Working in the floral industry is a dream of many, but the reality differs significantly from what we assume. The floral industry is a booming field, but it is pretty demanding and not as financially rewarding as other industries. Many employees move on to better-paying jobs after working in the floral industry. Thus, staffing concerns in flower fields are a significant issue that needs to be resolved immediately.
The floral industry competes with other industries against less pressure and workload, except during the holidays, and thus less satisfaction. The difficulty in retaining talent can be lessened if we learn from what other industries are doing and how we can provide the same value to our employees.
Why Is Retaining Talent Important?
The floral industry is vast and ranges from farmers, and florists, to wholesalers. One of the biggest challenges the floral industry is facing is acquiring talent and retaining it as well. Many floriculture and horticulture graduates work in the floral industry for a few months as a stepping stone before finding the next great opportunity. There are many reasons that contribute to staffing concerns in flower fields, such as low income, lack of awareness, poor ambition, etc.
Thus, it becomes increasingly essential for companies to focus on developing a positive company culture to retain talent. According to floral retailer Paul Kneeland, “The talent we have – in our stores and companies as well as the industry… that’s what the produce and floral industry is all about,” he says. “Bringing on people passionate about the industry, who are interested in doing a good job for the company they work for and for the industry, is hugely important. I think some companies don’t prioritize it enough.”
You need to retain workers that are passionate about the floral industry, want to grow within it, and have a strong work ethic, and all of this can only be achieved if you offer them their deserved value.
Best Practices For Retaining Top Talent
Let’s look at other industries and their practices to lessen the difficulty of retaining talent in the floral industry.
Identify Top Talent
Recognizing top talent starts with the recruitment process. You need to look for individuals that have the same vision and values for the floral industry as your company does. Observe how long the individual stays at a company. This can give you insight into their values, loyalty, and willingness to stick with something they care about.
Aside from longevity, you need to recognize individuals with whom your organizational story resonates. Paying attention to aligned values and vision can help retain top talent within the floral industry.
Offer Competitive Packages
According to Cole Etheredge, assistant professor at Mississippi State University, “It’s my opinion that low wages are the biggest problem with keeping young, well-educated florists employed at flower shops. While students coming out of the floral management program might go to work in flower shops for a while, this is usually a stepping-stone to them moving on to doing something else within the industry.”
To lessen the difficulty retaining talent, companies need to offer competitive salary packages. Since the demand for top talent is high in the floral industry, so is the competition. But the pay is only part of the equation. Companies also need to provide additional work benefits, compensation packages, medical, leaves, and much more to become a desirable prospect for employees.
Provide Flexibility
We are in the digital age and can complete our jobs directly from our phones, then why the restriction to working 9 to 5 in an office? If we think like that, then so does your top talent. To retain employees, offer flexibility in terms of location, hours, and how they work. While the floral industry cannot be run remotely, there are a few departments or sectors that can offer flexibility and remote work when the need arises.
Offer Advancement Courses
Nothing makes your employees feel more valued than personalized coaching opportunities. Identify your top talent, list their weaknesses, and help them overcome those challenges through personalized courses and employee development education.
Investing in your employees’ education not only helps retain top talent in the floral industry but also increases the intellectual value you offer as an organization.
Final Words
A high turnover rate can lead to increased expenses, low company morale, and employment gaps that decrease the quality of your products and services. Thus, take a look at what industries are doing and apply these strategies to the floral industry, and we might just eliminate staffing concerns in the flower fields.
Reach out to Pollen Talent. They are a boutique-style recruiting agency for the flower industry that helps you find the right talented individual for the job.
