What Really Drives Employee Retention

Pay and perks matter, but employee engagement and retention goes deeper. 

In our latest webinar, three standout leaders in the green industry shared what’s actually working (and where there’s still room to grow) when it comes to retaining employees and building strong teams.

The conversation, hosted by Justin White (K&D Landscaping / The Disruptors), featured Tiffany Peters (North by Northwest Lawns) and Andrew Craft (Site Landscape Development). Together, they brought perspectives from companies of different sizes, regions, and stages of growth—but with a shared focus on building people-first cultures.

Here’s what we heard across three categories of employee retention strategies: compensation, career paths, and culture.

Compensation, Recognition & Benefits

Staff retention strategies often start with feeling seen… and that doesn’t always require a raise. All three panelists emphasized the power of simple, consistent recognition to make people feel valued.

“Two really, really simple things that anybody can do,” said Tiffany Peters, “are recognizing birthdays and work anniversaries. That acknowledgment goes a long way.” Tiffany uses both her payroll system and Team Engine to automate these messages via text.

Andrew Craft agreed, noting that Team Engine helps manage recognition at scale: “We’re just under 300 people, so that’s a lot of birthdays and anniversaries. Team Engine helps us automate that, so nobody is forgotten.”

Beyond recognition, both Andrew and Tiffany emphasized the value of flexibility, especially for salaried and administrative staff. Flexible PTO, understanding when “life” happens, and a willingness to help employees balance their personal and professional responsibilities were major themes.

Justin pointed out that providing the right tools can be just as powerful as traditional benefits: “Giving people the tools and technology to do their job well is a retention strategy. No one wants to leave your company to go somewhere with worse equipment and clunkier systems.”

Career Paths & Growth Planning

Clear advancement opportunities make people stick around and are one of the most effective staff retention strategies. Each panelist shared how they’re building visibility into growth potential, especially for field-level positions.

At Site Landscape, Andrew Craft described a real-world example: “We used to sub out field mow work. When we brought it in-house, we offered the opportunity to our current team. Now we’ve got guys running big, expensive equipment. That’s a promotion.”

Tiffany echoed the importance of communicating internal opportunities before hiring externally. “One of my managers started as an irrigation tech. Now he runs our construction division. That didn’t happen overnight—he’s been with us for six years—but we made sure the path was visible.”

Justin offered a tactic for retaining workers tempted by better offers: create a growth plan tied to skill development. “Rather than just giving someone a raise on the spot, we say, ‘Here’s how to get there.’ Then we build a 30-, 60-, or 90-day growth plan and support them through it.”

He also emphasized the long-term impact of internal promotions. “The more promotions someone gets, the more ‘sticky’ they become. Once someone’s moved up two or three times, they’re far more likely to stay with you. They’ve invested in the culture—and you’ve invested in them.”

Culture & Communication

When employees leave, it’s often not because of the work, but because of how the work feels. That’s where culture and communication come in.

For Tiffany, culture is built through intentional communication and clarity. “Clear is kind,” she said, quoting Brené Brown. “Even hard feedback can be a kindness when it’s delivered with clarity and care.” She added that Team Engine helps her stay consistent, even when things get busy: “I love the automated new hire messages. At 30, 60, and 90 days, we check in with the employee, and it doesn’t fall through the cracks.”

Andrew shared how Site Landscape has made culture part of the day-to-day through CultureWise. The system defines 34 company “fundamentals” (i.e. behaviors that reinforce values like accountability, teamwork, and direct communication) and focuses on one each week. “At the start of every meeting with three or more people, we go over the fundamental of the week,” he said. “It’s just part of who we are now.” He added that it’s not about being perfect every day—it’s about having a shared language and direction.

Justin’s team uses the same approach and reinforces it with Team Engine. “We text out the weekly fundamental to the whole company and use it to spotlight employees who are living that value in the field,” he said. It’s become a consistent way to connect dispersed crews and build alignment without needing everyone in the same room.

Ultimately, the panelists agreed that great employee communication isn’t about tools—it’s about consistency, intentionality, and follow-through. And when that’s paired with a culture that values people, the difference is felt at every level of the business.

What made this webinar valuable wasn’t a list of best practices; it was the honesty. These leaders opened up about what’s working, what’s still a work in progress, and how they’re adapting along the way. As Justin put it, “This is not a highlight reel. We’re still working through this stuff every day.”

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how to retain employees. But hearing how others are approaching the same challenges can spark new ideas and help you think more critically about what might work in your own company.

Watch the full conversation now: