Rethinking workforce culture for the next generation in the landscaping industry

For years, I believed the only way to build a successful career in the green industry was through blood, sweat and tears. I showed up early, stayed late and never backed down from hard physical labor. It didn’t matter if it hurt. Actually, if it hurt, I wore it like a badge of honor. Two back surgeries, an ankle surgery and a shoulder surgery later, I’ve come to a different conclusion: my way wasn’t the only way, and it certainly wasn’t the smartest way. Now, as CEO of New Castle Lawn & Landscape, a company based in Pennsylvania, and as a leadership coach who works with landscape businesses across the country, I’m sounding the alarm to our industry. The younger generation doesn’t lack a strong workforce culture; they’re just wired to work differently.

They Want Efficiency, Not Excuses

There’s a narrative floating around that younger workers “don’t want to work.” In my experience, that’s simply not true. What they don’t want is to work in ways that are outdated, inefficient and damaging to their health. They’re not interested in swinging a shovel for 10 hours if a mini-skid-steer or specialized equipment can do the job in two. They don’t see a lack of technology as grit. They see it as poor planning. And they’re right. At New Castle Lawn & Landscape, we’ve leaned into this. We’ve invested in equipment that minimizes labor strain, adopted scheduling systems that improve efficiency and sought feedback from our younger team members about how we can improve the way we work.

My Way Isn’t The Way

I used to believe hard work had to hurt. I used to equate being sore and exhausted with being successful. But when you spend months recovering from surgeries, when you can’t pick up your kids or get out of bed without wincing, it forces you to question what all that effort was really for. Now, I don’t want the next generation to repeat my mistakes. I don’t want them to earn respect through injuries. I want them to build meaningful careers that are smart, sustainable and fulfilling. Because the truth is, toughness without wisdom is just recklessness.

We Have to Evolve as Leaders

In my work coaching landscape companies across the country, I see the same pattern in talking about workforce culture: Seasoned owners frustrated with younger crews because “they don’t do it like we did.” That’s true. They don’t. But maybe they shouldn’t. Younger workers aren’t broken. They’re built differently. They’ve grown up with technology at their fingertips. They’re wired for speed, communication and innovation. They aren’t trying to get out of work. They’re trying to get out of bad work. We have to evolve how we lead. If we cling to the past, we’ll miss the opportunity to build a better future.

Smarter Doesn’t Mean Softer

Just because a young person wants to use a machine instead of a wheelbarrow doesn’t mean they’re lazy. It means they’re efficient. Smarter doesn’t mean softer. It means strategic. Their push toward innovation will help our companies scale faster and keep our people safer. At New Castle Lawn & Landscape, our turnover rate has been under 5% for the last five years. That’s not by accident. We’ve built a culture that values feedback, empowers young leaders and embraces new ways of doing things.

Stop Shaming. Start Supporting

One of the worst things we can do for workforce culture is shame the younger generation for not wanting to suffer the way we did. We didn’t suffer because it was noble. We suffered because we didn’t know any better. We should want better for the people coming after us. Let’s support younger workers by giving them the tools, training, and trust to make things better for themselves and for the future of our industry.

What the Next Generation is Teaching Me

At 50, I’ve had to rewire a lot of my thinking. I’ve built a successful business and coached companies across the country. But the most valuable thing I’ve done in recent years? I’ve started listening. The younger generation wants to do meaningful work, use modern tools and technology, be part of a team that values people over profits and make an impact without sacrificing their bodies. That’s not entitlement. That’s wisdom.

You Don’t Have to Suffer to Succeed

You do not have to suffer to succeed. This industry has broken too many bodies and burned out too many good people in the name of toughness. Success is building a business where people don’t want to leave. It’s growing your company while staying healthy, present and fulfilled. It’s creating a culture where younger workers feel heard, valued and inspired.

Real Examples From Our Team

Some of the best improvements in our company have come from our younger team members. One of our crew leaders recently proposed a new way to organize jobsite prep that streamlined how we stage materials and equipment. It was a simple change, but it had a big impact. We implemented it, and it saved us hours each week in wasted preptime. Another young manager introduced a communication app that now keeps our entire field team aligned in real time. It replaced a system of calls, texts and confusion that we’d dealt with for years. And guess what? The whole team is less stressed, more focused and more productive. These aren’t isolated incidents. This is what happens when you listen to your people. When you empower them. When you stop trying to be the smartest person in the room and start being the most open-minded.

Why We Resisted Change

I used to think using tools and machines was taking a shortcut. I thought if I didn’t suffer for the work, it wasn’t meaningful. But that belief wasn’t just mine it was embedded in the generation I came from. We were taught that toughness meant ignoring pain. That results only came from muscle, not from thought. Why did we resist change? Because we feared what we didn’t understand. We didn’t grow up with smartphones, automation or real-time collaboration tools. So when they showed up, we saw them as threats instead of advantages. We confused tradition with truth. We assumed new meant wrong. But the truth is, many of us kept doing things the hard way not because it was better but because it was all we knew. I’ve had to challenge that mindset in myself, and I still do. Now I see that adapting isn’t about losing your edge it’s about keeping your business relevant. Listening to the younger generation doesn’t mean abandoning values. It means bringing those values into a modern world.

What Young Leaders Want From Us

We don’t need to guess what young people want: They’re telling us loudly and clearly. They want purpose. They want clarity. They want to grow, and they want to be heard. When I sit down with young team members, I hear things like: “I want to feel like my voice matters. I want to know there’s a future here. I’m willing to work hard. I just don’t want to break down my body for no reason.” What they want from leaders isn’t coddling. It’s connection. They want someone to mentor them, not micromanage them. They want a culture that cares about mental and physical well-being. They want opportunities to lead, not just follow. They want feedback, direction, and yes, accountability. If we can give them that, they will give us their loyalty, ideas and energy in return.

Leaving a Legacy

One of the most powerful shifts in my leadership journey came when I stopped asking, “How can I get more out of people?” and started asking, “How can I leave people better than I found them?” That’s legacy. It’s not about how many jobs you installed. It’s about how many people you lifted up. The next generation isn’t going to carry our legacy forward just because we ask them to. They’ll carry it forward if they feel part of it. If we invest in them, include them and trust them with the future. I don’t want to be remembered for working through pain. I want to be remembered for making sure the next person didn’t have to. That’s the kind of legacy I’m building at New Castle Lawn & Landscape. One built on listening, on learning and on letting go of the idea that “my way” is the only way.

Final Thoughts

The next generation isn’t the problem. They’re the solution. Their curiosity, desire for efficiency and resistance to pain are strengths we need to embrace. Let’s build companies that outlast our backs. Let’s make sure the generation after us doesn’t have to recover from success the way we did. L&L

The author is the CEO of New Castle Lawn & Landscape and the founder of Brad Stephenson LLC Dream Higher.