North Texas

Workers In Demand As Unemployment Rate Remains Low

Even as Amazon is looking for hire 2,500 people for a new fulfillment center in Coppell, other North Texas companies are going the extra mile to keep the workers they have, and find new ones.

“I have to sell myself, and I have to sell my business to them as much as they’re selling to me," said Dan Weinberger, owner of Weinberger’s Sandwich Shop in Denton, which opened in December.

“I know I get more production out of a happy worker, and a happy worker is someone who feels that they are being compensated for the work that they’re doing," Weinberger said.

Weinberger, who also owns another restaurant in Grapevine, hired three new workers for the Denton location.

“The food industry is a tough one. People work 50, 60, 80 hours a week, you know, and I try to keep them around that 40 hour mark and pay them a good wage on top of that," he said.

“I’m making three times as much money right now, so I’m happy about it," said Jacob Mahurin, who left a job at another restaurant to work at Weinberger’s.

“Once you become such a valuable worker that a reputation starts developing, you don’t even need like your resume to be given to them. That’s when it’s really incredible," says Mahurin.

Unemployment in the DFW remains well below the national average, at just 3.2-percent in November, the last month for which figures are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Right now, everybody and their mother is looking for someone to do something, mow a lawn, cook in the kitchen, selling something at 7-Eleven," said Kyle Sanders, who took a job at Weinberger’s.

“You have to be competitive with your pricing. You have to be aware of the hours that they work, their ability to get to work," said Weinberger.

“You want them to be in an environment where it’s a pleasure for them to come to work on a daily basis," Weinberger said. "You don’t want them getting up every day and say ‘oh, God I’ve got to go to work.'" No, I want them to come in and actually understand that they’re learning something that’s going to propel them into the future."

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