Uline predicts 5% annual growth, continues hiring

A Conversation With: Michelle Smith senior human resources manager for Uline Allentown

LVB: Uline’s operations in the Lehigh Valley got very busy when the boom in e-commerce led to a greater demand for shipping products. Is that demand still strong?

Smith: Yes, the demand is still strong. We have leveled out a little since the pandemic, but we’re still on a growth trajectory of about 5% a year, which is super healthy for us.

LVB: You’ve been holding a lot of hiring events in recent years. Is hiring still a top priority?

Smith: We’re very pleased that we continue to grow. Based on that we still need to hire general warehouse associates.

We're going to need to hire another 100 associates this year to meet the demand.

Our turnover rate is definitely lower than it’s ever been, even lower than before the pandemic. So that’s a good thing.

LVB: Why would you say that your turnover rate is so low?

Smith: We do a lot of really good things particularly in the last 18 months. We expanded our building footprint, which allowed us to create better pathways for employees to move and operate in, which increases safety and efficiency.

We also have a strong two-way communication channel with our employees, so we make sure they’re really satisfied not only here at work but when they’re home with their families.

LVB: What kind of programs do you have to keep employees engaged and happy?

Smith: Our owners are naturally inquisitive, and they want their employees to be as well. We do a lot with lunch and learns, where we bring people to come in and talk.

We also do a lot of fun family events. We recently had the Easter Bunny here for a family event so kids could see where their parents work and enjoy themselves.

We really want to have a healthy workforce. We have employees who participate in 5Ks and marathons. We have a three-mile walking trail that you’ll always see people on and, of course, a gym.

We recently partnered with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber where more than 20 team members helped a veteran clean up and paint their home. We want employees to be engaged not just at work but outside of work.

LVB: Are there any more big hiring events on the horizon?

Smith: We very much focus on keeping turnover down and that is in how you treat them, but we really take our time in the recruiting and onboarding process to make sure we’re finding people that want to be part of a stable company long term. So, during the hiring process we’re setting ourselves up for success.

We haven’t focused on large hiring events so far this year. We do have a recruitment campaign going on and we have an employee referral program that we really concentrate on, but we are getting questions about when our next big hiring event will be, so we are in the infant stages of planning an event for mid-June.

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