Labor Shortage in the Tree Trimming Industry

Currently, the utility tree trimming industry faces a big challenge: a skilled labor shortage. Those of us in utility vegetation management (UVM) can expect to see continued demand for our services. Increased customer and regulatory requirements, coupled with major storms, wildfires, invasive pests all are among the forces driving demand.

 Over the past decade, the industry has been growing at a faster rate than has the labor needed to keep pace with demand, with the utility market size increasing an estimated 35% to a $4-5 Billion market. This may be “a good problem to have” but it’s still a problem. There are shifts and changes that must occur in the industry to improve its perception and increase the workforce long-term to meet consistent and growing demand.

 The Risks of a Tree Trimming Labor Shortage

An ongoing shortage of qualified, skilled labor poses risks for utility companies, for their customers, for vegetation management companies and for the public at large. Work schedules fall behind; overtime increases; priorities become skewed; the quality of work may suffer; safety may at times be compromised.

 With heightened competition for available, qualified labor, poaching among supplier workforces as well as transfers between companies becomes more common. Turnover within the industry is already high. What is a physically demanding industry sees departures for other less strenuous work in other industries.

 Additional dynamics occur as utilities increase pay rates to attract or maintain their contractor workforce. Neighboring utilities not keeping pace see their workforce diminished. As workers move to better paying utilities, such as investor-owned companies, smaller cooperatives, and municipal utilities find it harder to keep their workforce in place. Consequently, their work plans suffer, often without knowing why if managers are not familiar with the industry dynamics.

Further complications include the loss of arborists, tree trimmers, and supervision to retirement. According to T&D World, “the UVM industry has long recognized many of the seasoned industry experts who helped to develop today’s modern and sophisticated programs are now retired or preparing to retire.” These retirees not only further reduce the size of the workforce, but they take critical knowledge with them, which requires extensive training to replace.

 Reasons Behind Turnover

 With high turnover between companies (as much as half of the workforce per year), it’s important to understand why employees are leaving. According to a survey from the 2019 Utility Vegetation Managers Summit, reasons include:

●      Desire for travel

●      Opportunity for higher pay in an industry that is not as physically taxing

●      Dislike for one’s company and/or supervisor

●      More stability and advancement opportunities

 Also reporting at the conference, a UAA task force found that employees desire more respect from their own company as well as the utility companies. Workers need to know that they are more than just tree trimmers; they are an essential service helping to keep the lights on.

Recruiting the Best Talent

 Finding qualified employees is a challenge. Arboriculture is not a well-known career option among high school students and young adults, and the opportunities presented by the utility industry are not generally understood. Some people find their way to tree pruning and removal through landscaping jobs, which may start as part-time or summer opportunities. Others learn about job openings through word-of-mouth. Neither of these options is scalable enough to meet the demand for labor within utility vegetation management.

 The traditional approach of the past has been to recruit new employees by advertising, word of mouth, job fairs, and contracting with recruiters. As competition for a shrinking pool of candidates increases, these methodologies are proving to be inadequate. New initiatives and innovative strategies are needed.

 Be Part of the Solution

The reality is that this industry has in the past dealt with employees as short-term resources rather than longer-term assets. Discipline, tight control, and minimal benefits have typified employee programs, rightfully so given the characteristics of the workforce.

Retention of existing employees and the attraction of new ones requires a shift. Understanding the needs and expectations of different generations is as important as teaching them safety and skill requirements of these positions. Companies need to offer careers rather than jobs, skills development rather than on-the-job training. Empowerment, ownership, and related metrics need to be driven down to the crew level. And utilities need to be part of this shift.

Ultimately the supply/demand forces at work require increased compensation. But with increased pay should come increased skill, better performance, and the motivation to stay and grow within the industry. The investment cost of training and developing employees should be less than the cost of constantly replacing untrained and undisciplined employees.

 The UVM labor shortage is an industry-wide problem requiring industry-wide solutions. Demand is not easing, and the supply is not improving. Improving the pool of qualified labor will take collaboration between UVM companies, utilities, industry organizations, state Workforce Development groups, and educational institutions. Pilot programs and innovative workforce solutions need to be jointly explored and developed.

Together, all these entities must work to change the perception of “tree trimmers” to that of an important profession that contributes to the integrity of the nation’s infrastructure. Careers in utility vegetation management need to be viewed as attractive and rewarding. The labor supply from outside the industry is there; a new supply of younger applicants is attainable. Now the industry needs to work both individually and in concert to make that happen.