Amid the post-COVID turmoil in labor markets, staff turnover—even at the largest companies—can reach 50% or more. How can laundry operators fix this problem? Melissa Furman, a professor/HR consultant who gave a keynote address at this month’s TRSA Production Summit in Kansas City, offers a response based on the shifting demographics common across much of North America.

In essence, Furman says most laundries operate on a 1950s leadership model, while today’s employees and prospects, especially millennials (born 1981-’96), have a decidedly 21st century outlook on job mobility and career development. To win the battle for staff longevity, laundry owners and ...