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If you have never considered retaining older workers, now may be the perfect time to reconsider them as an alternative to persistent labor challenges. Why? First, this labor pool is growing, thanks to the fact that people are living longer, healthier lives and that seemingly more companies now than ever before are offering early retirement to their employees. Then, these prospective workers offer benefits that many younger employees cannot offer. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience, they are proven to be competent employees, and in many cases, money is not their incentive to work. Most just want the opportunity to stay active, to contribute, and to be productive.

Mike Rorie, president of Groundmasters, Inc., in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been taking advantage of this labor market for 10 years now. "We have retired individuals in each of our four locations," explains Rorie. "Usually, they are the father of someone who is already working for us, and they typically have a blue-collar background, meaning they enjoy physical activity and working with their hands."

Groundmasters' older employees are usually assigned clean-up tasks around the shop, or they run errands and deliver equipment and materials to the field. In all cases, says Rorie, they are competent and self-motivated.

"We have found that hiring older workers is an ideal way to maximize productivity. Although they are not actually mowing the grass or plowing the snow, they allow our production people to spend more time on the job, while they perform the less productive, albeit still important, tasks that have to be done. Driving a truck is another ideal application for older workers. Again, it is not labor intensive, and it frees up other employees so they can continue doing what they were hired to do."

The best way to tap into this workforce is from within the company, says Rorie. Local churches and senior centers are also excellent resources. Just get the word out and the interest will be there, he adds, noting that an eight-hour day of brainstorming will get it done for most contractors looking for retired workers.

Groundmasters' "alternative" workforce is not made up entirely of retired workers. Mothers with small children comprise another important segment. Here, too, just a little flexibility on the employer's part will deliver big returns, says Rorie. "We have had several new mothers come back to work for us on a part-time basis. Some want to work only a few hours a day, and others may want to work only a couple of days a week. Either way, we have found that it benefits both parties if we can find a way to keep a good employee employed in some capacity. It is an old adage in any business. Once you have found a good employee, do everything in your power to keep that person employed even if it requires two or three people sharing the same job."

As Rorie points out, landscape contractors are already familiar with the need to be flexible, since most hire seasonal employees. Using retired workers or mothers may mean some reshuffling and rescheduling, but the end result will be well worth the effort. This approach is not for everyone, he adds. Small companies with only a few employees have less flexibility overall and broader job descriptions than their larger counterparts. But for larger companies, those with 40 or more employees, bringing part-time people on board can give motivated people a job, free up your staff so it can be more productive, and ultimately add to the bottom line.

By Rod Dickens, ALCA Contributing Writer