The labor shortage hitting the green industry means that many companies are making do with fewer employees to cover the same number of jobs. That means longer work hours and more time spent using the equipment. But outdoor yard work isn’t easy. And if your employees decide they’ve had enough it’s often not that hard for them to find a different job.
One way to give your employees an incentive to stay is by providing equipment that helps them complete their jobs more easily. Lawn equipment that works faster, is easier to use, and is more comfortable for the operator can make a huge difference in how employees feel about working for your company.
Comfortable Mowers
For many lawn care companies, mowing takes up the bulk of their time on a work site. The faster and more comfortable your mowers are, the more they’ll appeal to employees. The right kind of mower helps get the work done faster without wearing the operator out. And that means your employees will still have time and energy for other things they want to get done.
While you might also use walk-behind mowers in certain situations, speedy zero-turn riding mowers are an industry staple. Toro, Exmark, and Scag are among the zero-turn mower manufacturers who are prioritizing operator safety and comfort. They design mowers with ergonomic controls, comfortable seats, and anti-vibration technology to give your employees a better mowing experience. And they don’t sacrifice cut-quality for comfort.
Trimming With Ease
Mowers aren’t the only lawn equipment your employees use frequently. Trimmers are another must-have piece of equipment for lawn care and landscaping businesses. And it’s also important that the trimmers you use in your business are easy to operate. If the trimmers have uncomfortable handles or are very heavy it can lead to strain on backs, shoulders, and arms.
Look for light-weight trimmers with padded handles and anti-vibration technology. For larger trimmers and brush cutters, using a model with bicycle-style handles can help distribute the weight evenly. And you can also get straps and harnesses that will help operators manage the weight of trimmers and brushcutters.
Misc. Equipment Comfort
When your employees are trimming hedges or working with chainsaws, that’s another place where equipment weight and anti-vibration technology are very important. If they’ll be cutting and trimming for long periods of time, equipment that’s too-heavy will wear out their arms. Choosing equipment with vibration-dampening features will help solve this problem. You’ll also want to compare the weights of different models you’re looking at.
Walk-behind equipment is also important to lawn care businesses. And whether it’s a mower, aerator, or spreader for lawn fertilizer, you’ll want to make sure the equipment is easy to use. Height is very important with walk-behind equipment. You don’t want handles that are so low that operators have to hunch over. And you don’t want handles that are spaced too high or too far apart. Some models are adjustable, which is a good feature. And for power equipment, look for models with anti-vibration features.
If you’re looking to replace your old lawn equipment with more ergonomic, comfortable models come on over to Richardson Saw & Lawnmower. We carry high-quality equipment from leading dealers on the cutting-edge of comfort and innovation. You can handle the equipment yourself to test out the weight and feel, and we’ll be happy to answer questions about the different features.
