Generations of Success Unitex Laundry Operations Draw on a Tradition of Multigenerational Leadership
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THREADSInnovation for healthcare textiles & EVS 2020: ISSUE 11 Generations of success Unitex laundry operations draw on a tradition of multigenerational leadership Designing with The next generation Reduce risk in the behavioral health of hand hygiene operating room + in mind compliance environment Submit your nomination, today. Each month the Works of Heart program honors a nominated healthcare worker who goes above and beyond the call—no matter the disease state, day or care setting. One overall winner will serve as an inspiration for a Medline doll in 2021. Get the latest updates and follow the conversation on social at #WorksOfHeart. Medline Industries, Inc. | Three Lakes Drive, Northfield, IL 60093 | 1-800-MEDLINE (633-5463) © 2020 Medline Industries, Inc. Medline is a registered trademarks of Medline Industries, Inc. MKT19W707755 / 23 welcome Business done family style Family is important to us at Medline. The stories we share in Threads magazine As a family-owned business, we have a help us grow as a company, and we hope deep respect and appreciation for both they help you too. In this issue, you’ll find the benefits and challenges of working stories about translating today’s industry with family. Whether born out of a challenges into positive advancements in passion for the industry, or as a means technology, engaging and educating to earn a living, a successful family multigenerational teams to ensure business requires the ability and consistency, and what running a successful willingness to listen and learn — across family business means to others the generations. throughout the industry. Hannah Zielinski While those who built our business have We’d love for the next issue of Threads to a wealth of knowledge and experience, feature your stories. As part of our new our new family members might have a media kit, we are asking our laundry, bold vision for what comes next. And healthcare and EVS partners to pass along when we blend the wisdom of the past their knowledge and experiences to inspire with the energy of the future, we have the next generation. Talk with your Medline an exciting recipe for creating the best representative for details — we can’t wait now possible. to hear what you have to share. But today it’s not always our blood that connects us. It’s our common interests and experiences and the challenges we Submit your nomination, today. all face. The threads connecting our industries run deep, making us another Each month the Works of Heart program honors a kind of family. We support and rely on Hannah Zielinski nominated healthcare worker who goes above and each other. We also learn from each Marketing Manager beyond the call—no matter the disease state, day or other. Not just from our similar stories, Acute Care Sales, Textiles but from our unique lessons as well. Medline Industries, Inc. care setting. One overall winner will serve as an Sharing experiences that seem inspiration for a Medline doll in 2021. unrelated to our medical, laundry and EVS businesses can often give us a fresh Get the latest updates and follow the conversation on perspective on a problem or a plan — social at #WorksOfHeart. leading to innovative solutions and making us better than ever, together. Medline Industries, Inc. | Three Lakes Drive, Northfield, IL 60093 | 1-800-MEDLINE (633-5463) © 2020 Medline Industries, Inc. Medline is a registered trademarks of Medline Industries, Inc. MKT19W707755 / 23 Issue 11 3 6 8 15 10 20 Medline Industries, Inc. Three Lakes Drive Northfield, IL 60093 1-800-MEDLINE (1-800-633-5463) www.medline.com Published by Convero 835 Sharon Drive, Suite 200 Westlake, OH 44145 (844) 428-8844 www.converoinc.com 22 Medline Editor: Hannah Zielinski [email protected] Project Manager: Amy Ward Art Director: Wendy Armon Cover photography provided by Unitex ©2020 Medline Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. Medline is a registered trademark of Medline Industries, Inc. CONTENTS spotlight Lessons Learned Leading a multigenerational team effectively. 6 Leveraging personal experience to navigate uncharted waters . .10 News You Can Use 24 Learning that sticks . .8 features 12 Efficiency Cleaning up the OR . 12 Patient Experience Designing with behavioral health in mind. 15 True colors for uniform programs . .18 18 Linen Utilization Driving laundry efficiency in a tight labor market. 20 How simple textiles are made. 22 Cover Story Generations of success: Unitex laundry operations draw on a tradition of multigenerational leadership . .24 Infection Prevention The next generation of hand 28 hygiene compliance . .28 30 Feature On-the-job laundry learning; Help us recognize your EVS team. 30 Issue 11 5 SPOTLIGHT LESSONS LEARNED LEADING A MULTIGENERATIONAL TEAM EFFECTIVELY Jack Bowser Group President Primary Care, Textiles, EVS, Nutrition and Pharma Divisions Medline Industries, Inc. 6 THREADS 2020 Jack Bowser began his UNDERSTAND YOUR TEAM. IDENTIFY MENTORSHIP career with Medline in “For me, the biggest thing is getting OPPORTUNITIES. close enough to people so I know what “The Medline culture warrants a lot 1989. Over the course motivates them and [can] work closely of exposure to people at all levels of three decades, he with them to accomplish their goals. of the company…[This] gives me an has led multiple teams It isn’t just about hitting the numbers. opportunity to talk to those people It is also about getting the most out and find out what their pain points are, comprising people who of people and making sure work life what is motivating them, what their have been with Medline contributes to good life experiences.” challenges are. If you don’t have that for years, as well as direct contact, you lose something. It is harder to succeed, and you end people who are new MANAGE DIFFERENT PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY. up with a lot more turnover. My to both the company “I found managing [people] who goal is to continue to stay as close and the workforce. As a grew up at our company, who have to people at all levels as I can.” been here forever, is different than leader, he has learned managing someone who we hired STAY CONNECTED. how to engage with his out of school or brought in from “No matter what level you’re at in your team members, both another company. What are the career, there isn’t any substitution culture, the DNA and the mentality for time in the field. I can’t overstate new and seasoned, to we are looking for? Some people are that enough…I spend enough time help drive growth. motivated by the opportunity to make in the field to find out what are money, while other people want to be the trends in the market, what are congratulated all the time on all the the competitors up to, what keeps positive things. Other people want customers up at night. If you are a clear career path and a mentor to out in the field seeing what is really get them there fast. I want to make happening, and you ask enough open- sure that I’m helping them to achieve ended questions, you will get all the their goals so they’re motivated to information you need to be successful.” bring their best to the job every day.” FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES. “When an organization grows, that in turn creates new opportunities for some of the younger people. If you look down the road four or five years, there are an awful lot of us who started at our organizations 20, 25, 30 years “ No matter what level ago, who are going to be retiring. As you’re at in your career, our organizations grow, we will need there isn’t any substitution people of all ages, at all levels, to step up as leaders more than ever.” for time in the field.” Issue 11 7 NEWS YOU CAN USE Learning that sticks Try these tips for educating a multigenerational team in any industry It’s no secret that workplaces are seeing more age-diverse teams than ever before. In 2020, millennials make up 50 percent of the workforce, and Gen Z-ers are quickly joining in as many start their careers post- graduation.1 But that doesn’t mean tenured generations aren’t sticking around. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, older Americans are expected to be the fastest-growing part of the workforce during the next five years.2 It’s safe to say we can expect to see people of all ages make up our teams for some time to come – and many agree that it’s a good thing. In fact, 85 percent of those in leadership positions think diversity is important when it comes to innovation within their employee base.1 While tenured working together that all learn very employees contribute hard-earned differently. For example, younger trade knowledge and their take on nurses entering the job market for the “ To successfully current industry trends, younger first time prefer learning that is quick generations are excited to explore to complete, while veteran nurses engage your new ways of getting things done. rely on structured learning and find audience, content Many workplaces are even celebrating importance in sharing out the ways needs to be brief multigenerational relationship-building they’ve done things in the past.” by providing increased opportunities This observation raises the and targeted.” for mentoring and reverse-mentoring. question, how do you make content With education, however, a exciting for both new and tenured Marianne Carlson, vice president of sales training for Medline Industries, Inc. multigenerational workforce – among employees? “To successfully engage other societal factors – is challenging your audience, content needs to be the tried-and-true ways we teach brief and targeted,” says Marianne our teams.