November 15, 2008
Survive the economic downturn through training
By Sally Harvey CLT, CLP
Education and Labour Development Department
Much of today’s news is about our economy going sour. Well fear not, for we have much to celebrate now and in the future. We are the green industry!
Many of us in the landscape industry have weathered this type of storm before. As we prepare our homes and vehicles for the coming winter, we must also winterize our businesses to survive this economic downtown. Embark on a journey to prepare your business for tomorrow. Take time this winter to understand your business and develop or update plans for strategy, finance, operations, human resource and risk management. LO offers many educational programs.
Whether you own a garden centre, wholesale nursery, are a contractor or designer, strategic planning is step one to success in any economic environment. You and your staff must know where the company is heading, and then understand the method to achieve a vision for the plan. You must be aware that change is necessary. Instill strategies to enable change. A training and professional development plan is part of solving the puzzle.
Most of us in the landscape industry become overwhelmed working in our businesses, and forget to work on our businesses. We owners and managers must take the time to learn how to do this. Learning is part of the journey.
Every employee requires and deserves a training plan. You should expect staff to embark on training and development opportunities. If they do not, you know they are not ‘keepers.’ Gone are the days when we hire beating hearts with strong backs. The consumer is far more educated and savvy for that. If you witness a lack of attendance at the various opportunities provided, then encourage the employee to move on. You will discover that you will retain a more consistent core staff by educating and training them. I consider all professional development, including certification and apprenticeship, important components to any retention strategy. Give your staff the opportunity to train and develop this year. Visit www.edu.gov.on.ca.
The apprenticeship programs are starting again. Contact an employment training advisor at your MTCU office to register employees. As our department continues to partner with the MTCU, we will improve upon the process of the program. Contact me, should you have any challenges in registering an employee. Signing employees now allows them to reap the benefits of some sense of security over the winter months. It provides you with a more stable and loyal work force. Go to:
www.5x10.ca/Home/tabid/411/Default.aspx to find an office near you.
Ashleigh Woodhall has been involved in the delivery of seven practical and written test opportunities for the Certified Horticultural Technician designation. While the release of a new test format from PLANET has led to some hiccups in the process, the test days were a great success. The work by certification committee members made CHT possible in Ontario. Over the winter months, we offer opportunities to challenge the full or re-test written portion of the CHT. This allows opportunity to practice in the workplace prior to challenging the practical stations in 2009. Check the winter workshop guide for dates and times.
We are offering the same flexible opportunity for the CLD, CHT-interior, CIT and CLP designations.
Many owners fear discovering and/or admitting to what they don’t know. Some find it an admission of weakness. The truth is many of us are technical people who started a business due to our passion for the landscape industry. We do not know all of the nuts and bolts of sound business ownership.
Prosperity Partners will undertake a series of assessment tools that will provide a better understanding of your strengths and next steps needed to work within your organization to achieve goals for your company or department. Jacki Hart encourages us to identify and maximize the strengths within our companies, strategically plan how the strengths and weaknesses are best managed for long term success and how to balance time for work and home. Jacki reminds us that she too was once there, when business consumed her life and she was constantly putting out fires. I highly recommend you register. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Jacki has augmented the program for the next level: Best Practices. Learn and understand industry-specific strategies to implement in your business in order to progress closer to your vision and goals.
Safety is important to us all. It is an integral part of our risk management strategy. By law we are responsible to ensure that our staff and the public remain safe at all times when performing landscape activities. We urge you to register for either regional SCIP program, or the Landscape Ontario Safety Group. I speak from experience. The Safety Group transformed my company several years ago, as we learned about compliance and prevention. It is extensive, but will result in employee retention by showing that we care. Further, it provides a wonderful marketing tool to our residential and commercial clients. SCIP is an opportunity for all of our members to start a safety program. You will develop a basic safety program by attending the meetings and fulfilling the minimum program obligations, with the help of local WSIB representatives. Successful completion will result in rebates.
The Safety Group at Landscape Ontario, hosted in Milton, provides the opportunity for companies to develop and improve their existing safety programs. Join us at six meetings over the year, network with peers and learn from each other and the many speakers who attend the meetings to update new regulations.
Check out the Winter Workshop Guide www.horttrades.com/seminars/semdex.php for registration information.
Sally Harvey can be reached at sharvey@landscapeontario.com
Education and Labour Development Department
Much of today’s news is about our economy going sour. Well fear not, for we have much to celebrate now and in the future. We are the green industry!Many of us in the landscape industry have weathered this type of storm before. As we prepare our homes and vehicles for the coming winter, we must also winterize our businesses to survive this economic downtown. Embark on a journey to prepare your business for tomorrow. Take time this winter to understand your business and develop or update plans for strategy, finance, operations, human resource and risk management. LO offers many educational programs.
Whether you own a garden centre, wholesale nursery, are a contractor or designer, strategic planning is step one to success in any economic environment. You and your staff must know where the company is heading, and then understand the method to achieve a vision for the plan. You must be aware that change is necessary. Instill strategies to enable change. A training and professional development plan is part of solving the puzzle.
Most of us in the landscape industry become overwhelmed working in our businesses, and forget to work on our businesses. We owners and managers must take the time to learn how to do this. Learning is part of the journey.
Professional development guide
LO’s Kathy McLean has created the winter workshop professional development guide. It is inclusive and geared to the needs of our owners, managers, supervisors, lead hands and field staff members. Ken Tomihiro is planning progressive seminars and symposia at Congress. As an industry member, I have always been puzzled by the mind set of some owners afraid to train their employees, for fear that they will become so well trained that they will find employment elsewhere. This past summer Karl Stensson of Sheridan Nurseries spoke to CHT retail candidates: “If we don’t train them, do we really want them working for us?” This is definitely a great question. Professional development and training is the best investment in you, your staff and your company, regardless of the economic times.Every employee requires and deserves a training plan. You should expect staff to embark on training and development opportunities. If they do not, you know they are not ‘keepers.’ Gone are the days when we hire beating hearts with strong backs. The consumer is far more educated and savvy for that. If you witness a lack of attendance at the various opportunities provided, then encourage the employee to move on. You will discover that you will retain a more consistent core staff by educating and training them. I consider all professional development, including certification and apprenticeship, important components to any retention strategy. Give your staff the opportunity to train and develop this year. Visit www.edu.gov.on.ca.
The apprenticeship programs are starting again. Contact an employment training advisor at your MTCU office to register employees. As our department continues to partner with the MTCU, we will improve upon the process of the program. Contact me, should you have any challenges in registering an employee. Signing employees now allows them to reap the benefits of some sense of security over the winter months. It provides you with a more stable and loyal work force. Go to:
www.5x10.ca/Home/tabid/411/Default.aspx to find an office near you.
Ashleigh Woodhall has been involved in the delivery of seven practical and written test opportunities for the Certified Horticultural Technician designation. While the release of a new test format from PLANET has led to some hiccups in the process, the test days were a great success. The work by certification committee members made CHT possible in Ontario. Over the winter months, we offer opportunities to challenge the full or re-test written portion of the CHT. This allows opportunity to practice in the workplace prior to challenging the practical stations in 2009. Check the winter workshop guide for dates and times.
We are offering the same flexible opportunity for the CLD, CHT-interior, CIT and CLP designations.
Prosperity Partners
Prosperity Partners is back to guide business owners and managers through the introductory seminar.Many owners fear discovering and/or admitting to what they don’t know. Some find it an admission of weakness. The truth is many of us are technical people who started a business due to our passion for the landscape industry. We do not know all of the nuts and bolts of sound business ownership.
Prosperity Partners will undertake a series of assessment tools that will provide a better understanding of your strengths and next steps needed to work within your organization to achieve goals for your company or department. Jacki Hart encourages us to identify and maximize the strengths within our companies, strategically plan how the strengths and weaknesses are best managed for long term success and how to balance time for work and home. Jacki reminds us that she too was once there, when business consumed her life and she was constantly putting out fires. I highly recommend you register. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Jacki has augmented the program for the next level: Best Practices. Learn and understand industry-specific strategies to implement in your business in order to progress closer to your vision and goals.
Safety training
Safety is important to us all. It is an integral part of our risk management strategy. By law we are responsible to ensure that our staff and the public remain safe at all times when performing landscape activities. We urge you to register for either regional SCIP program, or the Landscape Ontario Safety Group. I speak from experience. The Safety Group transformed my company several years ago, as we learned about compliance and prevention. It is extensive, but will result in employee retention by showing that we care. Further, it provides a wonderful marketing tool to our residential and commercial clients. SCIP is an opportunity for all of our members to start a safety program. You will develop a basic safety program by attending the meetings and fulfilling the minimum program obligations, with the help of local WSIB representatives. Successful completion will result in rebates.The Safety Group at Landscape Ontario, hosted in Milton, provides the opportunity for companies to develop and improve their existing safety programs. Join us at six meetings over the year, network with peers and learn from each other and the many speakers who attend the meetings to update new regulations.
Check out the Winter Workshop Guide www.horttrades.com/seminars/semdex.php for registration information.
Sally Harvey can be reached at sharvey@landscapeontario.com