What's it like working on a lawn crew?

[Merkava_4]

I imagine it's very hard work. I imagine the second you step off the truck to the site you're having to hustle hustle hustle. You probably have a foreman that's watching your every move making sure you don't waste any movements. Every man probably has an assigned task for that day and knows exactly what he's gonna do before the truck stops at each site. There's probably some kind of procedure set in place so that each crew member stays out of each other's way. Am I right so far?

[mdvaden]

Depends.

If you are young and in decent shape, it can be very refreshing if good weather and in the right neighborhood.

If the weather is wet and cloudy and the clippings need bagging, it can be sloppy and dreary.

When I left the country clubs and took an 8 month job with a huge landscape maintenance company, I hustled my ass off for two weeks and was promoted to crew leader. The arrangement there meant that the crew leader generally rode the mower with a seat. And we had big commercial accounts. So that really eased the work. Was still pretty wet in the winter though.

One more reason why I like pruning the best, even in winter.

[Southern Elegance]

show up when you want, smoke cigs all day, talk and text on your phone most of the day and complain about your job the rest of the day.

or you can be one of the few that takes pride in your work and being professional. hhave a good career and make some nice money( these people are few and far between)

[skidoofool07]

Working on a lawn crew is not to bad. I have been a foremen for six years and yes you do hustle but once you have everyone on the same page you just blow through it. But let me tell you if you have a newbe on your crew it sucks because you have to watch him like a hawk and see what he missed and go back and get it and that takes time and most of the time it is time that you do not have.

[ed2hess]

How about being part of a roofing crew that takes the entire set of shingles off and puts on new tar paper and shingles the same day. And to make it more interesting is 100F days. Or working on an irrigation crew that puts an entire system in one day and hand digs. Lawn work is not really very hard work.

[grassman177]

part of a lawn crew, as in how your employees feel etc? it could suck, as the foreman line up your tasks and you have little say in anything, but you have so accept that or bust butt to get promoted. pretty plain and simple

[Think Green]

I say you are working on a grade of A+++.
I am part of a 4 man crew.........the part owner and working boss, applicator and dignified crew chief.
Driving in the truck for the next 8 hours of work, trimming, mowing, time saving,etc. is always on your mind. That is what makes your money. It is true that I am eye balling the help so they don't get out of the truck and stick their finger up their nose or get on the darn cell phone. Typically, if they are slackers and waste time, then they move on down the road. When a job is estimated, it is done on the time and if the help is a waste time, then that is money lost to the business and reduces Santa Clause at the end of the season. I don't want snivelling, boogerpicking,buttgrabbing men out there wasting my time. Being a part of a crew can be rewarding as when the task is completed, it can look beautiful. The thing is..........next week you get to do it all over again. This business is a mind game, not for the weak headed. I have really learned a lot about people while riding in the truck between jobs that usually doesn't get mentioned at the interviews.

[AOD]

Working on a municipal crew is way different.


[^ has worked for a municipal crew]

[orlawncaresvc]

I can tell you that for me it is the best thing in the world. I am part of a three man crew. My brother my father and I. I get to work with them all day every day. And I am thankful for that. I consider myself lucky. Yeah sometimes we get angry at eachother, but no one ever gets fired. There's no supervisor on our ass watching us making sure we are hustling and not wasting time. It's on us to keep on moving or slack off. But we operate like if we were being watched by a boss of super. Because we know that we have to.