The Edge March/April/May 2026

Culture and Career Growth Jones says their commitment to building the world’s premier concierge outdoor living company is a journey that many want to be a part of. “It is really hard not to get excited about what we do,”Jones says.“We are working on some of the country’s most distinguished and beautiful landscapes, creatively solving challenges for our clients to exceed their expectations.” Delano says their culture, stability and reputation as a family-owned business all serve as major draws for their company. “We highlight the fact that we are family-owned and plan to remain that way,”Delano says. “That has become a real selling point as more and more com panies in our industry become private equity-owned. We also have a clear career ladder that we actively promote. People can see a path from crew member to crew leader to foreman to branch manager, and we have numerous examples of team members who’ve made that journey with us.” Milanes says their growth opportunities also interest their new hires the most. “We invest in our team by paying for certifications, training, and development programs, and we provide clear growth tracks so employees can see a path forward,”Milanes says. “People appreciate knowing that their hard work and ambition are recognized, and that there’s support for them to advance both their skills and their careers.” Pay and Benefits Expectations Competitive pay also can’t be overlooked. Reitano says they’ve seen significant increases in pay expectations post-COVID. “Wages rose by about 5% each year for several years after the pandemic, well above the historical 3% that we saw during the previous decade,”Reitano says. “Additionally, many states have enacted minimum wages at or above $15/hr, which only fueled this wage inflation.” Bosch says all of their employees are salary based with 40-hour work weeks, including their technicians. “We also provide a very competitive salary and incentive structure based on your production,”Bosch says. Larger landscape companies like Davey and Mariani note they also have the com petitive advantage of offering a full range of benefits that smaller organizations may not be able to provide, such as medical, vision, and dental insurance and a 401(k). “Our full-time hires are eligible to receive

health insurance with us on day 1 and many other benefits as well,”Reitano says. “There is no waiting period. We are also unique in our employee ownership model. Our employ ees are the owners of our company, so they are the ones who directly benefit from the company’s financial success.” Flexibility and Work-Life Balance One major shift in candidate priorities is time off and general schedule flexibility. Bosch says on an average day, their employees work from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and team members appreciate having most of their day available to them. “They want to know they can do meaningful work without sacrificing per sonal time, and they value employers who support that,”Milanes says. “We’ve seen that offering clear communication about pay, schedules, growth opportunities, and a supportive culture can make a big differ ence in attracting and retaining top talent.” Elliott says they moved from a five-day workweek to a four-day workweek last year for their landscape division and it has served as a great morale boost for the team. “Even though those employees lost a lot of overtime, what they gained back was their ability to either have more time off with their family or to get another part time job, if they wanted to,” Elliott says. “In years past, there would be the question about do we get a raise this year? But I think people are really happy right now to have a job with people who care about them and a good work environment. I think they care more about that, and value flexibility and being treated with respect and kindness more than that dollar every year.” Delano says previously their PTO policy was on par with other landscape compa nies in their area, but when they realized it was lacking compared to other competing industries in their area, they increased their PTO scale for long-tenured employees. With younger generations in partic ular, there is a greater focus on work-life balance. “They want to know about schedules, time off, and how we handle work during peak seasons,”Delano says. “We’ve had to be more transparent about expectations upfront and more flexible where we can be.” Jones agrees setting expectations within reason is critical to retention. Mariani has adopted flexible time-off plans that support their associates’ work-life balance goals.

Photo: The Davey Tree Expert Company

Investing in Technology Companies that are investing in

technology and looking to the future have also been able to attract younger candidates. Delano says that they strive to be on the cutting edge of technology implementation, leveraging everything from autonomous mowers to AI platforms like ChatGPT and Claude. “Some candidates, particularly younger ones, appreciate that we’re a modern com pany using current technology,”Delano says. “It signals that we’re professional and forward-thinking. However, for some candi dates, especially those less comfortable with technology, it can be intimidating initially.” Delano says they emphasize to those who are more wary of technology that they aren’t looking for tech experts, but a willingness to learn. “Once people get over any initial hesi tation, most find that technology actually makes their jobs easier,” Delano says. “I do believe overall this helps us attract new employees, as more individuals under stand that being technologically forward is a necessity of a growing and successful business these days. I think it’s one part of what makes people comfortable coming to work for us.” TE  KEY TAKEAWAYS ■ Companies with defined

websites. ■ Landscape companies are prioritizing soft skills and coachability as tech nical skills are teachable. ■ Schedule transparency, time-off policies, and flexibility are often more influential than incre mental pay increases, especially among Millen nials and Gen Z.

values, growth paths, and employee-focused cultures are attracting higher-quality candidates and retaining them longer. ■ Referrals consistently produce a better cultural fit, while strong em ployer branding drives higher-quality applicants directly to company

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