Despite staffing shortages throughout the area, the Plain City Aquatic Center has thrived throughout the 2022 season.
Plain City Parks and Recreation Director Linda Granger said the pool has even more employees than in a typical year, as memberships are up.
“The funny thing about it is, I don’t think there’s any magic formula,” she said.
She said the success of the Aquatic Center is likely a “combination of a lot of factors.”
Plain City hires pool employees beginning at 15 years of age, Granger said.
The parks director said jobs at the pool draw young employees for a number of reasons.
“It’s a great first job… It’s a great resume builder,” Granger said, adding that assistant managers are hired from within, though they must be 18.
She said young employees were not overlooked in efforts by the village to offer more competitive pay rates.
Plain City has engaged in a number of compensation studies over the past several years, which have included the Aquatic Center staff.
“We were the lowest pay, probably in central Ohio” when she became the village’s parks director, Granger said.
Now, the starting pay for a lifeguard is $10.58 per hour while the hourly rate for front desk clerks and concession stand employees begins at $9.50.
Granger emphasized that employees who are evaluated positively will receive a pay increase of between 5% and 7% if they return to the Aquatic Center the next summer.
She said this affords pool employees a feeling of stability because they know they can return to the same job each year.
Still, Granger said nearly half – 20 of 42 – of the Aquatic Center’s 2022 employees are new. Among lifeguards, 16 of 29 are first-time employees at the pool.
Granger said she feels this is likely due to the village’s strongest recruitment strategy – word of mouth.
“We don’t really recruit,” Granger said, noting that Plain City administrators only post the Aquatic Center job listings on Facebook and the village website.
She said many employees say they enjoy working at the pool and encourage their friends to apply once they turn 15.
Aside from working toward making the Aquatic Center a desirable workplace for its largely teenage workforce, Granger said the village does its best to appeal to their parents.
Working at the village Aquatic Center – what Granger called essentially a large, local employer – is a perk for parents whose teens rely on them for a ride to work.
“To stay local is almost like a pay increase,” given the current price of gas, Granger said.
Beyond that, she said parents may have more flexibility if their teenagers work within walking distance of their homes.
Granger said she is also mindful that fees for the certification to become a lifeguard are often paid by the employee’s parents. For that reason, the village will reimburse 50% of the certification cost, which can range between $250 and $350.
The certification is required every two years but Plain City pool managers can recertify lifeguards and the village absorbs the cost, the parks director explained.
While there “can be challenges” that arise from constantly training new, young staff members, Granger said it is ultimately beneficial for the employees and the village.
“The great thing about having a very young staff – you have them in the pipeline longer,” Granger said.
She added that she is “really pleased” with the current workforce and she often receives compliments from residents about the Aquatic Center.
The number of lifeguards employed this year, 29, is higher than the normal range of 17 to 22 – a reflection of the fact that both daily and seasonal memberships are up “a healthy percentage,” Granger said.
Along with smooth operations surrounding employment, she credited rising admissions to booming growth in the village and Jerome Township.
She said it is one of many reasons the Aquatic Center is having a successful season.
“I feel for other organizations that are struggling with hiring,” Granger said. “We’re just really lucky and blessed.”