 A New Training Tool Can Help
A picture is worth a thousand words. Excited and Cautious, Ready and Scary sums up the attitude of guests who may soon be walking through our doors for the first time in a year. Increasing numbers of home-bound travelers are tentatively scheduling vacations while many take-out diners seek to enjoy a meal somewhere inside other than home. Still, top of mind for most people who have stayed home since the pandemic’s first lock-down is safety. Tripadvisor's research on travelers’ booking criteria in 2020: 92% said “Cleanliness is the most important factor in selecting accommodations.” According to an OpenTable survey, a high percentage of consumers indicate that they make their dining choices based on the comfort level they have with a restaurant’s safety protocols. YOU may be confident about the procedures you have put into place, but how can you help make your potential customer feel comfortable enough to venture out for the first time? Research shows that how you communicate pre-arrival is exceptionally important to ease concern. Best Practice: Just as you have probably expressed on your own website, both Tripadvisor and Yelp have added space for businesses to describe their Covid safety practices. Balanced messaging is important, however. Having an enjoyable experience is, as it always has been, the motivation for travel and for dining out. While using the word ‘contactless’ can convey a good safety practice, might it also sound sterile to someone who is yearning to break out of forced isolation? Describing what guests can expect in terms of safety and enjoyment is consistent with hospitality that distinguishes a property. Read remarks from a few properties that are highly ranked, and you will notice comments such as, “though the confirmation said that amenities could be limited, we appreciated they told us that the pool was available by reservation so social distance could be maintained and we could still use and enjoy it....” Or, perhaps, “because of Covid, while it wasn’t the same busy and high energy atmosphere we had previously enjoyed, our server went out of his way to be extra-friendly and the food was as delicious as always so we will continue to return." Emphasizing that you seek to provide both a safe and enjoyable atmosphere is the balance that many customers seek not only to make, but to keep, their reservation. Ensuring that guests experience both will boost confidence and return intent. What If? Have we ever been as aware of the CDC or FDA as we all are these days? With this kind of emphasis, you can anticipate that many guests will be very observant about how closely your team follows recommended safety practices and even compare yours to other locations they have visited. Being a germaphobe is not as nerdy as it used to be. A friend shared with me that, after observing how hastily a bus person wiped down the table when a diner left, she decided not to stay because it did not seem very thorough for Covid cleanliness concerns. Another friend told me that they chose a hotel based on the property’s Covid Safety Health Pledge. After noticing some cobwebs in their room, however, they felt nervous about how closely that pledge was followed, and they regretted their travel plans. She has not traveled since. I wondered if their reactions might have been different if they had conveyed their concerns to a service person who was able to respond and re-instill confidence? I realized that the situation was similar to any complaint about a misstep and that confidence may have been recoverable if handled correctly. At least there would have been a chance, anyway. The walk away is probably a forever lost opportunity and the potential word of mouth even worse. Best Practice: While cleaning used to be something we did in the background away from guest sight, we now realize that allowing customers to see it in action can be a confidence builder. Seeing is believing. What plans do you have in place with your team members to address guest observations that may be similar to the concerns voiced by my friends? No matter how much we plan and practice, there are bound to be at least a few protocol missteps and/or encounters with highly sensitive guests. Are your associates as confident with words and actions they should take to address a guest’s safety concerns as they would be with typical pre-Covid complaints? Anticipating challenges and preparing credible responses can help repair a guest’s confidence and ensure that your safety goals are met. New Resource: The Oregon Hospitality Foundation, ORLA’s nonprofit 501c3, has just released a new and on-demand video-based training tool, Providing Service While Supporting Safety. The course addresses opportunities like those mentioned above. Four challenging scenarios are portrayed, communication, credibility, compliance, and creating a positive experience. Participants first watch an example of an ineffective service response which results in a negative guest experience. This is followed with narrative coaching and a more effective service approach is portrayed ending with discussion questions. Both restaurant and hotel versions are available, each with helpful worksheets, and both are offered with a Spanish subtitle option. Since time is a premium, scenarios can be viewed individually in less than 15 minutes. Course access is via sliding scale donation, group codes and tracking are also available. See more at OregonGuestServiceSafety.org. What’s next? A recent Destination Analysts report provides rational optimism about our industry’s recovery, with all momentum tied to the lessening of safety concerns. In the February 22, 2021 report, they note “Each week more Americans have been vaccinated as well as know others who have, more trips in the short term appear… As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to decline after their January peak, Americans’ optimism about the month ahead soared an additional five percentage points in the last week, reaching another record high. Now 44.2 percent feel the pandemic situation in the United States will improve over the next four weeks...” While we all realize that turnaround will take time, earning and retaining consumer confidence in our industry’s safety practices, as well as creating positive experiences, will be essential to continuing momentum. | WENDY POPKIN, OREGON HOSPITALITY FOUNDATION About Wendy Popkin is the Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3 dedicated to providing educational, training, and philanthropic support to Oregon’s restaurant, lodging, and tourism industry. Wendy is a 35-year career veteran who describes herself as “fanatically enthusiastic about helping others enjoy the same type of fabulous career opportunities I have enjoyed in the hospitality industry.” OregonHospitalityFoundation.org
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 Why, Where to Begin, and Current Resources
"The really important thing is that we be vulnerable with ourselves and with our teams in asking why Oregon doesn’t look like the rest of the country. We need to understand how we are influenced and make decisions based on biases that we have been conditioned with our entire lives. Recognizing the environment in which we live and operate can at times be a hard pill to swallow. But unless we are willing to challenge our status quo, we will be unable to evolve… and if we aren’t evolving, we are dying off….” Ken Henson, Director of Restaurant Operations, Pelican Brewing Company & Kiwanda Ken’s comment is so powerful to me. Being vulnerable and realizing that many of us lack the perspective and experience necessary to plan, create, and implement programs that encourage representation and participation of diverse groups in our organizations may feel daunting. And, though many of us have the desire, creating welcoming environments that are inclusive also of all guests’ needs is similarly challenging when we recognize that unconscious bias is a reality. What resources are available to help understand these challenges? I asked a few industry colleagues, who have been invested in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work for quite some time, for recommendations and I’m including several of their favorites below. I will be posting more soon on the Foundation’s webpages. ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED FOR STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND INVESTMENT Oregon history: why do we find ourselves where we are? Dawnielle Tehama, executive director of the Willamette Valley Visitor’s Association recommends this article to help everyone understand the history behind and the extent of bias which continues to present challenges in our state: https://bit.ly/RHofPDX. “Oregon is often touted as the most liberal State in the union, but the state continues to crawl from its deeply racist history…. In 1844, the provisional government of the territory passed a law banning slavery…. Any black person remaining would be flogged publicly every six months until he left. Five years later, another law was passed that forbade free African Americans from entering into Oregon.” Even as recently as 2016, “Portland is the whitest big city in America, with a population that is 72.2 percent white and only 6.3 percent African American… Because Oregon, and specifically Portland, its biggest city, are not very diverse, many white people may not even begin to think about, let alone understand, the inequalities.” Understanding unconscious bias – This exercise, a free online tool from Harvard’s Project Implicit®, can help team members understand the term and how, despite best intention, most of us do have unconscious bias which affects the way we perceive, approach, and respond to those who are different than us. The surprising results of these tests often convince participants about their own need for training assistance and may help create buy in: Implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest. SUCCESSFUL MODELS Company culture first – As the Director of People & Culture for Kimpton’s Portland properties, Alex Thompson is intrigued with successful DEI hiring, mentoring, and company culture models. He notes “While Slack is about as far away from hospitality as you can get and this article is a few years old, the principles are exactly the same. Key points include, ‘…the absence of a single diversity leader seems to signal that diversity and inclusion aren’t standalone missions, to be shunted off to a designated specialist, but are rather intertwined with the company's overall strategy.’” https://bit.ly/TAslackdiversity Alex says he also appreciates this article, https://wapo.st/3g4nb95, which notes, “DEI-forced training appears to have the opposite of the intended effect, companies need to find more organic ways to communicate values and expectations and influence outcomes.” Intention and result – Ken Henson shared the following with me, “Doing the right thing and wanting equality and inclusion for all isn’t enough. There are studies, such as this article in the Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/2001/04/race-matters), which document how and why even the best-intentioned recruiting policies often fail from lack of insight and proper support.” RESOURCES The Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), whose mission is to “bring the economic benefits of diversity and inclusion to the food and hospitality industry by building bridges and delivering solutions,” offers a myriad of resources. These include free webinars ranging from ‘Moving Beyond Unconscious Bias with Cultural Intelligence’ to ‘Insights for Building Effective Multicultural Teams during COVID-19.’ Find out more including podcasts, Town Hall meetings, and speakers for hire at mfha.net/category/news/webinars. The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute collaborated with MFHA to create a five-part interactive training suite for employees that focuses on unconscious bias with topics that include Understanding Bias, The Impact of Bias at Work, and Dealing with Bias: Ours and Others.’ A Manager’s Training Edition is also available, visit ahlei.org/program/unconscious-bias. Recommended Reading - On Dawnielle Tehama’s extensive list of recommended reading resources she includes this article https://bit.ly/3qmH9AG, written in 2017 and updated July 2020. Topic groups include Talking About Racism, Anti-Racist Facilitation, and The Role of White People in Anti-Racist Work. The Oregon Hospitality Foundation is exploring opportunities to collaborate with statewide hospitality partners, as well as our counterparts in other states, with the intent to create an unconscious bias video training toolkit for Oregon’s frontline hospitality service staff. We will provide updates as we make progress with identifying funding for this project. “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” - Leo Tolstoy In the meantime, I would love to hear of your own favorite resources on these topics, so please feel free to drop me a line! | Wendy Popkin, Oregon Hospitality Foundation About Wendy Popkin is the Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3 dedicated to providing educational, training, and philanthropic support to Oregon’s restaurant, lodging, and tourism industry. Wendy is a 35-year career veteran who describes herself as “fanatically enthusiastic about helping others enjoy the same type of fabulous career opportunities I have enjoyed in the hospitality industry.” OregonHospitalityFoundation.org  A Family of Hardworking Winners
“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life." – Amy Poehler, actress Many of us who have been around for a while refer to those in our industry as our “Hospitality Family.” The more someone works around those who are committed to service, the more connected and inspired they themselves often become. With the onset of the pandemic, never has the innovative spirit, business savvy, and caring soul of our ‘family’ been so challenged. Our team at the Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) and the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association see the daily struggles of our hospitality business partners and have been inspired by the innovative solutions launched in response. Encouraged by these efforts to address their business’ and community’s needs, we too have initiated proactive efforts in support. FOUNDATION INITIATIVES In my last article, I mentioned that the foundation’s Board of Directors took steps to strengthen our organization, including: renaming ourselves the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, expanding our mission to support philanthropic projects, launching new fundraising programs, and creating new training support appropriate to current needs. What’s happened since? New Training We have received requests for training assistance with the unique guest service and communication difficulties currently being experienced because of the pandemic. In response, we are creating an online series of easily digestible micro-sessions that share tips on how associates can provide positive service while still supporting safety protocols. The theme, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ focuses on helping prevent uncomfortable scenarios from escalating and causing unwelcome consequences by anticipating potential scenarios and practicing responses. Topics include;
We are grateful for a grant from Travel Oregon, sponsorship from Dutch Bros Coffee and EPB&B insurance, and our partnership with Togather Restaurant Consulting and VPW Media for their project support. We expect the series to be released in early fall. See release updates at OregonGuestServiceSafety.org. Takeout and A Movie Fundraiser Currently, we have raised and donated money to fourteen restaurants throughout the state who are providing a variety of solutions for helping feed those with food insecurity. Many of these restaurants are working to incorporate ongoing food support as part of their business model. Read more about these folks who are working hard to help change people’s lives by providing them with caring meals in our Champions article on page 16. You can also see a press release summary at bit.ly/OHFhelpawards. Additional awards are still available, see the application at OregonRLA.org/takeoutapp. We also collaborated with Cycle Oregon and Filmed by Bike to present a film festival and Q&A that focused attention on the economic benefits of the hospitality and tourism industry to Oregon’s communities and now our industry’s own critical need for public support. A portion of the event’s proceeds were donated to the Cycle Oregon Fund, a grant program that supports projects including tourism and community projects particularly in rural areas. Education Top of mind for many families are the myriad of struggles encountered in coping with the new demands of virtual education for students, parents, teachers, and our entire education system. We have been actively involved with discovering and creating resources for those who use our workforce training and Career & Technical Education (CTE) curriculum, such as ProStart. One example was our partnership with Rouxbe, an online culinary school for professionals, to provide their academic resources and videos to ProStart schools on a free trial basis and later for reduced fees. We are also seeking sponsorships and grant funding that will enable us to provide online and on-demand videos to support teachers’ virtual curriculum needs. The vision is to feature industry colleagues who will highlight various aspects such as job opportunities, facility tours, career pathways, customer service techniques, new safety protocols in place, and/or offer engaging skill-building demonstrations. Additionally, we are collaborating with Chemeketa Community College, the Oregon Coast Visitor’s Association, and the state’s workforce boards to ensure that quality hospitality training is available and accessible online, particularly for entry-level and supervisory positions. The goal is to help employees ‘hit the ground running,’ in order to reduce onsite training time needed and offer immediate value to employers. RESILIENCE I have yet to find the right words that portray my realistic recognition of the enormity of current challenges, particularly for our industry, nor my optimism that we will eventually recover. However, no one knows how to work harder than our Hospitality Family, so maybe the quote below is appropriate and helps explain my optimism about the outcome of our efforts, together. “As much as talent counts, effort counts twice.” - Angela Duckworth, American academic, psychologist and popular science author HOW YOU CAN HELP Unfortunately, looking toward the upcoming fiscal year, the foundation anticipates a 75 percent drop in revenue due to contract and sponsor funding reductions from affected partners. Your in-kind and financial contributions are greatly appreciated so that we may sustain and continue our good work. You can donate today at bit.ly/OHFDonation. Thank you. | Wendy Popkin, Oregon Hospitality Foundation About Wendy Popkin is the Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3 dedicated to providing educational, training, and philanthropic support to Oregon’s restaurant, lodging, and tourism industry. Wendy is a 35-year career veteran who describes herself as “fanatically enthusiastic about helping others enjoy the same type of fabulous career opportunities I have enjoyed in the hospitality industry.” OregonHospitalityFoundation.org  PORTLAND, Oregon– Updated August 3, 2020 – While the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone, the hospitality industry was the first hit by closures and one that has been especially devastated by its impact. The Oregon Hospitality Foundation(OHF) is proud to announce awards to fourteen restaurants throughout Oregon that responded to the incredible need for food by creating innovative programs to help feed their communities – from essential workers to unemployed restaurant staff and food-insecure neighbors. In addition to the generous support from the Grubhub Community Relief Fund, OHF will donate a percentage of proceeds from its virtual event series, Takeout & A Movie, to support restaurants and tourism partners across the state that are making a difference in our communities.
According to the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, as of April 2020 81% of restaurant employees (approximately 127,000 people in Oregon) had been laid off or furloughed. “Being of service is at the heart of the hospitality industry,” said OHF Executive Director Wendy Popkin. “The Oregon Hospitality Foundation is proud to help raise funds and contribute to family-owned restaurants across the state who are stepping up to feed people in their communities.” OHF Hospitality Help Fund Restaurant Awards The following Oregon restaurants received funds for their ongoing work to feed frontline workers, food-insecure citizens, and unemployed service industry professionals:
About Oregon Hospitality Foundation The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) was established in 1992 and is a nonprofit 501c3 that supports the charitable relief needs and ongoing educational and training requirements of Oregon’s Hospitality industry. OHF’s partners include restaurants, lodging, attractions and other tourism businesses and organizations throughout Oregon. Recently, OHF created the Oregon Hospitality Help Fund as an emergency relief fund to raise money for its hospitality partners whose businesses and employees are struggling during the pandemic. To date more than ten restaurants have received funding to donate an estimated 11,500 meals. Oregon restaurants interested in applying for these funds can complete an online application here. For more information about supporting our work with a donation or sponsorship, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Media Contact: Lisa Hill, lisa@lisahillpr.com, 503.730.8055  Help promote the event by sharing in your social media channels! Event proceeds benefit the Cycle Oregon Fund which provides grants to Oregon’s tourism-dependent rural communities struggling during the pandemic PORTLAND, Oregon – July 8, 2020 – The next Takeout & A Movie event, hosted by the Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF), will feature an interactive livestream YouTube event with bicycle adventure films from Filmed by Bike, an Oregon-produced film festival on Sunday, July 26 from 6-8 p.m. This adventure-packed movie night will take arm-chair travelers and bike enthusiasts to the far-reaching edges of the globe as international filmmakers document cyclists exploring the rugged open road. Event proceeds will benefit the Cycle Oregon Fund, which provides grants to Oregon’s rural tourism-dependent communities that are struggling during the pandemic and the Oregon Hospitality Help Fund, which supports the training and philanthropic relief needs of Oregon’s tourism and hospitality industry. “The pandemic has postponed many larger outdoor events in Oregon, like Cycle Oregon, and we need to do what we can to support the hospitality businesses in rural communities that depend on tourism dollars,” said Steve Schulz, Executive Director of Cycle Oregon. “Our partnership with OHF and Filmed by Bike shows just how strong we can be when we collaborate on a community-based solution.” TAKEOUT & A MOVIE Event Details
The Filmed by Bike team has gathered some of their favorite Oregon cycling routes and encourages you to explore the state by two wheels and support the restaurants, hotels and attractions that have been deeply impacted by the pandemic. “Our first Takeout & A Movie event in May raised enough money for our restaurant grant recipients to fund an additional 11,500 meals to help feed people in need in communities across Oregon,” said Wendy Popkin, Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. “Now, we are focused on raising awareness of the pandemic’s effect on travel and its impact to Oregon’s rural communities by partnering with Cycle Oregon. Enjoy a ride or hike during the day, order takeout from your favorite restaurant, and then tune in to experience exciting adventure films from your own living room.”
About Oregon Hospitality Foundation The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) was established in 1992 and is a nonprofit 501c3 that supports the charitable relief needs and ongoing educational and training requirements of Oregon’s Hospitality industry. OHF’s partners include restaurants, lodging, attractions, and other tourism businesses and organizations throughout Oregon. Recently, OHF created the Oregon Hospitality Help Fund as an emergency relief fund to raise money for its hospitality partners whose businesses and employees are struggling during the pandemic. For more information about supporting our work with a donation or sponsorship, please visit www.oregonhospitalityfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. About Cycle Oregon Cycle Oregon is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming individuals and communities through bicycling. For riders who want an unparalleled Oregon bicycle experience at their own pace, Cycle Oregon hosts a series of fully supported rides that offer a unique perspective of the state, all the while managing every last detail. Proceeds from events go to the Cycle Oregon Fund, which to date has resulted in 325 grant awards totalling over $2.3 MM for Oregon communities. For more information, please visit www.cycleoregon.com. About Filmed by Bike Festival Filmed by Bike was founded in 2003 by Ayleen Crotty as a Portland film festival to celebrate the local cycling and filmmaking community. This year, the festival celebrates its 18th year with a successful touring film program as well as a weekend-long interactive YouTube Livestream event in September. For more information please visit www.filmedbybike.org. Media Contact: Lisa Hill, lisa@lisahillpr.com, (503) 730-8055  Oregon Hospitality Foundation Awards Funds to Support Restaurants’ Charitable Work “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity, not a threat” - Steve Jobs Restaurants are selling groceries, hotels and airlines are relaxing cancellation policies, breweries and distillers are making home deliveries, and most everybody has become proficient with unmuting/muting themselves for Zoom meetings. As our partners have sought to quickly adjust to shifting conditions with innovative solutions, so has your foundation. With the March 16 ban on indoor dining and large party gatherings, the ensuing stay at home order, and the sudden and staggering layoffs that followed, we realized that our role as Oregon hospitality industry’s nonprofit could also evolve. Expanded Purpose and Creating Opportunities We felt that seeking grants and collaborating with philanthropic donors could potentially enable us to offer financial relief and direct technical support to our partners. Before we could proceed with these strategies, we had to legally expand our purpose to include charitable support. On March 31st, the foundation’s Board of Directors met to approve an additional philanthropic focus to our mission and expanded our Articles of Incorporation filed with Oregon’s Secretary of State. A New Name In the same meeting, the board approved a new name for ORLA’s Education Foundation which would better reflect the diversity of partnerships that our workforce, educational, and now philanthropic projects include. Meet the Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF)! The resolution was approved the following week by ORLA’s Board of Directors. OregonHospitalityFoundation.org Big Hearts and New Partnerships Even with restaurants having to lay off staff and either close operations entirely or quickly pivot to the takeout/delivery model, I was inspired, though not surprised, by the focus they also had to help support their community’s food needs. Without work, and with unemployment benefits slow to arrive, there was suddenly an overwhelming number of people experiencing food insecurity. I noticed how many restaurants were rising to meet those needs by offering meals–many of which were funded from their own dwindling cash reserves. Simultaneously, I became aware of a virtual benefit for theaters. It was hosted and streamed online by filmmakers from PHOENIX OREGON and I participated. I fell in love with the film’s premise, its encouraging message, and the portrayal of one of the movie’s central characters, a chef, who epitomized the entrepreneurial and passionate nature of many restaurateurs. (If you have not seen it yet, I highly recommend: PhoenixOregonMovie.com). I reached out to Annie Lundgren, the producer, to see if she was interested in collaborating on something similar for the food industry. Just a few quick weeks later, we were launching the foundation’s first fundraiser, Takeout & A Movie. This joint effort, which ran from May 7-17, was a benefit for restaurants who were serving meals to our front-line heroes and to those experiencing food insecurity. It was conceived with triple benefits in mind—drive takeout throughout the state, donate cash to eligible restaurants and provide work for their employees, and provide meals. Response was strong; see a story run by KOIN 6 TV at bit.ly/KOIN6TakeoutStory. Over 650 tickets were sold. Comments from ticket purchasers were heart-warming and included:
The event has not only resulted in new relationships that will help us create additional fundraisers but has been an amazingly rich and grounding experience for me personally. I have had the privilege of working with so many kind and generous people who are passionate about their work, while helping others, and who prove that #StrongerTogether is much more than a hashtag. Immediate Results The foundation felt it important to use 100 percent of proceeds the OHF received from the Takeout promotion to benefit eligible restaurants because we wanted to make a significant impact with our first fundraising effort. Thanks to ticket sales, contributions from individuals and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, and a generous donation from Grubhub, we were able to provide funds for an estimated 11,500 meals to restaurants who are committed to supporting our frontline heroes and those experiencing food insecurity. First Award Recipients We’re happy to announce the first ten recipients of our fundraising effort. More awards, made to restaurants throughout the state, will soon follow along with an announcement of our next movie fundraiser. Thank you for your support!
See the press release for full details at Oregonrla.org/hospitalityhelp. Also, at press time, there were still funds available to award. If you, or anyone you know, fit the criteria please apply at Oregonrla.org/takeoutapp. Thank You As you probably have realized from your own experiences the past couple months, innovation is not something that can be accomplished alone. None of what OHF has accomplished thus far would be have been possible without the enthusiastic support of ORLA’s crew and the people and organizations below that expand and make our team even stronger.
Unfortunately, looking toward the upcoming fiscal year, the foundation anticipates a 75 percent drop in revenue due to contract funding changes. Your in-kind and financial contributions are greatly appreciated so that we may sustain and continue our good work. | Wendy Popkin, Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, Oregon Hospitality Foundation “Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see further” - Thomas Carlyle About Wendy Popkin is the Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the restaurant and lodging industry’s education and training needs as well as providing charitable work, economic relief, and technical assistance to the industry. Wendy is a 30+-year career veteran who describes herself as “fanatically enthusiastic about helping others enjoy the same type of fabulous career opportunities I have enjoyed in the hospitality industry.” Oregonrla.org/Foundation Takeout & A Movie’s first virtual screening of PHOENIX OREGON provided the funding for 11,500 meals through a grant from the Grubhub Community Relief Fund, ticket sales and OHF support.
PORTLAND, Oregon – May 27, 2020 – While the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone, the hospitality industry was the first hit by closures and one that has been most devastated by its impact. The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) is proud to announce its first round of awards to restaurants throughout Oregon who responded to the incredible need for food and created innovative programs to help feed their communities – from essential workers to unemployed restaurant staff and food-insecure neighbors. In addition to the generous support from the Grubhub Community Relief Fund, OHF will donate proceeds from its virtual event series, Takeout & A Movie to support statewide restaurants that are making a difference in our communities. Future movie events will support other initiatives such as culinary training programs. According to the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, as of April 2020, 81% of restaurant employees, approximately 127,000 people in Oregon, had been laid off or furloughed. “Being of service is at the heart of the hospitality industry,” said OHF Executive Director Wendy Popkin. “The Oregon Hospitality Foundation is proud to help raise funds and contribute to family-owned restaurants across the state who are stepping up to meet the needs of people in their communities.” OHF Hospitality Help Fund Restaurant Awards The first round of restaurants to receive funds for their work to feed frontline workers, food insecure citizens, and unemployed service industry professionals, include:
Oregon restaurants interested in applying for these funds can complete an online application here. Takeout & A Movie Event Helps to Fund over 11,500 Meals OHF’s new fundraising event, Takeout & A Movie kicked off in May with its first virtual screening of the film PHOENIX OREGON followed by a Q&A with the film’s directors and actors, hosted by OHF Executive Director Wendy Popkin. The successful event was a partnership with Joma Film’s Annie Lundgren. Via a generous donation from the Grubhub Community Relief Fund, event ticket sales and money contributed from OHF, enough money was raised to fund an estimated 11,500 meals. The next movie in the series will be announced in June. About Oregon Hospitality Foundation The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) was established in 1992 and is a nonprofit 501c3 that supports the charitable relief needs and ongoing educational and training requirements of Oregon’s Hospitality industry. OHF’s partners include restaurants, lodging, attractions and other tourism businesses and organizations throughout Oregon. Recently, OHF created the Oregon Hospitality Help Fund as an emergency relief fund to raise money for its hospitality partners whose businesses and employees are struggling during the pandemic. For more information about supporting our work with a donation or sponsorship, please visit www.oregonhospitalityfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Media Contact: Lisa Hill, Lisa@lisahillpr.com, 503.730.8055  The bottom line. Everything affects it, including employee turnover because of increased labor costs like training and supervision. Creating a culture that keeps employees engaged will improve retention, which in turn can help stabilize labor costs. Keeping a stable team has also been shown to increase guest satisfaction via consistent service and product delivery, which can improve loyalty and return. Sounds good in theory, so what best practices have been implanted that show this positive ROI? If you haven’t already, check out our series of video interviews of hospitality members who have improved retention through a variety of approaches. You can find these at OregonRLA.org/WorkforcePractices.
For this issue, we are pleased to share an owner’s perspective of their successes in retention efforts implemented throughout their portfolio of properties. EMPLOYEE RETENTION IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY Attracting and retaining employees has the same importance as attracting and retaining guests. In the hotel industry, the turnover rate for employees is very high. If we consider the energy needed, as well as the cost to replace an employee, it becomes clear that it is better to retain employees than to hire and train a new employee. The process starts with proper labor plans and then targeting the right people. During the interview process we make sure to look for people who will fit in with our culture. As most of our properties are on the Oregon Coast, there is always a labor crisis, especially during the summer. Unlike Portland or other cities where there is a good supply of part-time employees and students, the Oregon Coast depends on the local market. We have been involved in the hospitality industry on the Oregon Coast for nearly 10 years. We started with one hotel in Seaside and now we co-own 13 hotels – two of which were in the list of 100 Best Destinations in Oregon in recent years. We have employees who started front desk or housekeeping positions and have grown with us and are now serving in positions like director of operations, marketing or maintenance head. One of our marketing managers was even recognized as the Employee of the Year by the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association in 2018. It gives us great pleasure to see our employees develop. We empower them to make decisions based on their judgement to help guests. We work to minimize workplace issues and create a culture of respect, as well as provide coaching that drives behavior changes. It doesn’t matter what part of the operation they are involved in – all of them have one goal and that is to make guests happy. We have made it clear that our employees should be treated the same way we treat our guests. We try to understand who they are and what they want. We arrange trainings for our employees, take them to conferences around the country, arrange yearly trainings during slow seasons and on the job training as needed. We also provide cross-training; if anyone wants to try a new position, we give them the opportunity. We arrange lunch meetings with employees. It gives us opportunity to listen to them in informal settings. We try to create a sense of purpose by enforcing the idea that they are helping people who need a nice place to stay while they are traveling. It matters that they smile at guests – they are affecting the life of guests. When you look at the big picture, what their role is in the final product and who touches their product, you see how that type of communication creates motivation and that’s the key to engage our employees. We set clear expectations for our employees so they know what we expect and what we appreciate. Millennial and Gen Z workforces are different than Gen X or Boomers. To keep them attracted, we plan accordingly and make sure they are motivated and stay with us longer. Labor cost is the biggest expense in the hotel industry, and we need an efficient operation to satisfy guests. It’s a balance of cost and labor management to maintain efficiency. We listen to our employees and do our best to be there ourselves to understand the situation and what we can do to help them. We never lay off employees during slow seasons, which is a very common practice in the hotel industry. Instead, we cross train them and engage them in different renovation and improvement projects. Also, we have created culture for a flexible workplace. To ensure employees who are expecting can have peace of mind and make plans for childbirth, we let them know that they have guaranteed jobs when they return. We create flexible schedules or modified schedules to accommodate employees with babies or small children. Understanding the need of employees and treating them properly makes them trusted employees and a valuable asset for the companies. Wage benchmarking is important. We provide compensation which aligns to the market. In our history of companies, we are never late in paying our employees. That helps create trust with the employees. We also have several recognition programs such as the profit share program. If the company does well in a particular month and goes beyond target, we celebrate with our employees and provide some percentage of the profit. It creates motivation to do even better. In our companies, we offer free lunch, an employee-of-the-month recognition and review recognition programs. We take guest reviews very seriously. If we find good reviews, we recognize our employees. If it’s a negative one, then we work with them to understand and evaluate the situation as well as take actions accordingly. We accept every review as an opportunity to improve the properties. We include all of our employees in the management and decision- making process. We engage them to come up with solutions, and instead of implementing new processes, we ask in-house employees to come up with a plan. That creates a sense of ownership and responsibility and makes them feel connected with the company. Our goal is to give them the tools they need to make their job easier and rewarding. | MASUDUR KHAN AND TASLEMA SULTANA, SEASIDE LODGING / INTRO BY WENDY POPKIN About Masudur Khan (Managing Director of Seaside Lodging) and his wife Taslema Sultana (Managing Director of Haystack Lodgings) are the co-owners of 12 independent boutique hotels and one Choice hotel on Oregon Coast. Masudur (Chairman of Lifestyle Hotel BD Ltd.) also operates two independent boutique hotels in Bangladesh. Wendy Popkin is the Executive Director for ORLA’s Education Foundation (ORLAEF), a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting the educational and training needs of the hospitality industry. Wendy is a 30+-year career veteran who describes herself as “fanatically enthusiastic about helping others enjoy the same type of fabulous career opportunities I have enjoyed in the hospitality industry.” OregonRLA.org/EdFoundation |
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