The latest HTA Market Update (October 2026) reports encouraging news, with garden centre sales, including catering, increasing year-on-year. But while higher turnover is welcome, it doesn't automatically mean higher profit.
For many garden centres and nurseries, rising employment costs, inflationary pressures and increasing operating expenses mean profitability is under greater scrutiny than ever. The challenge is no longer simply generating more sales. It's ensuring every labour hour delivers value.
Demand across a garden centre is rarely consistent. A busy café doesn't necessarily mean additional staff are needed in the plant area. Weather changes, seasonal peaks, local events and customer behaviour can all significantly impact where and when resource is required.
When costs rise, reducing staffing levels can seem like an obvious solution. However, fewer team members often result in longer queues, reduced customer service, missed sales opportunities and increased pressure on existing staff. Cutting labour costs without understanding customer demand can prove a false economy.
The real opportunity lies in deploying the right people, with the right skills, in the right place at the right time.
WorkForce Manager has been developed specifically for garden centres and nurseries to help managers achieve exactly that. Its new SMART Rota feature considers departmental demand, employee skills and availability, contractual requirements, weather forecasts and local events to create more effective schedules.
The result? Better labour cost control, reduced administration, improved service levels and more informed decision-making.
As garden centres look ahead to 2027, the most successful businesses may not be those employing the fewest people, but those making the smartest use of the teams they already have.
Looking to make better use of your existing team?
Book a free demonstration to see how WorkForce Manager helps garden centres and nurseries deploy the right people, with the right skills, in the right place at the right time.
www.workforce-manager.co.uk
info@workforce-manager.co.uk
01604 697101
