Busy autumn
What do you do when you’re short of workers and your landscape company is facing a busy fall? What if you’ve advertised and tapped your network without much success? There is one neat solution involving temps from a local agency.
At first, I didn’t notice the new hires. I meet all new employees the same way but this was different. This time I had trouble understanding them. Usually, it’s the other way around. Even after forty years in Canada, people still ask me where I’m from. Now it was my turn.
Except I couldn’t make out the words. Try as I might. Finally, the girl gave up and asked me if I had ever heard of Ireland? Very funny. But now it made sense. One of the girls has a name so difficult to spell, I feel like her parents knew from day one she would struggle to find employment.
Escaping COVID
When it looked like COVID might shut down Ireland again, these three young adventurers escaped to British Columbia. And it turns out, there is plenty of work in landscaping on the West Coast. Assuming you can handle the rain and lower temperatures.
The whole deal makes a lot of sense. The temps get $21/hour and get paid through the agency. The agency takes a cut, and the employer gets help for five to six weeks. That should nicely cover the busy leaf and cedar shearing season.
What happens after isn’t clear. Perhaps the new workers can come on as regular employees or move to new jobs. They’re definitely staying in Canada for one year.
Something new
Of course, it’s not just the employer who is happy. Most workers appreciate working with foreigners who come with interesting stories; if you can get past the accent. It also helps when some of them are bubbly and easy on the eye. After all, it’s difficult working all year with sad-faced Miguel who rarely shaves, smokes a lot and gets his old car stolen every month.
I really enjoy learning about people’s lives from far off lands as I train and work alongside them. And we have tons of work for them.
If you’re struggling to find landscapers for the busy fall season, try a temp agency. You might get lucky.
