At this summer’s SIMA Symposium, we presented a session on how the Brian-Kyles Landscaping team integrated technology and flexibility into its approach to staffing for snow season, despite the fact that the unpredictability of work hours and weather; the physical demands; and sometimes the specialized skills and training needed can narrow the hiring pool. Following are three strategies that Brian-Kyles put into place to mitigate these challenges:

Pay ladder

Having a well-defined pay ladder (see example below) allows you to objectively start employees at the right level of compensation, while also showing them the opportunities that exist for a raise as they work to develop their skillset. This can be both a recruiting tool and a retention tool.

Turf & Ornamental Team Leader Pay Ladder

Efficient year-round hiring

Somewhat paradoxically, companies with seasonal busy periods should actually be hiring year-round. By doing so you can bring on "A" players full-time and train them up in the offseason, while you build a deep bench of seasonal part-timers you can call on throughout the year. Brian-Kyles uses Team Engine to automate 80% of their workload to keep the recruiting process moving at all times without requiring too much of the HR manager’s daily time and attention.

Year-round work

Brian-Kyles has built a diverse portfolio of services and specializations with complementary peaks and valleys in seasonality. When landscaping slows in the winter, they’re busy serving snow removal clients, and vice versa. This approach allows them to keep more employees on full-time throughout the year, which makes the opportunity more reliable and attractive to them.

Snow season playbook

We concluded the session by discussing three things that every snow season playbook needs in order to be effective.

Incentives. Snow fighters aren’t looking for luxurious or expensive rewards; they just want perks that make the hard work a little bit easier or more enjoyable. Brian-Kyles promises their snow crews consistency in pay, flexibility with varying shift schedules, and adds in winter giveaways.

Workload balance. When you’re pulling long hours in challenging conditions, it’s easy to get burnt out. Prevent your snow fighters from burning out by ensuring you always have enough people on staff to keep the workload balanced. Brian-Kyles asks new hires to check the box for the shifts they’re open to working and then tags each worker with the appropriate group in Team Engine:

• Operators 24/7
• Operators 12-8 + weekends
• Operators 4-12 + weekends
• Operators 8-4 + weekends
• Operators - call for availability

This lets them hire people who may not be available for every shift but are willing to work certain times. They also try to stick to 12-hour shifts (or 16 at most) to keep their workers safe and well-rested. This courteous approach to scheduling helps them build crews they can always depend on.

Communication. Having an efficient and effective communication system in place is key to a successful snow operation. You need to be 100% sure that your messages to crew members are being delivered and read. Your crew also needs to be able to reach you quickly and easily so they can communicate their availability, as well as alert you to issues in the field.

Brian-Kyles uses Team Engine for this functionality and says the ability to text groups as well as individual team members has hugely improved communication with their snow crews and made them more efficient on the whole.

Previously, we had to keep track of when our employees could work in Excel, and had to always go back to it when a storm was coming to figure out who to call. Now we can select the group we want to reach and know the right employees will get the message.

Summary

Technology and flexibility can seriously improve your ability to recruit workers for snow season. By implementing efficient, year-round hiring practices and offering incentives tailored to the needs of their snow removal workforce, Brian-Kyles Landscaping has set a benchmark for the industry. Their approach highlights the importance of adaptability, continuous engagement, and leveraging automation to streamline processes.

Ultimately, the success of snow and ice management companies hinges on the ability to anticipate and respond to the unpredictable demands of the season with a motivated and capable workforce ready to tackle any storm.

Why is staffing snow so hard?

Weather fluctuations. Unpredictability makes it challenging for companies to maintain a stable workforce. Sudden increases in demand can lead to a scramble to find additional workers on short notice. Conversely, during milder periods, a surplus of staff may have little work to do, leading to inefficiencies and potential dissatisfaction.

Unpredictable hours. Snow removal often requires workers to be on call 24/7. This irregular schedule can be difficult for employees to manage, particularly those with other commitments or responsibilities. The need for flexibility can deter potential hires who prefer more consistent working hours.

Physical demands. Workers must be able to handle heavy equipment, clear large areas of snow, and apply deicing materials, all while battling cold temperatures and hazardous conditions. This physical toll can lead to fatigue, injuries, and overall job dissatisfaction, making it harder to find and keep employees who are capable and willing to perform such demanding tasks.

Specialized skills. Finding workers who have the specific skills and certifications required isn’t always easy, particularly on short notice. Training new employees to meet these standards takes time and resources, which can be difficult to manage in an industry characterized by rapid fluctuations in demand. This need for specialized skills further narrows the pool of potential available hires.

Carlos del Pozo is co-founder of Team Engine. Learn more at www.teamengine.com. Laura Means is former HR manager for Brian-Kyles Landscaping.