Finding and keeping staff as a landscaper: the complete guide for 2025

Every week I hear from landscaping owners that staff is their biggest growth bottleneck. Not leads, not clients, not budget — people. "I can take on more work but I have no one to do it." The labour market is structurally tight, but there's a lot you can do.

Where to find quality staff

1. Your own team: implement a referral programme (€500 bonus if the referral stays 3+ months). Your best people know other good people. 2. MBO Green/Horticulture programmes: contact teachers directly for internships — a three-month internship is the best trial period you can have. 3. Social media: post team and project content, then add a line "we're looking for a second landscaper in [city]." A 60-second video of a project reaches more candidates than any job board. 4. Adjacent sectors: builders, painters and municipal groundskeepers already have the physical-outdoor-tools mindset. Teach them the craft specifics.

Becoming an attractive employer

Good people don't choose on salary alone. They choose on culture, growth, and how they're treated. The three retention factors landscapers cite most: team atmosphere, role clarity, and recognition when they do good work.

Pay 5-10% above market rate. Replacing a good hovenier costs €3,000-€8,000 in recruitment plus three to six months of lost productivity. Retention is always cheaper than replacement.

30-day onboarding plan

Day 1: tour, team introductions, equipment sorted. Week 1: shadow an experienced colleague. Week 2: work independently with support available. Weeks 3-4: adjust role based on what you see. End of month 1: honest conversation about their experience and your expectations.

Employees who feel they belong in the first month stay four times longer than those who are thrown in the deep end. Most landscaping companies have no onboarding process — that's your differentiation.