Celebrate your workers with Spring Blueming

By John Walsh

Another issue we face as an industry is the difficulty to attract and retain staff. This is, of course, not unique to the nursery industry, with most industries reporting difficulty in attracting staff. At the same time research shows that staff are looking to find work that is more meaningful. Work that is good for the planet and gives a sense of purpose.

ICL has responded to this challenge by ensuring that our tag line ‘Impact for a Sustainable Future’ has real meaning to our staff. ICL measure how our staff are engaged and enabled to make this impact in an everyday sense. This is done in many ways and measured by an Employer of Choice Survey.

As part of these initiatives, ICL has an active Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) programme. This is one of the ways that ICL ensures it staff are fully engaged and enabled. ICL does this to ensure that it is an employer of choice, as this is what gives a real competitive advantage in business.

As part of the ESG initiatives ICL encourage staff to volunteer in their local community, and at least once a year to come together as a group to do a company volunteer activity. The Australian and New Zealand team decided three years ago to create Spring Blueming as this activity.

It is a simple idea of inviting businesses in the nursery and garden industry to host a function for their staff. Most companies have hosted a morning tea or lunch. ICL provide a video to play at the function, highlighting the amazing work that your staff do to improve the mental health outcomes of the community due to their actions.

Most of us in the industry don’t step back and acknowledge the beauty we provide to the community: the physical activity, beautiful houseplants, and the satisfaction of growing your own fruits and vegetables. So, whether you work in propagation, growing on, making pots, or potting media, your efforts need to be highlighted and celebrated.

Spring Blueming is your opportunity to sign up. ICL will send you a pack with information and inspiration to make it easy. You can raise some funds for Beyond Blue if you choose; however, the most important aspect is to thank your staff for what they do.

We have had some fantastic past Spring Blueming Ambassadors, with Jason Hodges, Costa Georgiadis and Joanna Cave. This year we are pleased to say that our colleague Roger Boyle has accepted the role of Ambassador. Roger has been a major driver for Spring Blueming. In over 40 years of working in the industry, across so many segments, Roger knows what a difference the workers in nurseries make. Roger is battling a brain tumor, and as he put it, in all my ups and downs in life the industry has been beside me. You can scan the QR code to hear Roger’s message and sign up for Spring Blueming.

It is a small way to help ensure that your business and our industry is an employer and industry of choice. The week to hold your activity for Spring Blueming is during the week commencing 23 October.