Business Spotlight – Parkdale Mills

We’re excited to shine the spotlight on Parkdale Mills! Founded in 1916, Parkdale Mills is the world’s leading manufacturer of spun yarns. They process 60% of the United States’ annual cotton yield and produce more than 8,000 tons of product per week across 29 manufacturing plants in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Parkdale Mills’ company culture is centered on the belief that “ordinary people can achieve extraordinary results working as a unified team.” They are dedicated to fostering a work environment that is positive, innovative, and collaborative.

We recently chatted with Karen Menting, VP of HR, to learn more about Parkdale Mills and their company culture.

Question: What makes your company culture unique? What makes Parkdale Mills a great place to work?

KM: We’re a stable company with a 100+ year history, our wages are competitive, and we’re always improving and diversifying our products and services.

Our team members’ schedules are uniquely structured with rotating 12-hour days, but they are permanent and predictable. When you add it up, our employees work 6 months out of the year and really enjoy having such substantial free time.

Our benefits include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance as well as tuition assistance for salaried and hourly employees. All are eligible for one week of PTO after 6 months of employment and a second week of PTO after 12 months of employment. Unused vacation days are paid out at the end of the year.

Question: What does Parkdale Mills do to help their employees thrive?

KM: Every new hire has a mentor, we hold our training programs in a classroom setting, and we have a trainer assigned to every shift. Soon we’ll be implementing an online learning management system (LMS) so employees can participate in training programs remotely if they wish. Additionally, managers hold weekly meetings with their teams to get feedback and discuss process improvement opportunities.

On the wellness side of things, we have healthy options in our vending machines and an onsite nurse practitioner that employees can see on a weekly basis at no charge.

Question: What are the responsibilities of the VP of HR at Parkdale Mills?

KM: I am in charge of HR Managers at each facility and also oversee our benefits department. We’re in the process of hiring a talent management and training specialist to support our HR efforts.

Question: What are your biggest hiring challenges at the moment, and how do you hope iHire will help you with those challenges?

KM: Filling overnight shifts is one of our obstacles, as well as some of the physical demands of our open positions. We’re excited to tap into iHire’s resources and network of industry-focused candidates to find great people for our team.

Question: What advice would you give to other hiring managers looking to find the right candidates?

KM: Make sure you are really advertising your company culture and telling a good story – a positive one – because the only information the candidate has to go on is the information in the job posting. Really toot your horn to make sure potential applicants know what makes your company a great place to work.

Job seekers: looking for a rewarding career? Check out Parkdale Mills’ open positions and apply today!

Interested in seeing your business under the spotlight? Contact an account manager at (877) 798-4854 to discuss getting your jobs in front of an audience of highly qualified, engaged talent that you can’t reach anywhere else.