Spartan Mowers Releases 2025 Product Lineup
Jessica Schwartz
“For The Love Of Labor” Grant Promotes Women In Skilled Trades
Carhartt created its “For the Love of Labor” grants to increase female representation in the skilled trades. Applications are due February 17. With the skilled labor shortage remaining a challenge across several industries, opportunities for women to enter the trades are stronger than ever. Women’s share of the ever-expanding construction workforce reached an all-time high – 14 percent – in 2022¹, and the number of minority women apprentices has nearly doubled in recent years.² With that in mind, and looking ahead to International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, Carhartt is dedicating its Spring 2023 round of bi-annual “For the Love of Labor” grants to increase female representation in the skilled trades. Now through February 17, eligible nonprofit organizations that help place women in skilled positions can apply for the Spring 2023 grants, which are part of the brand’s commitment to strengthening and diversifying America’s workforce. Recipients will be announced in early March ahead of International Women’s Day as part of Carhartt’s larger celebration of women in the skilled trades. “While women have always played a vital role in this country’s rich history of labor, they remain disproportionately underrepresented in the skilled trades, where many of the jobs are historically male-dominated,” said Linda Hubbard, president and COO at Carhartt. “Carhartt was founded on the belief that careers in the skilled trades provide rewarding and inclusive job opportunities, and through our next round of grants, we strive to empower like-minded organizations that champion women as an integral part of America’s ...
Stellar Industries Transitions to 100% Employee-Owned Company
Stellar Industries, an employee-owned and operated manufacturer of high-quality mechanic trucks and cranes, tire service trucks, hooklifts, roll-off cable hoists, trailers and service truck and van accessories, is now a 100% employee-owned company. Stellar established an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) in 1991 with employees recently owning approximately 52% of the company’s overall shares. The transition to 100% employee-ownership will not impact or change Stellar’s day-to-day operations, and President Dave Zrostlik will continue with the company in his current role. “During the past two decades, our employees have enjoyed many positive benefits of employee ownership,” said Zrostlik. “With an ownership mindset, our employees will continue to work together to increase the company’s value. We believe this change to 100% ESOP ownership will secure Stellar’s success for years to come. That’s good for employee-owners, good for Stellar and good for the communities where we are located.” According to the National Center for Employee Ownership, research has repeatedly shown that when employee ownership is combined with a high-achieving culture, those companies outperform their peers on multiple measures of performance. Stellar also sees this move as a way to attract and retain the best employees to be part of the community of owners growing the company. “This is a defining moment in the history of Stellar,” Zrostlik continued. “Our employees have always been our greatest asset in our mission to provide equipment and innovations that make our customers more productive.” Stellar has more than 700 employees throughout multiple locations in Iowa, Nebraska, and ...
Giving Tuesday News: Doosan Bobcat’s Fall Giving Campaign Donates $250,000+
Doosan Bobcat North America (Bobcat) employees recently wrapped–up their fall giving campaign, exceeding total donation goals. The company donated more than $250,000 to local organizations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Georgia focused on education, community prosperity, and health resources. Bobcat’s fall charitable giving campaign took place over a two-week period in October, allowing employees to concentrate their efforts toward giving back to non-profits working to cultivate local communities. In addition to the funds raised by employees, Doosan Bobcat matched nearly half of total donations secured by staff members to further amplify employee generosity. New to this year’s campaign, employees could choose any organization with a 501(c)(3) status, rather than selecting from a pre-set list of non-profit organizations. United Way remained a featured charity for the campaign, receiving strong employee and organization support in addition to more than 100 other nonprofit recipients selected by employees. Doosan Bobcat has been a partner to United Way for more than 20 years, supporting its mission of inspiring and activating communities to improve lives. The fall giving campaign wrapped–up a season of volunteering and community efforts on behalf of the Doosan Bobcat company. In September, it was announced that more than 425 employees dedicated their time and talents to participate in 35 community projects toward the company’s annual Doosan Days of Community Service events. The program was part of a company-wide volunteer effort aimed at giving back to the communities where Bobcat employees live and work. Projects during this particular event spanned across Bobcat’s ...
Tech & Attracting Young Talent
Why technology plays a role in employee recruitment and retention. While there’s historically low unemployment rates and a lack of available labor in every business sector, field service organizations such as turf and landscape businesses are particularly hard hit due to an aging workforce and reluctance of younger individuals to join the business. Ironically, post pandemic, the Green Industry is booming in most aspects except having the labor (and sometimes the materials) to actually take on the amount of possible projects available. In the past, businesses dealt with significant employee turnover and resulting shortages by maintaining a steady stream of fresh technicians and engineers. But today that strategy no longer works as there simply isn’t the same labor pool. As a result, it’s increasingly important to hold on to the techs you already have, while looking for better ways to attract new talent. While paying employees a fair wage is a good—and necessary—place to start, providing cutting edge technology also has a role to play. An Aging Workforce In recent data compiled by the Service Council, technicians in the services field were polled on whether or not they planned to make their current profession their lifetime vocation. A majority (54%) of respondents indicated they planned to keep working in the industry, but 46% either weren’t sure or didn’t plan to. Of that 46%, a sizable 37% was due to retirement. In total, 40% of field service engineers are expected to leave their jobs in the next three to four years. ...
Need Employees? Your Website Is The Key To Recruiting
If there’s one silver lining from the pandemic, it’s that growth has come more easily for many lawn and landscaping companies. However, the recruiting problem has gone from bad to plain ugly. Recruits are hard to find. Employer competition is fierce. Applicants don’t show up for their interviews. New hires quit. As you look upward, the tower of revenue now casts a looming shadow. If recruiting can’t be fixed, your potential for growth will decline. This reality compromises the foundation of your business. Staffing a green industry company isn’t for the faint of heart. For the past 22 years, I’ve seen the revolving door of recruiting. My former employers, industry clients, and LinkedIn connections all seem to be searching for missing pieces to their recruiting strategy. The Keystone Over the past decade, our company, Landscape Leadership, has been fortunate to work with lawn and landscape companies that have not only focused on revenue growth, but also positioned their organizations as employer “brands of choice.” These green industry companies understand that job seekers want to work for winners. An effective part of this strategy is creating websites that reveal their positive company cultures and unique positions in the industry. Their websites market not only to prospective clients, but also potential team members. Positive Culture According to LinkedIn’s Ultimate List of Employer Brand Statistics, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job. What would potential recruits discover about your company’s brand and culture when they visit ...
Need Employees? Your Website Is The Key To Recruiting
If there’s one silver lining from the pandemic, it’s that growth has come more easily for many lawn and landscaping companies. However, the recruiting problem has gone from bad to plain ugly. Recruits are hard to find. Employer competition is fierce. Applicants don’t show up for their interviews. New hires quit. As you look upward, the tower of revenue now casts a looming shadow. If recruiting can’t be fixed, your potential for growth will decline. This reality compromises the foundation of your business. Staffing a green industry company isn’t for the faint of heart. For the past 22 years, I’ve seen the revolving door of recruiting. My former employers, industry clients, and LinkedIn connections all seem to be searching for missing pieces to their recruiting strategy. The Keystone Over the past decade, our company, Landscape Leadership, has been fortunate to work with lawn and landscape companies that have not only focused on revenue growth, but also positioned their organizations as employer “brands of choice.” These green industry companies understand that job seekers want to work for winners. An effective part of this strategy is creating websites that reveal their positive company cultures and unique positions in the industry. Their websites market not only to prospective clients, but also potential team members. Positive Culture According to LinkedIn’s Ultimate List of Employer Brand Statistics, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job. What would potential recruits discover about your company’s brand and culture when they visit ...
H-2B: An Employer Perspective
This article is presented in conjunction with “H-2B: The Basics” and “H-2B: The FEWA Perspective.” Finding employees has become one of the biggest issues in the landscaping industry, and H-2B has been both a saving grace and constant headache in this dynamic. H-2B, as everyone knows, is the controversial non-immigrant, non-agricultural visa that many employers throughout the U.S. use to bring in foreign labor to work for one-time occurrence, seasonal, intermittent, or peak time need. The program allows 66,000 visas per year: 33,000 for a first cap that covers the 4th and 1st quarters of the year; and 33,000 for a second cap that covers the 2nd and 3rd quarters of the year. However, H-2B has grown so popular that employers are left fighting for visas that fall extremely short of industry needs. My Experience As director of human resources at CoCal Landscape in Denver, CO, H-2B has been a huge part of my career. Though I had worked with the program before, in 2000 I was tasked with assisting our immigration attorney with bringing over 20 foreign workers on H-2B visas. I had no idea the amount of work the process required, but we went from those 20 people to a current total of 160 workers that come each year to work for CoCal. As I write this article, I’m hoping my certification process gets granted with enough time before the second cap is met. Over these 20 years, I can honestly say no year is the same, ...
H-2B: An Employer Perspective
This article is presented in conjunction with “H-2B: The Basics” and “H-2B: The FEWA Perspective.” Finding employees has become one of the biggest issues in the landscaping industry, and H-2B has been both a saving grace and constant headache in this dynamic. H-2B, as everyone knows, is the controversial non-immigrant, non-agricultural visa that many employers throughout the U.S. use to bring in foreign labor to work for one-time occurrence, seasonal, intermittent, or peak time need. The program allows 66,000 visas per year: 33,000 for a first cap that covers the 4th and 1st quarters of the year; and 33,000 for a second cap that covers the 2nd and 3rd quarters of the year. However, H-2B has grown so popular that employers are left fighting for visas that fall extremely short of industry needs. My Experience As director of human resources at CoCal Landscape in Denver, CO, H-2B has been a huge part of my career. Though I had worked with the program before, in 2000 I was tasked with assisting our immigration attorney with bringing over 20 foreign workers on H-2B visas. I had no idea the amount of work the process required, but we went from those 20 people to a current total of 160 workers that come each year to work for CoCal. As I write this article, I’m hoping my certification process gets granted with enough time before the second cap is met. Over these 20 years, I can honestly say no year is the same, ...
Toro Horizon360 Business Software Available To Landscape Contractors
Designed to help landscape contractors increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their businesses, Toro® Horizon360™ business software is now available. Over the past 18 months, more than 100 contractors tested this software suite, and with their feedback, Toro fine-tuned the software to meet landscape contractors’ needs. Horizon360 allows users to track the productivity of their crews and equipment, automate their billing process, and enhance time management. With Horizon360, there are no sign-on fees and no yearly contracts. Landscape contractors can choose the basic tier ($99/month with a 30-day free trial) or the enhanced tier ($199/month with a 60-day free trial) pricing categories. No matter which tier landscape contractors choose, Toro guarantees expert onboarding support at no extra charge. The Horizon360 software is focused on streamlining profitability for landscape contractors in several ways, but specifically enables operations to: Track crews: Horizon360 can efficiently track landscaping crews and monitor the progress of each task to ensure timely completion. Tracking devices are powered by 12-volt batteries and communicate directly with Horizon360 software once they’re installed on a machine. Automate invoices: With the integration of QuickBooks® online, users can sync employees, equipment, and tasks with the software, saving hours when it comes to invoicing. Schedule jobs: From irrigation to snow removal and lawn maintenance, Horizon360 converts estimations into customers and jobs as soon as the work is ready to schedule. The Horizon360 scheduling tool helps assign work to employees and balance schedules, and it can help manage rain days by reassigning and rescheduling the ...
