By Phil Harwood

There has been much discussion about whether or not landscape service providers are essential or non-essential. Here is what we know for sure:

1. Staying home is the best way to limit the spread of COVID-19. Everyone who can stay home for the next few weeks should do so. We should all strive for this but also not be judgmental about those who are not staying home. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to not be at home.

2. Our businesses need to continue to function. Even if declared non-essential by local or state authorities, there are business activities that may continue. Pay close attention to the details provided by CDC, Homeland Security, and Executive Orders.

3. Anyone choosing to work should be following every precaution to protect workers. This is extremely difficult and may lead to a decision that it’s better not to work in the field at this time. I’ve also seen many employers with heroic efforts to keep employees safe while continuing to provide services.

4. NALP and many other trade associations have demonstrated that they are vital partners and advocates for us. We should all support them by joining if not already a member, attending their events, and getting involved where we can.

5. Being a leader during this pandemic is very challenging. We need to be more intentional than ever before about where we focus our time and energy. I shared with you my leadership plan for the next 30 days in last week’s blog post. If you missed it, click here or email me for a more detailed version - Phil@GrowTheBench.com. 

May God bless you all.