CHICAGO — A majority of dry cleaners report they have given raises in the last six months, according to data from this month’s unscientific American Drycleaner Wire survey.
When asked if they’ve reviewed employee compensation in the last six months, 64.7% of respondents replied yes, saying they “raised pay on an individual basis,” while 23.5% “raised pay across the board.” Only 11.8% replied no, saying that they “did not raise pay.”
Coinciding with this trend, more than half of cleaners (52.9%) report that they pay their employees more than other plants in their market area. Roughly 41% of respondents have kept their pay rates about the same as other area plants. Just 5.9% report paying their staffers less than other plants in their area.
Just 17.6% of respondents report having had to lay off employees in the last 12 months for financial reasons.
In addition to ensuring employees receive fair compensation, many dry cleaners offer additional benefits to attract and retain reliable employees. Three-quarters of respondents provide paid vacation and sick days. Other popular benefits offered by this group of dry cleaners include healthcare insurance (43.8%), incentives and bonuses (37.5%), and retirement fund or profit sharing (25%).
While most cleaners polled offer traditional benefits, 18.8% report supplying other, less conventional perks. One respondent says he/she offers “prepaid legal and identity theft protection” as an added incentive.
While American Drycleaner’s Wire survey presents a snapshot of the audience’s viewpoints at a particular moment, it should not be considered scientific. Subscribers to Wire e-mails—distributed twice weekly—are invited to participate in an industry survey each month. The survey is conducted online via a partner website, and is developed so it can be completed in less than 10 minutes.
The entire American Drycleaner audience is encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define owner/operator opinions and industry trends.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].