How OGS Landscape Sped Up Training And Boosted Work Productivity Through Greenius
Updated Thursday, Feb 23, 2023
For 65 years, OGS Landscape has been a Canadian landscaping leader in the design and build of outdoor living spaces for families looking to create memories, entertain and build the perfect backyard getaway.
Here’s how they evolved their company to maintain growth and profitability, all while providing a great place to work for their team members through technology and training.
How Landscaper Training Courses Helped OGS
Greenius: How has better-trained staff helped you avoid costly rework and driven better productivity?
Drew Thiebaud: To have a general knowledge of the tools and equipment you’re using is a huge asset that will speed up production. Generally speaking, job site safety training and precautions are all done using Greenius before starting a project. When it’s time to teach somebody how to grade something, start up a saw, or teach them any new skill, Greenius has taken that out of our hands.
Greenius: How do you train new employees coming into your landscape business?
Rich Thiebaud: We use Greenius. It’s part of the onboarding package. So when an employee comes on, they’ll get a whole package and modules assigned to them in Greenius of what they’re supposed to be doing. That helps them get familiar with what they can expect that they’re going to be doing. So they’re not just walking onto a job site, “Oh, I didn’t know you had this equipment or this or that,” where Greenius will help make them aware of what they’re stepping into before they experience it first hand. And then, if they’re moving up to a new position where they will be using different equipment, we can also have some training modules set up for that. And it’s been good. It’s been convenient and created a better working environment for everyone.
Greenius: Has better training has led to more safe and efficient work on job sites?
Rich Thiebaud: Better training makes everyone more aware of what they’re supposed to be doing, because crews will do it if they know it. Everyone wants to be safe, and nobody wants to do something in an unsafe manner or the wrong way. So Greenius helps make everyone aware of safety stuff and even how to use materials properly. There’s no “oh, I didn’t know I needed to wear a dust mask when I was sweeping in jointing sand”, or “I didn’t know it was so important to have your plugs in when I was using this plate tamper.” Training makes everything safer by making them aware. It’s the same with training and procedures and things like that. I find the staff wants to know how to do it the right way safely and it helps that Greenius changes it up from us talking at them or using a boring old book or something.
Greenius: How has better-trained staff helped you avoid costly rework and driven better productivity?
Drew Thiebaud: Having a general knowledge of the tools and equipment you’re using is a huge asset that will speed up production. Generally speaking, job site safety training and precautions are all done using Greenius before starting a project. When it’s time to teach somebody how to grade something, start up a saw, or teach them any new skill, Greenius has taken that out of our hands.
Greenius: Does it help reduce mistakes and rework?
Rich Thiebaud: Processes are essential for us. We create them because our life and landscape owners and operators are complex, and we need to streamline them anywhere we can. Greenius does help with that by keeping it consistent throughout, where we have a constant message of training that drives a continuous improvement of company culture. And everybody’s on the same page with how things are supposed to be done. So it helps with that, especially when we want to keep our brand and quality consistent across multiple job sites happening at the same time.
How Landscaper Training Improved Hiring And Internal Communication
Greenius: How has Greenius made your company better?
Drew Thiebaud: If you’re more trained and more prepared, you’re more appealing to the workforce. Even though there is a landscaping labor shortage, you need to be appealing and showcase that your company offers a career rather than just a job. The more training you have as an individual, the more likely you are to land a good role and a long-term position where professional development opportunities present themself.
Greenius: Where have the biggest improvements in your business been through landscaping software?
Rich Thiebaud: It’s just making employees aware that communication is the key to everything in a business: communicating with your staff, customers, and everybody. Greenius helps people be aware and helps people communicate with each other, which creates more awareness of safety procedures, productivity, efficiency, and how many hours are left on a job clock.
The Importance Of Managing The Business
Greenius: Why is managing staff so crucial for landscape business owners?
Drew Thiebaud: Staff is everything for us. We are trying to grow the company, and I’ve collected enough experience and skill throughout my career as a landscaper to help build this company. I’m in a position now where I can apply those experiences to delegate the work so we can scale. And with a company, our size of staff will be the difference between year over year growth or being stagnant. I want to have a good staff that I can rely on.
For any landscape company, the labor budget is likely the highest expense within your budget. Landscaping is great. We have people to get the work done in landscaping, and it’s hands-on. I mean, it’s fun. I love it. But we’re running a business, and we need to make money to cover our overhead expenses, provide great work for our customers, and cover everyone’s wages that work for us. It’s a good way of life for everyone involved if done right.
You can have great designs, you can have great ideas, you can have all the right materials, you can have all the right equipment, but none of that does anything without the right staff. So managing a team, ensuring staff’s happiness, and ensuring you have the right people in the right places to succeed will make the business profitable.
Learn More
Training isn’t one size fits all. Every landscape business has their own needs, strengths, and weaknesses that can all be addressed through proper training systems and procedures. Greenius’ library of landscaper training courses covers safe and efficient equipment use, landscape leadership,
Book a demo with the Greenius experts to learn how landscaping training software can fit within your business and begin your path towards increased profitability, productivity, and safety.