When the Tide Rolls In: Growing a Laundry Professional

Linen & Laundry Chronicles – Part 2

In the first Linen & Laundry story, I shared what happened when we finally hired a seasoned laundry professional from a different tide pool in a very large Orlando hotel complex. Sometimes, though, you can’t find the expert—so you have to grow one in your own tide pool.

This yarn starts in a different place: with a capable, unique restaurant manager who had never imagined himself in the rooms division, let alone the laundry. The tides were just as strong, but this time the work was less about finding expertise and more about recognizing a spark of possibility and helping shape it into very specialized skills and leadership.

A New Tide Pool, No Seasoned Pro

After Orlando, I landed in a hotel where the Laundry was not led by a seasoned professional, but by a supervisor. An 1,800‑room hotel certainly needs a dedicated Laundry manager and leader. Orlando had taught me that the benefits of a well‑run Laundry were critical to the success of a large convention hotel. Finding a professional Laundry manager who could meet our business needs was not going to be easy.

Four months into my hotel manager role, I recognized that the Housekeeping leadership did not have well‑established, effective linen inventory procedures. Much of the laundry equipment was at the end of its life and poorly maintained. Remnants of old and non‑operable garment‑cleaning equipment gave the area an abandoned appearance. Storage was not organized.

The thing about a tide pool is that it hosts a variety of organisms, all adapted to survive in changing and harsh conditions. If we could not locate a seasoned laundry professional, we needed to locate a sea star—a leader who was methodical, curious, calm, and mechanically oriented. Someone who had demonstrated fortitude and could withstand and change harsh, challenging conditions.

A Conversation, a Change: Challenge or Curse?

Over the years of working with Mike, I believe he looked at his big change as both. I am sure he often wondered what I had gotten him into, as well as, “Why did I agree to this?”

My mission was to spot talent and help people stretch beyond their frames. I eventually developed the Masters Program at this hotel to help people stretch outside their traditional comfort zones. But before the Masters Program, there was Mike, who helped me prove it would work.

One afternoon, when Mike was on duty running the three‑meal and sports bar venues, we sat down to get to know each other. We discussed his interests in aerospace, mechanical systems, leadership style, and where he wanted to go in his career. I sensed his current position was not challenging his passions. The more we talked, the more the idea of popping him out of the restaurant tide pool and into the Laundry tide pool made sense to me.

Trust, Faith, and Support

It took some convincing, on a number of levels, and the move was made. In the meantime, we also hired an experienced, methodical Director of Housekeeping who would support Mike in his new role as a department head in Laundry. I trusted and had faith in Mike; that this would be a promising pursuit for Mike and the hotel.

I also recognized that Mike had put his trust and faith in me—to not abandon him on the lowest subterranean level of the hotel, to suffer, become frustrated, and derail his career. This was not a punishment (although I am sure he had moments of doubt and frustration), but a chance to increase his skill set and run his own department.

That meant providing training and support to Mike—both financial (equipment, staffing, linen pars) and mentorship (from the Director of Housekeeping, Director of Six Sigma, and hotel manager).

I visited the Laundry as part of my regular rounds to speak with the associates and observe how the operation was functioning. I understood the pain points and worked with Mike, and the Directors of Housekeeping and Engineering, to address concerns. The General Manager and I advocated for equipment replacements and training, using corporate resources and ownership relationships.

The Hotel Commits to the Laundry Tide Pool

The whole hotel bought into the success of the Laundry.

On one occasion, in 2016, the sheet folder went down on a heavy turn day. The Sales and Conference Services departments came to the rescue and worked side‑by‑side with the Laundry team to fold the clean sheets.

On another occasion in 2017, the hotel was hosting one of the largest outdoor and indoor functions in our history. Leadership from all over the hotel worked at the event to ensure its success. The group was checking out the next day. That afternoon, the ironer went down. By 8:00 p.m. it was repaired—but the Laundry crew was far behind on production of pressed and folded sheets. By 9:00 p.m. we had gathered leaders (including the General Manager and hotel manager) and reported to the Laundry. We worked with the crew and Mike until 11:00 p.m. to ensure housekeeping carts would be stocked in the morning.

Bottom Line: Mike Did a Helluva Job

During his first year (2016), Mike stood tall against capital and operating budget constraints, equipment challenges, and low linen pars:

• Tunnel washer down 254 hours between March and November

• 50% of the dryers down from January to May

• Small‑capacity washer out of order all of 2016

• Sheet ironer down for 148 hours

• Linen pars started at 1.4 and increased to 1.84 by the end of 2016 (they should be 3 par)

In support of the Laundry team, we installed eight new dryers and two small‑capacity washers. When Mike arrived, there was abandoned laundry equipment, many carts of stained linen, old supplies, and other clutter in the Laundry areas. Mike worked to scrap old equipment, reclaim stained linen, organize storerooms, and set-up a new tailoring station with sewing machines and mirrors.

That year, employee engagement increased by 10 points and was 5 points above the region.

Mike’s efforts continued to progress in 2017 with accurate inventories, correcting chemical balances, removing and replacing damaged duvets, and discarding a complete par of rooms linen that was gray and threadbare. We purchased new pillows. There was a 75% reduction in guest comments related to stained linen. 2017 ended with a 3.1 linen par of bed sheets, pillowcases, and terry.

The Cost of Doing Business

By the end of 2017, the Linen Cost Per Occupied Room (CPOR) was $1.20. In 2012, the CPOR was $0.30. This reflects a mindset of cutting expenses to increase profit.

It does not take talent to cut yourself into a profit. It does become very difficult for the hotel staff to produce brand‑dictated guest experience or employee satisfaction metrics under a cut mentality.

Even in 2017, the linen budget (set in October of 2016) reflected a 6% increase over 2015 expenditures. The actual linen expense was 128% of the budget for 2017. Sooner or later, cuts catch up. Fortunately, our revenues supported the “catch‑up” expenditure and made entering 2018 more inhabitable for the hotel’s ecosystem of guests and associates.

Mike continued in the Laundry management position for five years and presided over the rebirth of the Laundry tide pool. My faith was well placed, and I hope that his was too.

Why This Matters

Leadership isn’t only about placing the perfect expert into the perfect role. Often, it’s about seeing potential and then backing that potential with real support. Hidden tide pools—like the Laundry—reveal how serious we are about both our guests and our people.

When we invest in someone’s growth (and the operation), we’re also investing in the health of the whole ecosystem: the guests who sleep on clean, comfortable linens; the housekeepers who can do their work without constant crisis; the leaders who learn to collaborate across departments. Growing a professional from within sends a powerful signal: we believe in you enough to trust you with the tide pool.

Invitation to Reflect & Share

If you’ve ever been “popped” into a new tide pool—or helped someone grow into a role they never imagined—I’d love to hear your story.

Visit the Join Our Community page on NancyPeel.com and add your own “yarn” about the tide pools in your world. Share a moment when someone took a chance on you, or when you took a chance on someone else and watched them grow into a new kind of leader.