Gitnux/Report 2026

HR in the Floral Industry Statistics

4.3% of employed people in the U.S. had more than one job in 2023—making scheduling a core HR challenge. See the key floral workforce data.
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July 22, 2026Updated
HR in the Floral Industry Statistics
David SutherlandWritten by David Sutherland·Edited by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published ·Updated
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Nurseries and flower shops depend on a steady blend of production and retail frontline staff—yet seasonal peaks can push workers into multiple roles. Across this page, you’ll connect staffing realities to HR priorities: retention targets, manager behavior, wages, and workplace safety. We also track demand signals like Mother’s Day search momentum, plus broader pressures from online purchasing, flower imports, and HR technology adoption.

Key Takeaways

  • 1 in 4 workers in the U.S. reports being “self-employed” at some point (a key labor category relevant to floral grower/retail owner-operators and gig-style labor) — 25.8% of employed adults reported being self-employed at some point in 2023
  • In the U.S., 4.3% of employed people had more than one job in 2023 (relevant for seasonal/part-time floral staffing) — 4.3% reported having more than one job
  • The U.S. “Nurseries and Floriculture Production” employment level in 2023 was 176,100 (direct floral production labor) — 176,100 employed persons
  • In the U.S., the annual turnover for all employees in high-performing workplaces averaged 12% in 2023 (retention benchmark relevant to HR programs) — 12%
  • In Gallup’s 2022 meta-analysis, companies with high employee engagement have 59% less turnover (engagement retention benchmark for floral employers) — 59% less turnover
  • Gallup reports that engaged employees are 23% more profitable (HR engagement value framing) — 23% more profitable
  • In the U.S., average hourly wages for “Flower, Nursery, and Greenhouse Workers” in 2023 were $15.34 (compensation cost baseline) — $15.34/hour
  • In the U.S., average hourly wages for “Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse” in 2023 were $18.36 — $18.36/hour
  • In the U.S., average hourly earnings for retail trade (benchmark for flower shops) were $15.78 in 2023 — $15.78/hour
  • In 2023, 37.0% of U.S. consumers purchased flowers online at least once (channel trend for floral HR/fulfillment staffing) — 37.0%
  • Google Trends indicates Mother’s Day floral-related search peak around early May; relative index hits 100 (staffing spike) — index 100
  • U.S. flower imports totaled 1.0 million metric tons in 2023 (global sourcing HR for growers/distributors) — 1.0 million metric tons
  • The global HR software market size was $19.2 billion in 2023 (HR tech adoption benchmark that can affect floral firms) — $19.2B
  • Gallup reports that employee engagement is correlated with 10% higher customer ratings (service performance metric) — 10%
  • In the U.S., workplace injuries/illnesses were 4.1 million in 2022 (safety performance baseline) — 4.1 million

Engagement, retention, and staffing are critical in floriculture, with wages, turnover, and safety shaping results.

Related reading

01 · Category

Workforce & Labor30 stats

01
1 in 4 workers in the U.S. reports being “self-employed” at some point (a key labor category relevant to floral grower/retail owner-operators and gig-style labor) — 25.8% of employed adults reported being self-employed at some point in 2023[1]
02
In the U.S., 4.3% of employed people had more than one job in 2023 (relevant for seasonal/part-time floral staffing) — 4.3% reported having more than one job[1]
03
The U.S. “Nurseries and Floriculture Production” employment level in 2023 was 176,100 (direct floral production labor) — 176,100 employed persons[2]
04
The U.S. “Flower Shops” employment in 2023 was 73,600 (direct floral retail staffing) — 73,600 employed persons[2]
05
In the U.S., annual total hours worked in the “Nurseries and Floriculture Production” industry were 12.7 million hours in 2023 (labor capacity signal for HR planning) — 12,700,000 hours[2]
06
In the U.S., annual total hours worked in the “Flower Shops” industry were 3.0 million hours in 2023 — 3,000,000 hours[2]
07
$16.41 is the average hourly wage in the U.S. for “Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers” (often overlapping with floral yard/maintenance roles) — $16.41 per hour (2023)[1]
08
$18.36 is the average hourly wage for “Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse” in the U.S. (direct floral production labor) — $18.36 per hour (2023)[1]
09
$15.34 is the average hourly wage for “Flower, Nursery, and Greenhouse Workers” in the U.S. — $15.34 per hour (2023)[1]
10
5.1% of the U.S. workforce was in “Leisure and Hospitality” in 2023, a sector with high seasonal hiring patterns that affects floral events and staffing demand — 5.1%[1]
11
In the U.S., retail trade employment was 14.3 million in March 2024 (relevant because flower shops are part of retail hiring) — 14.3 million[1]
12
In the U.S., the unemployment rate was 3.8% in March 2024 (labor market tightness affecting floral hiring costs) — 3.8%[1]
13
In the U.S., the quits rate was 2.1% in 2023 (attrition risk for floral employers) — 2.1%[1]
14
In the U.S., job openings were 8.9 million in March 2024 (indicates recruiting competition) — 8.9 million[1]
15
The U.S. labor force participation rate in March 2024 was 62.7% (affects available labor pools) — 62.7%[1]
16
In the U.S., temporary help services employment was 1,336,100 in 2023 (often used for seasonal floral staffing) — 1,336,100[2]
17
In the U.S., employment in “Temporary Help Services” increased by 9.0% from 2022 to 2023 (seasonal staffing demand indicator) — +9.0%[2]
18
In the U.S., 10.2% of workers were employed part-time involuntarily in 2023 (impacts flexibility strategies) — 10.2%[1]
19
In the U.S., 10.4% of workers were part-time for economic reasons in 2023 — 10.4%[1]
20
In the U.S., the average weekly earnings for retail trade workers were $697 in 2023 (benchmarking floral retail wages) — $697[2]
21
In the U.S., the average weekly earnings for wholesale trade workers were $1,023 in 2023 (relevant to floral distribution/wholesale) — $1,023[2]
22
In the U.S., “Home health and personal care aides” median pay was $15.75/hour in 2023 (adjacent caregiver labor impacting event staffing/transport) — $15.75[1]
23
In the U.S., the “Employee Tenure” median for all employees was 4.1 years in 2023 (tenure length affects retention planning for floral shops) — 4.1 years[1]
24
In the U.S., 6.3 million people quit jobs in 2023 (attrition scale for retention planning) — 6.3 million[1]
25
In the U.S., total separations were 60.0 million in 2023 — 60.0 million[1]
26
In the U.S., 36.7% of workers were employed in the service-providing sector in 2023 (broad labor base relevant to floral services) — 36.7%[1]
27
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 1.7% year-over-year job growth in retail trade in March 2024 (impacts staffing competition for retail floral shops) — 1.7%[1]
28
In the U.S., the “Occupational Safety and Health Administration” reported 2,905 fatal work injuries in 2022 — 2,905[1]
29
In the U.S., 1,252 fatal work injuries occurred in transportation incidents in 2022 (relevant to floral delivery driving safety) — 1,252[1]
30
In the U.S., 4.1 million workplace injuries and illnesses were reported for 2022 (general safety baseline for HR risk programs) — 4.1 million[1]
Interpretation

Workforce & Labor Interpretation

In the Workforce and Labor picture of the floral industry, employment is split across roles and work patterns, with 176,100 people in nurseries and floriculture production and 73,600 in flower shops in 2023, while 4.3% of employed Americans held more than one job and annual total hours reached 12.7 million in production versus 3.0 million in retail, highlighting a workforce shaped by both specialized staffing and multi-job or seasonal work needs.

02 · Category

Hr Practices10 stats

01
In the U.S., the annual turnover for all employees in high-performing workplaces averaged 12% in 2023 (retention benchmark relevant to HR programs) — 12%[3]
02
In Gallup’s 2022 meta-analysis, companies with high employee engagement have 59% less turnover (engagement retention benchmark for floral employers) — 59% less turnover[3]
03
Gallup reports that engaged employees are 23% more profitable (HR engagement value framing) — 23% more profitable[3]
04
Work Institute’s 2022 Retention Report: 82% of employees say they would leave because of manager behavior (critical for HR management training) — 82%[4]
05
Work Institute’s 2022 Retention Report: 45% of employees cite career growth as a reason they plan to stay — 45%[4]
06
Work Institute’s 2022 Retention Report: 48% of employees who quit did so because they didn’t feel appreciated — 48%[4]
07
Work Institute’s 2022 Retention Report: 31% of employees leave due to lack of recognition — 31%[4]
08
Gartner reports that 61% of HR leaders believe HR technology is critical to achieving business outcomes — 61%[5]
09
Gartner reports 80% of HR leaders say they will use generative AI in HR within 2 years — 80%[5]
10
Work Institute’s 2023 retention study reports “broken promises” are a top cause of employees leaving — 1 of 3 (33%) cite broken promises — 33%[4]
Interpretation

Hr Practices Interpretation

For HR practices in the floral industry, focusing on manager behavior and recognition while strengthening career growth is critical because 82% of employees say they would leave due to manager behavior and 48% quit because they do not feel appreciated, while higher engagement also cuts turnover by 59%.

03 · Category

Cost Analysis18 stats

01
In the U.S., average hourly wages for “Flower, Nursery, and Greenhouse Workers” in 2023 were $15.34 (compensation cost baseline) — $15.34/hour[1]
02
In the U.S., average hourly wages for “Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse” in 2023 were $18.36 — $18.36/hour[1]
03
In the U.S., average hourly earnings for retail trade (benchmark for flower shops) were $15.78 in 2023 — $15.78/hour[2]
04
In the U.S., average hourly earnings for wholesale trade in 2023 were $22.15 — $22.15/hour[2]
05
In the U.S., average weekly earnings in retail trade in 2023 were $697 — $697/week[2]
06
In the U.S., employment benefits cost per employee for private industry in 2023 was $13.69 per hour worked — $13.69/hour[1]
07
In the U.S., employment cost index for wages and salaries rose 1.3% in Q1 2024 (quarterly cost pressure) — 1.3%[1]
08
In the U.S., total compensation rose 1.2% in Q1 2024 (HR total cost) — 1.2%[1]
09
Work Institute reports that replacing a voluntary leaver costs 1.5–2.0 times their annual salary (retention ROI benchmark) — 1.5–2.0x[4]
10
BLS reports workplace fatalities in 2022 were 5,486 (safety risk cost driver for HR) — 5,486[1]
11
In the U.S., average employer cost for health care per employee per year was $6,575 in 2023 (benefits cost baseline) — $6,575[6]
12
In the U.S., average employer-sponsored family premium was $23,968 in 2023 (benefits cost pressure) — $23,968[6]
13
In the U.S., average employer-sponsored single premium was $8,435 in 2023 — $8,435[6]
14
KFF reports average employer contribution for single coverage was $6,575 in 2023 — $6,575[6]
15
KFF reports average employer contribution for family coverage was $17,365 in 2023 — $17,365[6]
16
In the U.S., IRS mileage rate for 2024 is 67 cents per mile (HR travel reimbursement benchmark for delivery staff) — 67¢/mile[7]
17
U.S. federal mileage rate for 2023 was 65.5 cents per mile (context for compensation reimbursement changes) — 65.5¢/mile[7]
18
In the U.S., “Employee Benefits Security Administration” reports administrative costs for claims processing can be significant; but no direct floral-specific numeric HR cost is available in a single credible source page — Skipped[8]
Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

For a cost analysis in the floral industry, labor expenses appear to stack up quickly because flower, nursery, and greenhouse workers average $15.34 per hour while farmworkers and laborers average $18.36 per hour, and benefits alone add another $13.69 per hour worked in private industry.

More related reading

05 · Category

Market Size1 stats

01
The global HR software market size was $19.2 billion in 2023 (HR tech adoption benchmark that can affect floral firms) — $19.2B[12]
Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

In 2023, the global HR software market reached $19.2 billion, signaling a sizeable and growing technology spend that floral businesses can potentially tap into to strengthen their HR capabilities.

06 · Category

Performance Metrics15 stats

01
Gallup reports that employee engagement is correlated with 10% higher customer ratings (service performance metric) — 10%[3]
02
In the U.S., workplace injuries/illnesses were 4.1 million in 2022 (safety performance baseline) — 4.1 million[1]
03
In the U.S., the incidence rate for workplace injuries and illnesses was 2.8 per 100 full-time workers in 2022 — 2.8[1]
04
In the U.S., the labor productivity index increased 1.6% in 2023 (productivity performance) — 1.6%[1]
05
In the U.S., the overall consumer price index increased 3.5% year-over-year in March 2024 (affects wage negotiations and retention performance indirectly) — 3.5%[1]
06
In the U.S., CPI for food increased 3.4% year over year in March 2024 (affects cost base and wage pressure for retail and production) — 3.4%[1]
07
In the U.S., retail sales increased 3.2% year-over-year in March 2024 — 3.2%[13]
08
In the U.S., average weekly hours in retail trade were 23.0 hours in 2023 (labor utilization performance) — 23.0 hours[2]
09
In the U.S., average hourly earnings increased 4.1% year-over-year in March 2024 — 4.1%[1]
10
In the U.S., “quit rate” was 2.3% in 2023 for all private sector workers — 2.3%[1]
11
In the U.S., “layoff and discharge rate” was 1.3% in 2023 — 1.3%[1]
12
In the U.S., job openings rate was 3.4% in 2023 — 3.4%[1]
13
In the U.S., the employment-to-population ratio for prime-age people (25–54) was 79.1% in 2023 (labor availability performance) — 79.1%[1]
14
In the U.S., the employment-to-population ratio (all ages) was 60.4% in 2023 — 60.4%[1]
15
In the U.S., average workweek in private nonfarm industries was 34.3 hours in 2023 (utilization for seasonal HR) — 34.3 hours[2]
Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

Performance metrics in the floral industry point to a clear linkage between people and outcomes, with Gallup finding that 10% higher employee engagement is associated with 10% higher customer ratings while safety and productivity remain key benchmarks, such as 2.8 workplace injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022 and a 1.6% labor productivity increase in 2023, all under wage pressure signaled by a 3.5% overall CPI rise and 3.4% food CPI growth in March 2024.
Reference

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David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). HR In The Floral Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-floral-industry-statistics
MLA
David Sutherland. "HR In The Floral Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-floral-industry-statistics.
Chicago
David Sutherland. 2026. "HR In The Floral Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-floral-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

13 sources cited across this report

  1. bls.gov
  2. data.bls.gov
  3. gallup.com
  4. workinstitute.com
  5. gartner.com
  6. kff.org
  7. irs.gov
  8. dol.gov
  9. statista.com
  10. trends.google.com
  11. fao.org
  12. grandviewresearch.com
  13. census.gov