Grounds Maintenance Workers

Are you curious about a career as a grounds maintenance worker in the United States of America? Now you can learn what Grounds Maintenance Workers do, the work environment, how to become one, salary, and job outlook.

What is a Grounds Maintenance Worker?

A Grounds Maintenance Worker (GMW) is someone who does tasks related to maintaining the landscaping areas of commercial or public institutions. This includes parks, streets, buildings, office buildings, and industrial sites. In the United States, these jobs are generally outsourced to companies that specialize in providing these services.

What Does a Grounds Maintenance Worker Do?

A Grounds Maintenance Worker is in charge of maintaining all aspects of a facility’s grounds. This includes things like mowing grass, weeding flower beds, trimming trees, watering flowers, landscaping, and shoveling snow. Grounds maintenance workers are usually employees of an outside contractor that does the work for a facility, or the facility itself.

What Makes a Good Grounds Maintenance Worker?

To become a Grounds Maintenance Worker, you must be able to follow a set of instructions. It is a good idea to have a sense of humor, as you will be working outdoors. The ability to do these tasks well is more important than just being physically fit. Some skills you will need include:

The ability to be patient. You will often need to wait for equipment to arrive before doing your job.

You will often need to wait for equipment to arrive before doing your job. The ability to communicate effectively with other people. In some cases, this will require you to be able to speak English.

Without a doubt, this is a hard job with a lot of physical effort. The work environment can be very hot and humid during the summer and cold and damp in the winter.

Work Environment

One of the reasons grounds maintenance work is so demanding is that it involves a lot of physical exertion. Grounds maintenance workers spend a great deal of time in direct sunlight, which is why it is essential for them to wear sunscreen. Most of the jobs are done outdoors, which can mean wearing a hard hat, safety glasses, and possibly work boots. Ground maintenance workers are often on their feet for extended periods, sometimes all day long, which means they need to take breaks and stretch out every now and then. They also have to deal with the elements all day, so they need to be prepared with the proper clothing for the weather. In addition, because of the physical demands, you will often need to lift heavy equipment and other things. You should be able to lift at least 50 pounds on occasion.

Pay and Benefits

Because of the nature of the work, you will usually be paid by the hour. Most workers are paid per hour, but some workers may be paid by the day or week. This is usually based on the hours that the worker works. Many times, this will include a bonus if the worker hits certain targets in terms of completing a job in a certain time period.

There are many different types of jobs for a Grounds Maintenance Worker. Some are more physically demanding than others, but the good news is that most employers offer health insurance and a retirement plan. In addition, there are also many opportunities for advancement.

How to Become a Grounds Maintenance Worker

If you have a high school diploma, then you can apply to become a Grounds Maintenance Worker. There is no specific education needed to become one.

You are strongly encouraged to watch both videos about grounds maintenance workers below, take good notes, and then visit the comments section below and share your thoughts and your knowledge on grounds maintenance workers in the United States of America.