VISTA, CA, April 12 – Heaviland Landscape Management held its Annual Training Day at their North Branch headquarters. Led by VP of Operations, Chris Gillespie, the event promoted best landscaping practices, safety and team building for all 175 Heaviland team members. The goal of this day, Chris said, was, “to continue building morale through comradery. But we also wanted every single team member to come away with some solid training they were proud of. I think we accomplished both of those goals. Each person in the company contributed in one form or another to help us succeed.”
Individuals were randomly assigned to groups of 15 people. Each group rotated through 9 different training stations throughout the day (including a catered lunch of burgers and hots dogs!). The event supplemented the training done out in the field on a weekly basis. This event, however, brought everyone together to train for the day.
Team members gained valuable information at each station. The training will not only improve their performance onsite at properties but will also elevate the entire team with enhanced knowledge and boosted morale.
Station 1: Human Resources
Cindy, our Payroll Administrator, addressed HR related questions about benefits. This included questions about health insurance, our company work boot program, and paid time off. She also reviewed our employee software program and reviewed the process for clocking in/out and requesting time off.
Station 2: Chat with the President
Led by President Tom Heaviland, this station gave our team the opportunity to have a dialogue about the importance of safety and family. When team members are safe on the job, they get go home to their families and loved ones each night. It’s important for everyone to follow safety procedures, from wearing safety glasses and reflective vests, to placing traffic cones when parked roadside.
Station 3: Meet the Mechanics
Mechanics have a thankless job. They often repair equipment that is unknowingly mistreated or improperly handled. We gave them a chance to speak about how to care for equipment, and they jumped at it! The mechanics, Dan and Rigo, discussed operating procedures for all common equipment. They also covered what to do when a piece of equipment isn’t working properly.
Station 4: Chemical Spraying
If not done property, chemical spraying can be hazardous. We made sure our team understood the correct safety measures and spraying techniques. They were taught to be efficient and protected while spraying pesticides and herbicides. In addition, they learned the proper way to use and adjust the sprayer to maximize the impact of the applied chemicals.
Station 5: Fun Zone!!!
Everyone needs a break from learning, so we set up a soccer shootout and stand-up mower practice. Competition was fierce! Additional raffle tickets were handed out for more chances to win a prize.
Station 6: Fertilization
Plants need fertilization because soil usually does not have all the nutrients plants need to thrive. But there’s a lot to cover when it comes to fertilizers. Field Managers, Gonzalo and Sergio, took our team through all the basics, including when to fertilize, which fertilizers to use for certain plants and trees, and the correct way to disperse fertilizers.
Station 7: Landscape Irrigation
This station covered everything from choosing and installing the correct irrigation system, to programming irrigation controllers. Irrigation is one of the most important things when it comes to maintaining a property, so Field Managers, Jessy and Martin, made sure our team was informed of all the best practices.
Station 8: Driver Safety
Safety is a top priority at Heaviland. Led by insurance representatives from Marsh & McLennan Companies, this station allowed team members to practice reversing a truck and trailer into a tight parking spot. They also reviewed necessary safety precautions when parking on the street, including using safety cones and having a second person assistance with parking.
Station 9: Planting
Planting might seem like an easy concept, but there’s more to it than just digging a hole. This station covered everything from determining the correct depth and width of a hole, to the proper maintenance of newly planted trees and shrubs. Project Manager, Martin, made sure that all team members understood the care and techniques required to make new plants flourish.
Heaviland places education and team building at the forefront of its culture. We encourage everyone to push themselves to learn more about all aspects of the landscape industry. This collective knowledge not only improves the quality of work for our clients, but it also deepens the level of trust our team members have in each other. We know we can depend on one another to get the job done right.
