in the area.

And how much you pay your snow removal employees is key to keeping them.

In this article, you’ll discover the most important factors to calculate when figuring out pay for snow removal employees including:

• Local, average snow removal employee wages
• Top industry pay structures
• Bonuses, benefits, and perks 
• Factors outside of pay to ensure employee retention

Use this article to discover how much to pay snow removal employees to keep your team happy and satisfied in your business.

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3 Key Factors for Determining How Much to Pay Snow Removal Employees

Use these main 3 key factors will help determine how much to pay snow removal employees:

1. Explore the Average Snow Removal Employee Wage

Take advantage of job listing websites to explore what the local competition is offering for snow removal employee wages.

For instance, a quick search on Indeed for “snow removal” in Fort Collins, Colorado ranges in pay anywhere between $24-$40 per hour.

Similarly, a search in Grand Forks, ND showed some snow removal positions as high as $50 per hour and Saint Paul, MN to be in the $20 - $30 per hour range.

In addition, you can check national averages for general or specific positions on websites like ZipRecruiter or Payscale.

However, keep in mind that how much you pay relies heavily upon the benefits offered within your compensation package.

For example, PTO (i.e. paid time off), health insurance, disability insurance, bonuses, and more are equally as important as the wage offered.

Remember, snow removal employee pay widely varies based on location and experience, so be sure to do some research on the average wages in your area.

2. Use Accurate Pricing to Cover Proper Compensation

In order to have the ability to properly pay snow removal employees, you’ll need to ensure you’re accurately pricing your services to cover it.

Here’s a quick example of how to ensure you’re properly pricing your snow removal services for profit:

• Determine minimum snow removal prices
• Factor in profit goals
• Choose a pricing model

By meeting profit goals, you’ll have the ability to easily provide proper compensation to employees.

Plus, when you choose Service Autopilot, you’ll have the power to automatically track these goals to find and fix profit holes.

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3. Choose How to Pay Snow Removal Employees

Take a look at the top two ways many snow removal businesses use to pay their teams:

Hourly

Hourly pay is one of the most popular ways businesses choose to pay snow removal professionals.

Simply put, with hourly pay, employees are paid a set dollar amount per hour, and receive time and a half for anything over 40 hours worked.

This is the best approach if you have part time employees who work less than 40 hours a week, or seasonally.

Salary

In some cases, it makes sense to offer a flat, yearly salary, but this is typically for leadership/management roles. 

Alternatively, if you’re a lawn care and snow removal business, then it might make sense to offer a salary to keep your top talent employed year-round.

How Much to Pay Snow Removal Employees

Now, let’s talk about a few additional fundamental factors that go into determining how much to pay snow removal employees.

• Location
  • Different areas of the country pay more or less due to things like cost of living, taxes, etc.
• Market
  • It’s tougher to find great employees when unemployment is low, which means you’ll probably need to pay more.
• Competition
  • To avoid being stuck with the leftover candidates the competition didn’t want, you’ll need to offer a competitive wage.

Additionally, you should pay your snow removal employees based on:

• Experience, training, etc.
• Performance and amount of callbacks
• Attitude, work ethic, morals, and loyalty
• Employee’s ability to work well with the team

Top Incentives to Keep Your Best Employees Happy

While higher pay can create less turnover, it’s not a guarantee.

After all, notoriously low-paying businesses are more likely to get unfit candidates, decrease employee retention, have less work volume, and produce lower-quality services.

Though offering a competitive wage is important in properly compensating snow removal employees, incentives are equally essential.

For example, these are a few of the top incentives offered by many businesses to keep their best employees happy:

• 401K
• Gift cards
• Comp time
• Health insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Disability insurance
• PTO (i.e. paid time off)
• Incentive program (make it simple and public)
• Company events (e.g. cookouts, parties, etc.)

Here are a few other factors to consider:

• 80% of employees prefer new or additional benefits over a pay increase
• 90% of millennials prefer benefits over a pay raise

Employee compensation is so much more than take-home pay. However, it’s important to weigh your budget to meet profit goals as well.

Remember, it’s not only about the money. Your team wants to feel recognized and appreciated.

In turn, if you treat them like family, they’re more likely to give you their best. Likewise, if you treat them poorly, then they’ll likely look elsewhere to the competition.

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Use the #1 Snow Removal Software to Help Determine Pay

Did you know the #1 snow removal software can help you determine how much to pay snow removal employees?

Using Service Autopilot, you can use features like these to determine pay:

• Average job times
• Team GPS and time tracking
• Before and after pictures of job performance

Plus, Service Autopilot streamlines your everyday operations, such as:

• Instant invoicing
• Automated two-way texting
• Automatic same-day payments
• Fast estimate creation from anywhere
• Job management from anywhere using the Mobile App
• Pre-built master routes for quick operations during storms
• Flexible billing options based on how you charge for services

In addition, Service Autopilot allows you to automate your everyday tasks and even connect your Gmail and Outlook emails to your Service Autopilot account.

With Service Autopilot, there’s no limit to the explosive growth, time saved, and maximized profits you can achieve.

Automations is the  #1 way to follow up  with clients. If you’re not using it, your business might still be successful - but it won’t grow. 

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In Service Autopilot, our automations send emails and texts to:​

Every lead after an estimate is completed

Clients after their property has been serviced​

Remind leads and clients to send you customer feedback​

Update outdated or declined payment information​

Inform them when a service can’t be completed due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e. weather)​

Remind them of maintenance tips (i.e. putting a cover on the outdoor faucet before the winter)​

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Secure the Best Talent By Knowing How Much to Pay Snow Removal Employees

Especially in a highly competitive industry like snow removal, it’s important to secure the best talent by knowing how much to pay snow removal employees.

Although, it’s important to be sure you’re continuing to meet profit goals before finalizing any wages. As always, meet with a certified CPA before making final decisions on pay.

Finally, you know how much to pay snow removal employees and keep the top talent in your business happy for many years to come!

Related: 5 Steps to Dealing With a Problem Snow Employee

Originally published Jan 13, 2022 7:00 AM updated on Nov 8, 2023 at 11:26 AM