Chemicals Supply: David Dotzauer, Ecolab, Eagan, Minn.
The laundry labor market remains tight, and that changes how operators need to think about performance. What makes the commercial laundry labor market somewhat unique is that these are largely hands-on, repetitive, and physically demanding roles tied to strict daily production and delivery schedules, so operators have less flexibility when employees fall short.
Hiring is still difficult, retaining good employees is not easy, and labor is one of the highest costs in running a plant. In that environment, replacing an underperforming employee is not always the best strategy.
I think the first step is not to ask, “How do we keep this person from quitting?” but instead, “Why is this person struggling in the first place?”
In many cases, poor performance is a symptom of a larger issue. It might be a training gap, unclear expectations or a poor job fit. Maybe they feel like they don’t have the appropriate tools or staffing support to succeed in the role.
In general, operators should take a thoughtful and constructive approach to performance issues: clearly define the problem, understand the root cause of the employee’s struggles, and provide the support needed for improvement. If an employee is dependable and has the right attitude but is underperforming because they lack proper training or understanding, that is usually worth the investment.
Setting clear expectations and providing focused retraining can often turn around a struggling employee faster than trying to start over with a new hire who will require significant time and investment in onboarding and training.
Employee engagement also fits into the equation. Employees often perform better when they feel connected to the larger goals of the operation. Providing meaningful support, recognizing progress, and offering opportunities for coaching or skill development can all help strengthen engagement while also improving performance and retention.
Retaining employees matters, but so does maintaining clear standards and accountability. If an employee shows a persistent lack of effort, unwillingness to improve, or behavior that hurts the team, then keeping that employee can damage morale and productivity on the rest of the team. The key is to distinguish between someone who can improve with support and someone who is simply a poor fit.
In a labor-constrained market, operators need to make every reasonable effort to develop people, but they also need to protect team performance.
Linen Supply: Dyan Troxel, HandCraft Linen Services, Richmond, Va.
Employee turnover is costly. Every resignation requires additional time, money, and effort to recruit and onboard a replacement. To prevent unexpected departures, especially from struggling employees, managers often turn immediately to a performance improvement plan (PIP) that identifies issues such as work quality or timeliness.
While a PIP outlines a structured path for improvement, it also typically includes a warning that failure to meet expectations may result in disciplinary action or termination. This can unintentionally create the very outcome you hoped to avoid.
Before moving to a PIP, consider the following proactive steps:
- Have a direct conversation to understand the root cause of the performance issue. Sometimes the solution is surprisingly simple. Before smartphones were used as alarms, I had an employee who was consistently late. The fix was placing an alarm clock across the room, so they had to physically get up to turn it off.
- Determine whether the issue stems from inadequate training or insufficient tools. In one case, an employee struggled because they were using a trial version of a required software program, which limited functionality. Once the full version was installed, their performance improved immediately.
- Confirm that expectations have been clearly communicated. After repeated conversations with one employee, I created a written scoring guide outlining behaviors that fell below expectations, met expectations, and exceeded them. Seeing the standards in writing helped the employee understand what success looked like and how to aim higher.
- Explore whether the employee might thrive in a different role. This is not about shifting a problem elsewhere. It can genuinely benefit both the employee and the organization. When repetitive motion caused an injury that slowed production, one employee excelled after being moved into an open position better suited to their abilities, eliminating the need to hire externally.
- Provide a mentor for additional support. Sometimes encouragement and guidance are exactly what an employee needs. I once mentored a peer who confided that they were going through a divorce. Having someone who listened, empathized, and offered steady support helped them regain focus, control what they could, and feel a sense of accomplishment in completing their work.
Taking these steps before resorting to a PIP reinforces that the organization values its people and is committed to a positive, supportive culture. And when employees feel genuinely supported, leaving becomes a much harder choice.
Textiles: Lenore Law, Alliance Textile Solutions, Corona, Calif.
First of all, our labor market has changed a lot since 2020 and the COVID shutdowns. At that time, the U.S. saw more jobs available at higher pay than ever before. That has changed, and while there are still a lot of “hiring” signs, it is much better than five or six years ago. This is true not just in the commercial laundry market but in many markets and industries.
Employees stay where they are compensated and appreciated for their hard work. If an employee is not working and is unmotivated, it is best to find out why and try to fix the problem from a human resources (HR) perspective versus just putting a bandage on it.
It is a known fact that employees work harder when they are happy with their job. Incentives like bonuses work well, too, so if someone’s production far exceeds everyone else’s, then a bonus should be given to that employee, or a pay raise and a job switch to management, or put in a management training position.
In terms of employees who continue to do a poor job and are still unmotivated after attempting to find out why, I would suggest a career change if they are that unhappy with their job and position in the company. Maybe talk to them about their goals and aspirations and where they see themselves in the next 15 years.
Another incentive or reward can be in the shape of a paid vacation or trip based upon performance. Employee lunches or performance celebrations work well, too.
I see our industry hiring a lot more educated people than it did 30 years ago, and the pay is much better than it was. I feel our industry is already going in the right direction, and maybe we should just keep doing what we are already doing in terms of hiring happy employees.
Education is always good, and hiring from select colleges and universities, even if it’s on a part-time basis while they are finishing their education, is beneficial. Educate them on what college scholarships our industry offers and how they can apply for one to help them get further education while still working in the commercial laundry business.
Do surveys and studies on our industry compared to others in terms of driver pay, salesperson pay, production pay and management pay. Go over all these a few times a year with current employees so they know how they can advance into management within our industry.
Poor performance is sometimes just the symptom of a much greater problem. Again, happy employees work harder and are committed to staying the course. If a company is still not hiring well, then look at other avenues or places to hire from. Examples include the military, colleges or universities, trade schools, and retired people from industries where they retired early, like nursing or government.
Poor performance is usually a lack of training or education, or that person was not hired well to begin with. A good manager should be able to see beyond the bad performance, and if they can’t, then a good HR person can.
Find it, fix it and fund it. Be promoted from within; everyone loves that.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
