Waste Pro’s Shannon Early Discusses the Art of Recruiting and Retaining TalentWaste Pro’s Shannon Early Discusses the Art of Recruiting and Retaining Talent

Finding and holding onto good employees is an art, especially in the world of waste – who that doesn’t know this space thinks about building a career in it?

Shannon Early, Waste Pro’s vice president of Human Resources, discusses recruitment and retention strategies. The 5,080-plus-employee enterprise has managed to reduce voluntary turnover by 21 percent and increase retention by 6 percent since 2021.

Read on for Early’s insight on recruiting untapped talent; the story of an interesting partnership with the Florida Department of Corrections; and to learn how Waste Pro’s Department of Transportation-certified Driver Training Center is drawing the kind of people the company looks for.

Waste360: What does Waste Pro look for in job candidates?

Early: We strive to be both a local service provider and an engaged member of the community. When interviewing we look for candidates who align with this mindset and seek not only a job but a career that they take pride in.

With our decentralized management style, each region and division operates according to their communities’ needs; we take that same personalized approach with our employees. They are not just a number, but someone we can collaborate with to achieve their career goals.

We aim to build community both within the company and on the streets. Our ideal candidate understands that while our commitment to the community may start at the curb on collection days, we go beyond, becoming part of the fabric of day-to-day life whether through school events, Touch-A-Truck events, feeding residents after a hurricane, or just lending a hand when the need arises.

Waste360: How do you attract good candidates, and where do you find them, or do you just wait for them to find you? 

Early: Recognizing that women presented an untapped talent pool for operational positions, Waste Pro made a concerted effort to ensure our marketing materials were more inclusive and display the varied opportunities within the industry. Today, 15 percent of our drivers are women. 

We continue to encourage applicants, particularly women, by putting boots on the ground, reaching out to potential recruits through grassroots efforts such as job fairs and partnerships with local technical schools, churches, career centers, and veteran organizations. Recruiting locally and in-person allows us to connect with candidates who may have never considered a career in the waste industry and assuage any concerns about lacking the experience or necessary certifications.

Waste Pro has always hired individuals who may have a criminal record and have been overlooked by other employers. We look at individuals as a whole because they can bring valuable skills. If a candidate exhibits a service mindset and desire for a career, Waste Pro offers the training to put that desire into action.

As an example: We have partnered with the Florida Department of Corrections to help reduce recidivism as statistics show that having a job and stability can reduce reentry. The program began hiring recently released individuals but has since expanded to include those on probation or still incarcerated. We have had much success with the program.

Waste360: Tell us about some of your community partnerships to help build your workforce.

Early: We have partnerships with several technical schools including Universal Technical Institute (UTI) and Lincoln Tech to reach talented applicants who may feel they lack experience. We want to encourage them to apply.

Our partnerships allow us to post open technician positions on job boards and reach a wider audience, and the schools may also send students or graduates to us. We have plans to expand our partnerships to other locations at UTI and Lincoln Tech as well as with WyoTech.

Waste360: Describe some of your training programs. How do they help counter recruitment challenges?

Early: We counter recruitment challenges and retention issues by focusing on building careers through internal training. Three such programs are our Co-Heart program, our Technician certifications, and our Technician Apprenticeship program.

With Co-Heart, participants train to become drivers at our Department of Transportation (DOT) certified Driver Training Center (DTC) in Sanford, Florida. Any interested employee in good standing can participate. At the end of the weeklong training, participants test for their commercial driver’s license (CDL). As many of our participants begin as helpers, they return to their divisions with hands-on knowledge about local service needs, increasing efficiency for our municipalities.

Graduates are eligible to receive their CDL free if they commit to a year of service with us and demonstrate safe driving and good service. This is substantial cost savings for our employees who wish to build their careers with the company. To date, our Co-Heart program has trained and certified over 500 drivers.

Sometimes we combine incentives with training. Within our Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certification program, technicians working towards or who have completed their Medium-Heavy Truck ASE Certification or who attain their ASE Master Certification are eligible for pay increases, bonuses, and reimbursement for ASE Certification and or re-certification.

Through our Technician Apprenticeship program, we partner with technical institutes to provide students the opportunity to earn while they learn. Students gain valuable hands-on experience in what they are learning in the classroom at Waste Pro.  Our maintenance shops are a perfect place for students training to be technicians to learn, as we work on all components of the truck from preventative maintenance to major repairs.

Apprentice technicians are provided with a toolbox and tools. After their first year, they receive additional tools, and if they convert to a full-time technician, the toolbox is theirs to keep. We have had several students take advantage of this opportunity who have been promoted to full-time technicians.

Waste360: Do you have other career advancement opportunities or incentives?

Early: We offer career advancement and incentives in a number of areas. Beyond our formalized programs for drivers and technicians, we work with employees to explore different roles and paths both within the company and for their careers in general. Many of our division managers will discuss with employees new positions they may have an interest in and avenues to achieve that next step. We want employees to explore their interests and find the right fit.
Waste360: What about monetary incentives?

Early: We also reward our employees’ hard work with incentives such as a $10k Driver Safety Award and a $5k Helper Safety Award. Since 2004, we have awarded $8.6 million to 900 employees with 30 of them being repeat winners.

For our technicians, we offer a monthly tool allowance of up to $100 depending on years of service. These awards require employees to maintain a high level of safety awareness and to put their training into practice.

Beyond monetary incentives, we make sure they have time for their families.  As a family-owned and operated business, we understand the importance of work/life balance.

For drivers, we use right-sized routing to keep hours reasonable while also maintaining efficiency for our customers. Recently in Louisianna, we implemented a four-day work week and are exploring utilizing the model in other areas of our footprint.  

I would sum up by saying Waste Pro’s focus on career advancement, a healthy work/life balance, and rewards for exemplary work has led to happier employees and a higher retention rate.