Opportunity and growth signal a need for skilled labor Email
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Tuesday, July 07, 2015 01:11 PM

GrowthA recent poll of Fortune 500 CEOs revealed some interesting statistics. Two telling responses reveal that businesses are expecting growth, and that the skilled labor pool may not be keeping up.

Coming in 4th on the list of challenges faced by big business is “shortage of skilled labor.” 34% of CEOs rated this one of their top issues. Any landscape company looking for irrigation technicians can surely relate to that.

Despite that shortage, 82% of CEOs said that they plan to employ more people two years from now. You can chalk that up to optimism, but Fortune 500 leaders usually need more than a sunny outlook for the future to guide their actions. They make choices based on quantifiable trends and validated statistics. If the buy guys are planning to hire more staff, then you can bet that they know something. They see growth ahead, and they are preparing for it.

Here in the Colorado landscape industry, we’ve seen tremendous growth ourselves over the past two seasons. Based on indicators in the local market, that trend is continuing. And with recent weather across the state forcing delays on jobs, demand for professional landscape services will only increase.

After all, if Bob Vila says that landscaping is a good investment, then it must be true! (Best of all, he recommends hiring a professional to guide the project.) With Colorado’s housing prices rising at the greatest pace in the country, you can expect more people to invest in their home and surrounding property.

In 2014, 3 in 5 homeowners who use Houzz reported making upgrades to their outdoor spaces. 84% of them hired a professional to help. They performed renovations on everything from landscape and irrigation to sheds and pools.

Commercial and industrial real estate is also in demand in Colorado. Vacancies are dropping, and absorption rates are up as companies move into the state or move on to larger digs. Many of them will need landscape services as well.

All of these trends indicate a need for hiring more employees to sell and perform your company’s services. Whether you find experienced workers or develop a way to train them, all signs point to focusing on hiring resources now to take advantage of opportunities in coming seasons.

Read more in this issue of Colorado Green NOW:
6 wishes of a dying landscape professional
Smart Irrigation Month can save money and win customers
Smart irrigation technologies use water efficiently
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