In today’s fast-moving business world, speed matters. Projects have deadlines, customers have expectations, and opportunities rarely wait around. One of the most valuable traits a new hire can bring to the table is a sense of urgency.
When employees consistently demonstrate urgency, they don’t just get tasks done quickly; they help create momentum, accountability, and reliability across the entire organization. On the other hand, employees who lack urgency can drag projects down, frustrate coworkers and customers, and create avoidable costs.
Let’s take a closer look at why urgency is such an essential skill, how it impacts business results, and what to consider when hiring for this trait.
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What Is a Sense of Urgency?
A sense of urgency isn’t about rushing through tasks or cutting corners. Instead, it’s an internal drive to recognize the importance of time and respond appropriately. Employees with urgency:
- Act promptly when challenges arise rather than procrastinating.
- Recognize priorities and focus on what matters most.
- Stay accountable to deadlines, even when juggling multiple responsibilities.
- Communicate quickly to prevent delays, misunderstandings, or bottlenecks.
- Treat the customer’s needs as immediate, not something to get around to “later.”
In short, urgency is about balancing speed with focus and accountability. It’s the difference between an employee who waits to be told what to do and one who takes initiative to keep things moving forward.
Why Urgency Matters
The idea that we want to work with people who have a sense of urgency applies to all professions, organizations, and industries. Many of the employers I work with are in the Green Industry — landscaping, lawn care, irrigation, horticulture, arboriculture, and even snow & ice management. In the Green Industry, urgency isn’t just nice to have — it’s critical. Landscapes change with the seasons, weather is unpredictable, and customer expectations are high. Here’s how urgency impacts day-to-day work:
- Seasonality and deadlines
Landscaping and lawn care often operate on seasonal schedules. Missing a window for planting, irrigation service, or pruning can ruin a project. Employees with urgency understand that timing is everything. - Customer satisfaction
When a customer calls with a concern — maybe a sprinkler system leak or a diseased tree — how quickly your team responds can make or break the relationship. Customers expect action, not excuses. - Team efficiency
A single slow-moving employee can hold back an entire crew. If one person lags in loading equipment, making decisions, or executing their tasks, the entire schedule gets pushed back. Urgent employees keep projects on track. - Competitive advantage
Companies that consistently respond faster than their competitors often win more bids, earn more referrals, and keep their calendars full. Speed is a selling point.
The Cost of Employees Without Urgency
Hiring someone without a sense of urgency may not seem like a big deal at first, but the hidden costs add up quickly:
- Missed opportunities – That extra day or week of delay could mean losing a project to a competitor.
- Frustrated customers – Customers equate slow responses with indifference. They may not complain — they may just never call again.
- Decreased morale – High performers dislike being held back by slow coworkers. This creates tension, resentment, and even turnover.
- Increased costs – Delays cost money, whether it’s overtime, wasted materials, or equipment sitting idle.
When urgency is missing, the entire business slows down — even if only a few employees are the cause.
How to Identify Urgency During Hiring
Unlike technical skills, urgency doesn’t always show up on a résumé. But with the right approach, employers can screen for it during the hiring process. Here are a few strategies:
- Behavioral interview questions
Ask candidates to share examples of times when they had to meet tight deadlines or respond quickly to an unexpected challenge. Look for specifics — vague answers may signal a lack of urgency.- “Tell me about a time when you had to juggle multiple priorities and still meet a deadline.”
- “Describe a situation where you saw a problem before it got worse. What did you do?”
- Assess communication speed
Notice how quickly candidates respond to emails, calls, or scheduling requests during the hiring process. A slow response at this stage might indicate the same later on. - Reference checks
Ask former managers whether the candidate stayed on top of deadlines, took initiative, and responded quickly to issues. - Scenario-based questions
Present a realistic scenario: “A client calls on a Friday afternoon with a problem. What would you do?” Their response reveals a lot about their instincts and priorities.
Building a Culture of Urgency
Even the best hires can lose urgency if the company culture doesn’t reinforce it. Leaders must set the tone:
- Lead by example – Managers who respond quickly to issues and make timely decisions create a standard for the team.
- Clarify expectations – Employees should know what “urgent” means in your company. Is it a one-hour response time? A 24-hour turnaround? Spell it out.
- Provide tools and systems – Crews can’t be urgent if they don’t have the right resources. Efficient scheduling, communication tools, and clear processes make urgency possible.
- Recognize and reward urgency – Celebrate employees who step up and keep things moving. Acknowledgment reinforces the behavior you want.
When urgency is baked into your culture, new hires quickly adapt and thrive.
The Balance: Urgency vs. Haste
It’s worth noting that urgency shouldn’t be confused with recklessness. Employees who move too fast without thought can create mistakes, safety hazards, and rework. The ideal hire balances urgency with attention to detail, safety, and quality.
For example:
- A foreman with urgency ensures equipment is ready at 7:00 a.m. sharp.
- But that same foreman also checks the trailer to make sure everything is secured safely.
Urgency is about moving with purpose, not rushing blindly.
Case Example: Urgency in Action
Imagine two landscape companies bidding on the same high-end residential project.
- Company A responds to the customer’s initial inquiry the next day, schedules a site visit within three days, and provides a proposal within the week.
- Company B takes a week to return the call, another week to schedule a site visit, and delivers a proposal three weeks later.
Even if Company B’s proposal is competitive, the customer is already leaning toward Company A because of their responsiveness. Urgency doesn’t just win the project — it sets the tone for the relationship moving forward.
Why Leaders Should Prioritize Urgency in Recruiting
At BR1 we emphasize helping employers build stronger teams by not just filling positions but finding the right people. Urgency is one of those “difference-maker” traits that can elevate your entire workforce.
Here’s why leaders should actively prioritize it:
- It multiplies the productivity of your team.
- It improves customer experiences and retention.
- It helps you outpace competitors.
- It creates accountability and energy in your workplace.
Hiring for urgency is about protecting your company’s time, reputation, and long-term success.
Final Thoughts
Every employer has faced the frustration of a slow-moving employee — the one who doesn’t return calls promptly, procrastinates on tasks, or lets “later” become “never.” That frustration is more than an annoyance; it’s a drag on growth.
When you hire employees with a sense of urgency, you’re not just filling a role — you’re adding someone who will help move your company forward faster, more efficiently, and with greater reliability. In the Green Industry, where timing is everything, urgency isn’t optional. It’s essential. And this thinking holds true in all professions, organizations, and industries. Having a sense of urgency matters and makes a big difference.
If your company is ready to hire people who bring urgency — along with the skills and cultural fit to thrive — BR1 can help. We specialize in helping business leaders build stronger teams, starting with connecting employers with candidates who don’t just do the job, but do it with the right pace, focus, and accountability.
