Recruiting The Next Generation

Forget grey wolves and giant pandas, the most endangered species may soon be the jan/san distributor. Baby Boomers will retire en masse over the next decade and most distributors don’t have enough young workers to replace the exiting employees. That has many asking, “Where are our next generation of leaders?”

Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, are the backbone of the jan/san industry. The first of this largest generation reached Social Security’s early retirement age this year and more will exit the workforce every year until 2025.

“The aging sales force is a problem that cannot be ignored anymore,” says Greg Truitt, vice president and general manager of Sikes Paper Co., in Atlanta. “I think it’s the biggest challenge facing the industry today and a lot of folks are beginning to acknowledge it and talk about it.”

A Problem Only Getting Worse

The sheer number of Boomers about to retire is scary, but worse is the fact that the generation doesn’t have enough children to replace itself. That means companies will soon have lots of open jobs and a dwindling number of people available to fill them.

To beat the competition in attracting new workers, the jan/san industry must find a way to appeal to younger generations. That’s a tall order for an industry that is either unknown to kids or, worse, thought of as a toilet-cleaning business.

“I have a son who is now getting ready to go to college and working in this industry is not even in his top 10 of things he would consider,” Truitt says. “There’s just no glamour to it. Young people have an image of us being the lowest end of a low-tech business.”

Luring young folks to a jan/san career takes time and money, two things most distributors haven’t been willing or able to give.

“Compared to other industries we are behind the curve and some of it is because there are so many smaller distributors,” says Chris Martini, director of marketing for Central Sanitary Supply Co., in Modesto, Calif. “They don’t necessarily have the resources of a large company to hold job fairs or to hire 12 people at once and hope one works out. Twenty years of that is having an effect on what our workforce is today.”

Recruitment costs are similar for novice and experienced employees, but training expenses are higher for younger hires. Plus, members of Generation X and the Millennial Generation, also known as Generation Y, are far more likely than their parents to jump quickly from job to job — even industry to industry.

“They are wired differently; they don’t care about the gold watch and a pat on the back after 25 years,” Truitt says.

Many distributors continue to hire seasoned salespeople at higher salaries — a safe but shortsighted strategy. Those who are just waiting to sell the business (and its staffing problems) to someone else may also need a new approach given the economic forecast. And distributors that are counting on future generations to take over may soon find that even kids with parents in the industry aren’t interested in jan/san.

“Right now a lot of distributors are not even trying to attract young talent, they are almost giving up,” Truitt says. “This is now something that has to be a front-burner issue.”

Looking For Young Workers

Finding fresh blood is easier said than done. Because it’s a new concept to most distributors, they don’t know where to look for young people or how to pitch the industry to them.

“I think we need a grassroots effort by our industry to push recruiting young people,” says Andy Brahms, owner and president of Armchem International Corp., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “And we need forums and seminars on how to do it.”

There are a few recruitment methods that seem to work well with young workers. First, companies are shifting help-wanted ads from newspapers to online sources.

“Where are the people you want to hire looking to find their next job?” Martini asks. “Younger individuals don’t use traditional tools to find jobs. If you’re relying on a newspaper, you may not reach them.”

It can also be useful to establish a referral program in which current employees receive a bonus for finding prospects who get hired and remain employed for a certain length of time. Employers will never know if their staff’s children or their friends are looking for work unless they ask.

“I like it when our people refer someone because it’s flattering to know that your people like the company enough to recruit someone,” Brahms says.

Some companies have also had success with internships. In this arrangement, the distributor works with the local community college or university to find students interested in careers in sales. The students spend a few months, typically over the summer, working in exchange for college credit (and often a small wage).

“They see if they enjoy the work and you know what you are getting if you end up hiring them,” says Truitt, who is preparing to start an internship program. “Not losing the investment in training is a big fear. That’s why an internship program seems to be relatively brilliant.”

Working with local colleges on internships can be rewarding. What doesn’t always work, however, is participating in college or high school job fairs. In these high-competition settings, the jan/san industry tends to lose out to big-name companies with million-dollar profits.

“I have a better story to tell when I’m not around those people,” Brahms says.

Telling the story of jan/san is perhaps the most important recruitment tool at a distributor’s disposal. Whether it is at a job fair or during an interview, distributors need to educate young people about the upsides of this industry.

“We have to find the hot-button issues to glamorize this industry for them” says Belinda Jefferson, president of Hercules & Hercules Inc., Detroit. “We need to sell them on what we do. They don’t think beyond toilets and toilet paper.”

For Jefferson, one selling point is how fun it can be to service the hospitality industry. For example, her salespeople were able to walk in a casino throughout the initial construction process and offer organizational solutions.

One of the hottest topics today, particularly among young people, is green living, and jan/san distributors are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the trend.

“People are beginning to recognize our industry as a resource for healthy living,” Martini says. “When we interview for a sales position, the impression they have coming into the interview is definitely different than when they walk away after learning about our work on health and sustainability.”

The current economic climate also presents an opportunity for distributors to appeal to young workers. Although Gen X’ers and Millennials have a reputation for jumping from job to job, weathering a recession may cause them to shift priorities and seek out a stable career.

“There are only a few industries where you can say your target market is every business and where you have repeat business,” Brahms says. “It can be a recession-resistant business.”

Retention Strategies

To win over enough young workers to fill the Boomer void, distributors may need to make some concessions. Younger generations value different things than their parents. A fat paycheck is often less important than flexibility.

“The new generation is more into ‘me’ time,” Truitt says. “We’ve always known this as a 45- to 60-hour work week and these new folks are not OK with that. You can no longer entice them with good benefits or a nice starting salary. You have to come up with ways to give them a good work-life balance.”

Keeping young hires around for the long haul also requires adequate training and ongoing support. At Armchem, jan/san novices are always given mentors. The newbie is partnered with an industry veteran, who provides support for one year.

“Would you let your buddy fail? Of course not,” Brahms says. “I’m not saying it’s the definitive answer, but it helps a lot.”

What works well for Central Sanitary Supply is involving younger employees in ISSA’s YES program, which provides leadership and networking opportunities for young executives in the jan/san industry.

“Retention is hugely important — no one enjoys the hiring process,” Martini says. “The idea of being able to continue showing the value and satisfaction is important. “Organizations like YES, where you have the ability to network and grow in the field, help you show young people more opportunities for growth in your company.”

However and wherever a distributor looks for young hires, it is imperative that the search be ongoing.

“If you are going to be a good sales company, recruiting is a 24/7 task,” Brahms says. “You can’t just recruit when you need to replace someone. You have to constantly look for new blood.”

Becky Mollenkamp is a freelance writer based in Des Moines, Iowa. She is a frequent contributor to Sanitary Maintenance.