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Hiring next-generation laundry employees February 2023 • Volume 49, Number 02
The Newspaper of Record for Laundry & Linen Management
Experts share insights into how operators can attract, and retain, younger staff members (Photo: © luckybusiness/Depositphotos)
BY MATT POE, EDITOR
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iring new employees has been difficult for the laundry and linen services industry for some time. Even before the events of the past few years, operators were struggling to onboard key personnel such as plant employees, engineers and management. “Like many industries, hiring remains a challenge,” says Jeff Peterson, sales manager at Spin Linen in Omaha, Nebraska. “We’ve had to re-evaluate everything from compensation to job duties, as well as get
more innovative in our job postings to attempt to stand out. “There doesn’t appear to be a magic bullet, so we are experimenting and tweaking our approach constantly.” Fortunately, hiring in the industry is improving. “There seems to be a positive shift lately,” shares Frank Maresca Jr., vice president of WW Uniforms in Wallingford, Connecticut. “The traction for getting new potential employees is increasing. “The past has been an absolute struggle—from striking interest and applying to the open job to an employee accepting an interview or the position and the person doesn’t show up at all. “Nevertheless, in recent months there has been an increase in applications and acceptance of the said available jobs.” “We have started to see our labor pool open up a bit over the last couple quarters,” agrees Ben Warnecke, a fourth-generation family member and general manager at Plymate Inc. in Shelbyville, Indiana. “Incenting and promoting our employee referral program has resulted in quite a few great hires for Plymate in recent years. We are laser-focused on onboarding and employee engagement once we make a hire, so, thankfully, we don’t find ourselves with more than a couple openings very often.” Kleen Kraft Services in Commerce, California, has also had success with employee referrals onboarding qualified, dedicated workers. “In general, we have very little turnover,” says Marilyn McCarty, marketing manager. “Many of our staff have been here for over 10 years and some as long as 40 years. I think this speaks to the type of operation that we run, the pay and benefits offered, and the feeling of belonging. “Most of our new hires come in as refer-
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rals from current employees—drivers, sales reps, office staff—have all come in as referrals. With referrals like this, we can anticipate that the worker will be qualified and that they have a good idea of the work expected.” While there are signs of improvement in the laundry labor market, many laundry operators still face difficulties. “Hiring new employees remains a challenge for Paris,” says David Stern, president and CEO, Paris Companies in DuBois, Pennsylvania. “We are getting enough applications for most hires; however, the quality of the applicants has deteriorated from pre-pandemic.” A major challenge is enticing younger employees to enter the laundry and linen services industry. Many don’t see it as a viable career option and aren’t prepared for the effort needed to succeed. And some aren’t even aware that the laundry industry exists. So, how can a laundry operator attract the next generation of laundry employees?
HUMAN RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE
For the textile services industry to get the attention of younger employees, it needs to better understand who the next generation is and what it is looking for in terms of employment and career opportunities. Elissa Jessup, HR knowledge advisor for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), shares that the organization has researched what younger workers are looking for in a workplace. For Generation Z (born between 19972012), SHRM has compiled a “top 10” list of work qualities they are seeking. “They’re looking for flexibility, peer
See NexGen on Page 6
LATE NEWS Healthcare Linen Services Group acquires Linen King ST. CHARLES, Ill. — Healthcare Linen Services Group (HLSG), a provider of healthcare laundry services headquartered here, reports it has acquired Linen King, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A portfolio company of York Capital Management’s private equity group, HLSG provides services in the Midwest and Central United States. As part of the transaction, Seaport Capital, a New York-based private equity firm that acquired Linen King in 2019, will receive shares in HLSG. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1999, Linen King serves approximately 460 customers across seven facilities in five states. It processes approximately 100 million pounds of healthcare laundry annually at facilities located in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Tennessee. Chris Corcoran, Linen King’s chief executive officer, will remain with the business and serve as the regional chief operating officer of HLSG. Following this transaction, HLSG will operate 21 linen processing plants across six regional brands: Logan’s Linens, Logan’s Uniform Rental, Superior Health Linens, Textile Care Services, Reino and Linen King. These brands and facilities process approximately 350 million pounds of healthcare linen on an annual basis for nearly 1,000 customers in 19 states.
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