Michigan scrap company develops staffing solution

As U.S. unemployment numbers are escalating, a Michigan-based scrap business is working to ensure the job security of its team members while also providing its customers with workers. 

Padnos, which is headquartered in Holland, Michigan, launched an in-house temp agency called Padnos Staffing Solutions in late March as a way to provide its employees with more work opportunities internally as well as at customer sites that have ramped up production. 

Kristy Loomis, chief human resources officer at Padnos, says about 100 of its 700 employees are participating in the new program. She says the program is giving the company's employees opportunities to expand their skills and pick up different jobs at Padnos as needed. She adds that the company also has partnered with some customer locations to send its employees involved in the program to help at their facilities as needed.

“We’ve mobilized a cross-functional team internally that we meet with on a daily basis,” Loomis says. “We’re moving these people around our company and giving them the opportunities to learn different skills and knowledge. Then, we were talking to our customers and we also learned that they were struggling with staffing—some had attendance issues or their business might have taken off or they have pivoted to make a new product line and needed team members for that. 

“So, from that, it seemed like a natural connection to have those conversations and share resources with them,” she continues. “So, we developed Padnos Staffing Solutions to send team members to customer sites to help as well.” 

Some positions that employees have transitioned to internally at Padnos include moving from metal sorting and crane operator roles to paper or plastic manufacturing roles, Loomis says. “Really, any position is up for flexibility,” she adds. “Everyone is being asked to be open and take on new tasks and work in different areas in some capacity. Some of our sales executives joined our manufacturing teams to help with demo projects in metals as well. Each change provides opportunity for our team members to better understand the full product cycle or our customers better.”

For employees involved in that program, they act as contractors when working at customer sites. Loomis says the workers in the program are still on Padnos’ payroll and benefits. She adds that the time frame employees are at customer sites can vary from one day to multiple months. Additionally, employees that work for a customer site are given training by that particular company.

“The customers do their own training and onboarding to ensure our team member is successful in the role they are performing for them,” Loomis says.

She adds that many employees involved have responded well to the new program offered. Loomis shares that a few employees who were sent to work for Clean Rooms International, Grand Rapids, Michigan, through Padnos Staffing Solutions program are now helping that business to produce carts and fans to ensure there’s safe ventilation at hospitals. 

Photo courtesy of Padnos

“I do anticipate that the workforce will be disrupted for quite some time due to the pandemic,” Loomis adds. “There will be a lot of people on unemployment who may need to stay on unemployment if they have compromised conditions. We might see a shortage of people who are ready and willing to work, even though there are so many furloughed at this time. What I’m finding in some of our customers is that [our service] could be a nice long-term solution since our workers have specialized skill sets that they can’t always find with a typical temp agency. Our team members are skilled, and we can partner on long-term projects if there are more long-term needs. If this continues to be a valued solution for customers, we’ll find a way to keep it going for them.”

She adds that many of the company’s employees have expressed gratitude for their jobs in recent weeks in response to the pandemic. She says one employee at the company’s Turner shredder location in Grand Rapids shared the following message on Padnos’ social media pages:

“In my time at Padnos, we have been through 9/11, the 2008 crisis and countless other dark days. Once again, the world is on fire and friends and family face uncertain employment. I am reminded why I have chosen to work for, and with, the Padnos family all these years. They’re survivors and always do the right thing when it matters most. I’m grateful to everyone working hard to keep us going, and just as our leadership has risen to the challenge, the Turner shredder will also rise … if you send it, we will crush it.”