groundsman pay

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I am working on developing a pay grade system for groundsmen in my central Iowa small tree care company (me+groundie) and wondered if I could get some advice.
what is good starting pay? top end?

https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Tree-Groundsman-Salary$14.60/hr nationwide avg,

that being said, can I really pay groundsmen less than they could make at some of these other jobs?
local grocery distributor starting wages: $18 PT, $20 FT.
Amazon warehouse, $17.25
even McD's is up to $13

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Hope your labor issues continue for years to come. You are a cheap-skate of the first order.
 
This day and age, it’s hard to find good help.
Because parents in their present 50's never had Dads. Grandpas failed....The teaching of young men the simple skills was relegated to Play Station, while Dad exercised his last bit of job plateau. Now, we have 20 yr. old males, who couldn't hit the well digger in the ass with a bucket....
 
Do onto others as you’d want done onto you. Pay them there worth but I will add I run a 3 person crew. Myself and two others 25 an hr min if your not worth 25hr I don’t want you on my crew or my life potential in your hands. If they’re absolutely green and willing to learn ask questions and listen and work hard to me that’s worth 25$ all day long. Good helpers are very hard to find but when you throw good numbers out there you attract a different level of an individual. Not saying less won’t get you a good employee but when they can manage a McDonald’s for 20$ an hr why would anyone want to actually work for 20$ or less an hr. With that said I also have a weekly goal money wise. Everything past a certain amount the crew gets 5% on top of their hourly rate. Seems to work very well. If I make x amount in 5 days I have no issue with a nice bonus for each worker they earned it. You’re only as good as your crew and your crew will build your company but allot of ppl have issues with sharing the love when my workers are thriving and there families are thriving that’s when I’m at my best even if it means making a little less to pass a little more onto them. Good luck and stay safe!
 
Do onto others as you’d want done onto you. Pay them there worth but I will add I run a 3 person crew. Myself and two others 25 an hr min if your not worth 25hr I don’t want you on my crew or my life potential in your hands. If they’re absolutely green and willing to learn ask questions and listen and work hard to me that’s worth 25$ all day long. Good helpers are very hard to find but when you throw good numbers out there you attract a different level of an individual. Not saying less won’t get you a good employee but when they can manage a McDonald’s for 20$ an hr why would anyone want to actually work for 20$ or less an hr. With that said I also have a weekly goal money wise. Everything past a certain amount the crew gets 5% on top of their hourly rate. Seems to work very well. If I make x amount in 5 days I have no issue with a nice bonus for each worker they earned it. You’re only as good as your crew and your crew will build your company but allot of ppl have issues with sharing the love when my workers are thriving and there families are thriving that’s when I’m at my best even if it means making a little less to pass a little more onto them. Good luck and stay safe!
5 percent seems high on top, so you hand out thousands of dollars to each crew member a month?
 
The main company I climb for starts the groundies out at $16 or $18(can’t remember exactly) and gives a dollar raise per relevant knot they learn.
 
5 percent seems high on top, so you hand out thousands of dollars to each crew member a month?
Yes if the month is that good so basically my weekly goal is 8k we average 8-10 on solid weeks done up to almost 20k in a week just depends . This very from week to week. Let’s say we do 12k in one week my goal is 8k anything past 8k they get 5% each. I share the love man and honestly it’s not that bad. So 5%+5% of 4000$ so I peel off an extra 400$ at the end of the week big deal I just grossed 12k if we put in 50hr that week at 25$ an hr x2 that’s 2500$ so 1250$ on hr wages and a 200$ each bonus makes ppl very happy so let’s call it 3000$ even goes to my two employees. Let’s say another 3000$ in cost and overhead which is wayyyy more than it would ever be unless **** breaks Total 6k out of pocket and 6k in the safe. Some weeks you win some weeks you lose. But my crew is always 15-30 min early never in a rush to leave and always looking forward to the next job. Sustainability and growth is my goal. I hope in the next year or so to get a good retirement going for them. They have to have an end goal right? When I started it was 3% but I sat them down and said we’re going to add a fourth crew member they didn’t want that so far no complaints and they earn that extra 2%. They will never pay for there own lunch and they will never need anything when there working for me. If they need it all they have to do is ask. I also offer them extra time in the wood yard not at 25$ an hr but at 18.50$ and it’s more of a relaxed environment as in fire food radio a drink or two not getting plastered or unsafe but just in the wood yard off the clock but on. It’s hard to find ppl like that but I would do anything for my two crew members it’s that simple. They make me ALLOT of money it’s only just that I give them some of it. You should know of all ppl I pay where it’s rightfully earned. Btw saws are all still running top! Hope you’ve been doing good!
 
661 Joe, what part of Michigan you from?
Originally southern outskirts of monroe. Last year I moved north and started all over again! (Crew was down to try it so we all took the jump) also followed the oak wilt and Gypsy moths kill was not just a spur of the moment decision. The oak wilt is so bad in these parts Been a life dream I turn 30 this year never thought I’d be here up north but I am and it’s great business is slower than down state but still good and growing fast. I’m now in alcona county and the scope of the work has changed some I do allot more lot clearing now but hell that’s allot easier then that city work I was doing every day. I’m just trying to live and enjoy my life. Life is to short you can blink and it really can change that fast. I learned that and it almost destroyed me. Instead I took that pain and hate and turned it into love and motivation. That is a true story.
 
Sounds like You’re doing Great! Best Wishes moving forward!!
I’m doing great. Still alive feel good after a 10hr day have good ppl around me and what seems to be a steady work flow. I will get old one day but if I have it my way it’s going to take many more years. Thank you for the kind words. I by no means know it all or have it all figured out. But when something happens I deal with it and move forward. It’s just nuts and bolts or saw dust and chips. Sometimes a little blood and allot of sweat 😓 safety is the goal productivity and fun is second in line.
 
@661Joe, you are running a business the right way. I bet you have no problems keeping employees.

So many managers and business owners focus so much on keeping wages low that they lose sight of the fact that retaining a reliable, skilled, and safe employee is much cheaper in the long run than searching, hiring, and training over and over again, even assuming the quality of employee is the same, which is a major gamble. And the higher quality employee is often much more enjoyable to work with day to day.

"You get what you pay for" doesn't just apply to chainsaws. :)

Cheers!
 
GREAT ATTITUDE!
@661Joe, you are running a business the right way. I bet you have no problems keeping employees.

So many managers and business owners focus so much on keeping wages low that they lose sight of the fact that retaining a reliable, skilled, and safe employee is much cheaper in the long run than searching, hiring, and training over and over again, even assuming the quality of employee is the same, which is a major gamble. And the higher quality employee is often much more enjoyable to work with day to day.

"You get what you pay for" doesn't just apply to chainsaws. :)

Cheers!
I don’t have any issues with my employees I’m 30 this year and I should have been born 80 years ago. The handshake can die all it wants for the rest of the world but for me it’s what matters most. Very much a principle man. I had enough work down state before I moved to run 4 trucks 7 days but I’m picky if I can’t be there I cant control quality pretty simple. Smooth is fast and fast is smooth. I’ll add that my best employee is 135lb woman that is still here after many grown men. It’s not because she is easy on the eyes that’s just a bonus! Sure she can’t move a 250lb log but good that means she will just get on the tractor and move it or ask for help. She also pays more attention to detail than most men. So cleanup is always on point. It works good im very very lucky to have the crew I have im nothing without them and I let them know that!
 
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