Key performance indicators (KPIs) are foundational to most jobs. These useful measurements help companies understand progress over time. But beyond revenue growth and profit margin, there’s one KPI some managers overlook: joy.

How happy are your employees?
Perhaps more importantly, what’s your own level of joy in your job? At Dell Technologies and at Renegade Global—a consulting practice that helps people invest in their personal brand and growth—we see the people in our businesses, not just the professionals.

1. Make play nonnegotiable.
Play goes hand in hand with curiosity, which in turn fuels engagement. When you prioritize play, you combat opposing feelings of burnout and even depression.

2. Diversify your sources of happiness.
There are different kinds of happiness: “rock star,” which you might experience after a big win; “flow,” which happens when you’re caught up in something you enjoy; and “higher purpose,” which occurs when you focus on something bigger than yourself. You need all three.

3. Avoid the three Ps.
Of the common pitfalls people tend to fall into at work, three Ps top the list: perfectionism (seeking an unattainable standard), people-pleasing (never putting yourself first) and personalizing (making things “about you”). Be sure to give yourself—and others—the grace to make mistakes. Prioritize your own needs and remember that not everything is personal.

4. Overcome difficult conversations.
Effective communication is an art form. When you have a difficult conversation ahead, consider the following steps:

• Vent to a neutral third party (not colleagues) to release tension.
• Empathize with the other person’s perspective.
• Rehearse what you want to say.
• Ask for what you need—then stop talking.

5. Check in weekly.
At Dell and within Renegade Global, we have seen great results with weekly check-ins, asking questions such as, Which activities did I love? Which ones did I loathe? What are my priorities? What help do others need from me?
​
With these tips in mind, you can transcend clichés about work-life balance and make joy a core KPI of your job.
Want to read more stories like this? Check out Realize magazine.

​Over a coffee meeting to introduce myself to the CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend last winter, a casual conversation led to brainstorming what would become a nine-week summer pilot project called Workforce Wednesday.

As the director of Workforce Development for Visit Central Oregon, one of my focus areas is working to cultivate the region’s talent pipeline. A challenge that goes hand-in-hand with this is the misperception that tourism jobs are low-pay, high-churn roles that aren’t viable career paths. So, you can imagine the excitement when presented with an opportunity to help young people understand this is not the case.

#WorkforceWednesday is a program geared toward middle school-aged youth that gives them opportunities to learn about career paths in the tourism industry. For Visit Central Oregon the goal of this project was to work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend to design field trips to tourism-related businesses that would be fun, educational, hands-on and memorable. We wanted the experiences to be unexpected — to highlight diverse careers that would spark interest.

I’m sure the first thing some might think is: Why middle-schoolers? Admittedly, this age group is largely not of a legal age to enter the workforce. But they are the prime age to inspire. As an emerging workforce, this cohort can develop an understanding of how their passions and interests can lead to jobs and career paths they’d never considered. This inspiration can stay with them as they continue through school, think about their first summer job, and make decisions about college and beyond.

The program included a trip to Drake Park with the Visit Bend team to learn about digital marketing and the economic value of tourism. The kids got to participate in a photo shoot — everything from style and layout, to finding the perfect shot and posting an Instagram reel.

Next up was a trip to Humm Kombucha to learn all about the art of brewing craft beverages (that they are old enough to drink!). Kids witnessed everything that goes into the kombucha-making process and got to help create their own signature batch.

The following week, the group met with Cog Wild, which gave participants an overview of tour operator/outfitter business operations, and the importance of developing and maintaining local trail systems, followed by a mountain bike ride.

From there, the kids met with REI, Saxon’s Fine Jewelers, The Stacks Art Studios & Gallery, and Regal Cinemas in the Old Mill District to learn about high-volume business operations in one of the most popular shopping areas in Bend.

Last but not least, the students made their way to Santiam Snolab, where they were immersed in the business operations of a local maker, and got to collaboratively design and build their own custom snowboard and set of downhill skis.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  
CONTACT: Ashley Espinoza
Lane Workforce Partnership 
Telephone: (541) 913-2284

Lane Workforce Partnership, Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board, Northwest Oregon Works, Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association Secure Department of Labor Grant to Elevate Coastal Hospitality Sector

Lane Workforce Partnership (LWP), in collaboration with Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board (SOWIB), Northwest Oregon Works (NOW), Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA), and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) is proud to announce their successful joint application for a Department of Labor Critical Jobs Sector Planning Grant, totaling $446,786. This grant represents a significant step towards addressing the unique workforce needs of the Oregon coast’s vital hospitality sector, which is projected to generate nearly 40,000 jobs by 2031. 

Critical to the programmatic goals of this partnership are the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association. These two organizations have extensive networks within the coastal hospitality industry, along with significant institutional experience that forms a strong foundation for the sector partnership. ORLA and OCVA are pivotal in facilitating partnerships within the tourism-driven hospitality sector, and they will serve as primary collaborators for aggregating travel data and identifying industry trends. Moreover, they will leverage their extensive networks to enhance business engagement in our surveys and outreach initiatives aimed at bolstering the hospitality industry. 

“The Critical Jobs Sector Planning Grants will enable recipients to create and expand partnerships to develop training programs to provide the workforce needed in high-demand industries,” noted Brent Parton, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training. 

The coastal hospitality sector plays a pivotal role in the lives and livelihoods of Oregon coast residents. However, despite its crucial importance to the region’s economic prosperity, there currently lacks an industry sector partnership dedicated to effectively gathering, evaluating, and supporting both workers and businesses within this sector. Recognizing this gap, LWP, SOWIB, NOW, ORLA, and OCVA have come together to launch an initiative that will lay the foundation for a sustainable Coastal Hospitality Industry Sector. A key element in ensuring the success of this initiative is partnering with local stakeholders, essential partners, and industry experts.

Initial steps will involve the joint procurement of a Sector Strategist through collaboration with hospitality industry associations. Over the grant period, the Sector Strategist, alongside our partners, will embark on the following initiatives:

• Build a cross-regional support team, commencing with employer convenings;
• Define the scope of the Oregon coast hospitality industry;
• Facilitate industry-wide listening sessions and conduct comprehensive surveys;
• Undertake a workforce study to gain insights into career progression opportunities, accessibility to low-barrier jobs, and pathways for acquiring stackable credentials that bolster advancement prospects and high pay scales; and
• Develop an occupational career pathways report.

This initiative will specifically benefit a diverse range of demographics, including residents of rural communities, unemployed and underemployed adults, youth, immigrants, communities of color, and returning citizens. This collaboration will prioritize inclusivity and address the unique challenges faced by these groups while promoting equitable access to opportunities. 

“We are excited to embark on this critical initiative, which will not only enhance the Oregon coast hospitality sector but also create avenues for economic opportunity for individuals and communities throughout the region,” stated Ashley Espinoza, Executive Director of Lane Workforce Partnership. “This grant represents an investment in the future of our coastal economies and underscores our commitment to fostering sustainable growth.”

Click here for further information about the grant, including a full list of recipients. 

Small businesses across the country need thriving associations with competent professional staff who serve as intelligence officers for their respective industries. When the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) first came into existence back in 1932 (the two associations merged in 2010), it was clear a unified voice was needed to represent the needs of hospitality businesses across the state. Far too often, elected officials who in many cases serve in a volunteer civic capacity, have little time to become experts on all policy decisions crossing their desk. Imagine a world where elected officials had no organized industry voice to turn to while making policy decisions for their constituents. That world would be rife with unintended consequences and short-sighted decision making.

Although our mission has evolved subtly over time, ORLA remains focused on improving, protecting, and promoting over 10,000 foodservice and 2,500 lodging locations across Oregon. These operations remain in business even after Covid unleashed its ferocious blow on an industry reliant on in person experiences. When considering both openings and closures, we estimate Oregon lost a net of 750 restaurants because of the pandemic, a number much smaller than originally anticipated but still devastating to economic ecosystems across the state.

Of all our existing locations, ORLA currently has a little over 3,000 who have chosen voluntarily to join their statewide association in support of our mission. It is clear the secret is out on Oregon as our population continues to grow with its geographic position between California and Washington. The state benefits greatly from its high qualify of life and diverse topography. You would be hard pressed to find a state with mountain ranges, a world-famous coastline, high deserts, and vast river and lake systems highlighted by the Columbia Gorge. As the state’s population grows so do the opportunities for additional foodservice and lodging pursuits. We are fortunate to have a state association which continues to slowly grow in its size and scope with 16 full time professional staff dedicated to the work.

The hospitality industry here in Oregon is at a crossroads with a growing market of independent small operators determined to provide choice to their guests. The explosion of choice feels like the options we now have when turning on a television. Instead of a handful of channels, we have immediate access to hundreds in addition to what seems like a limitless supply of streaming content. The same dynamics are at play in the hospitality industry. On one hand, lodging brands have greatly expanded to provide more choice for the traveler. On the restaurant side, we continue to see innovative business models emerge including app-based ordering, ping pong bars, and a proliferation of food pods and mobile units. The world looks different when compared to the norm of decades past when the traditional family restaurant dinner was served by the restaurant owners and their staff. 

Online travel agencies (think Expedia and Booking.com) as well as third-party delivery services (like DoorDash and Uber Eats) are creating a highly advanced and complicated environment. Restaurant and lodging establishments have innumerable opportunities to partner with vendors and suppliers in their ultimate goal to make money and provide jobs to others. If an operator is too flippant and not committed to detail, it would be easy to launch a hospitality business without a means for sustaining it. Commission rates for Online Travel Agencies can be considerable for lodging operators and restaurants continue to reel from increasing labor and food costs on top of their own commission payments to third party delivery companies. Too few Americans realize that 95 cents of every dollar they spend in a restaurant goes back into the food, the people, and the place. When you look at the hospitality industry through that lens, one could argue it is one of the more altruistic pursuits an entrepreneur can undertake. Most industries would balk and run the other direction if presented with an average margin of 5% for all their hard work.

The challenges facing operators are real and its our job at ORLA to bring industry transparency to our many elected official relationships. We rely on engaged members to work with our staff to build meaningful, authentic connections with the individuals we elect to office. Without this interplay, there is no connective tissue between the operator struggling to hold onto their limited margin, and the politician looking to raise a new batch of money for their next passion project. Our primary focus at ORLA is building strong working relationships with decision makers in government. By bringing authenticity to the table we are able to lead initiatives to assist our industry in their recovery whether that includes launching legislation allowing a new element to restaurant business models like to-go cocktails, or navigating the legislative system to enact transformative unemployment insurance tax reform for employers. If industry operators need someone to have their back, its our job to be there.

Our expectations for the future center on continued growth and diversification. The Oregon Employment Department projects our industry to be the fastest growing sector through the year 2030. Business models continue to change as operators re-evaluate the labor costs they can afford. With generational change comes the emergence of new trends including the new norm where a customer may not have a server but can still leave a restaurant feeling fulfilled by the high-end food quality and overall experience. Lodging operations are also reinventing themselves with more customized attention to the facilitation of experiences as opposed to the transaction of connecting a guest with a room. We are also starting to see generational change relating to housekeeping services in the wake of climate change with many brands reevaluating protocols for housekeeping services based on the changing perspectives of guests.

Suffice to say a complicated world and a growing array of hospitality options has created an environment whereby the association may now be more relevant than it ever has been. It is our job at ORLA to keep our ear to the ground and stay on top of industry trends and intelligence. It is common for us to share knowledge directly impacting the way an operator makes decisions for their business. It is a true honor to be able to make a real difference in the lives of others. In the association world we have a responsibility to embrace the independence and choice being offered by our members while empowering them to take full advantage of the tools and resources made available to them through their industry associations.

Jason Brandt is the President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. Brandt has served in the role since August 2015 and came to ORLA after serving as the CEO for the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Brandt was recently recognized as a recipient of a 40 Under 40 award by the Portland Business Journal for his work representing the hospitality industry during the Coronavirus pandemic.

This editorial was published in Business View Magazine August ​2023 (Volume 10, Issue 8)

Guest Blog

The leisure and hospitality industry is one of the largest employer pools in the country, employing over 16 million people nationwide. While a lot of progress has been made in this industry to push the talents of those with disabilities, obstacles still exist. Unfortunately, one of the greatest barriers is employers’ assumptions that people with disabilities may not be able to perform certain tasks due to their conditions. This misconception deprives the industry of great talent while denying countless people the chance to pursue fulfilling work. Here are some tips to learn how you can create opportunities for people with disabilities as an employer.

Know Your Responsibilities as an Employer

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is crucial to promoting an inclusive and accessible workplace, making it unlawful for employers to discriminate against a qualified individual who has a disability. Ensure all aspects of employment are fully accessible, including recruitment, hiring, and training. As an employer, you must engage in an interactive discussion with your employees or applicants to identify and provide reasonable accommodations, making sure those with disabilities can fully participate in your workplace. Don’t assume a candidate cannot perform the requirements of the job due to their disability. By adhering to the ADA’s requirements, you can ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.

Ensure Accessibility Through the Hiring Process

Ensuring compliance with the ADA also requires that your hiring process is accessible to those with disabilities. Embracing online applications is a pivotal move in this direction. By giving your applicants the option to apply online, you’ll break down physical barriers for candidates. Online applications can be tailored to accommodate various accessibility needs, such as screen readers, magnification tools, and keyboard navigation for individuals with visual impairments or mobility limitations. Keep in mind that your online applicants will probably want a PDF filler instead of having to print, fill out, and scan paper documents. Make your job applications available as fillable PDFs that your applicants can fill out and sign online!

Encourage Professional Advancement

According to JobSkills.org, encouraging your employees with disabilities to pursue professional advancement is a win-win strategy that can unlock the full potential of your team. For example, if you run a large chain with an IT department, empowering your employees to pursue an education in technology can ensure a highly-skilled and diverse IT team. With your support and mentorship, your employees can take steps for an online computer science degree, acquiring skills and knowledge they will bring back to your business. Furthermore, offering such opportunities signals to all employees that the company values their growth and is dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the richness of diverse talents and perspectives. 

Align Roles with Individual Strengths

When you hire someone with a disability, try to align their roles with their unique strengths rather than focusing on the limitations of their disability. For example, individuals with great interpersonal skills may thrive in guest services, front desk positions, or concierge roles. In the realm of housekeeping, employees with physical disabilities can be valuable members of the housekeeping staff, contributing to the maintenance and cleanliness of your establishment. For food and beverage roles, identify specific positions that align with the individual’s abilities, such as hosting, taking orders, preparing food, or bussing tables. 

Be sure to prioritize accessibility across all roles by providing the tools and equipment your staff need to do their jobs effectively. For those with hearing or vision challenges, the right software will ensure these employees can complete work on the computer. By recognizing and leveraging the unique strengths of employees with disabilities, and making reasonable accommodations wherever possible, you can create a diverse work environment with a low barrier to entry.

As the leisure and hospitality industry evolves, so must our approach to creating opportunities for people with disabilities. By increasing accessibility through the hiring process, like making applications available online, encouraging the professional development of our staff, and matching employees with roles in which they will thrive, we can maximize the potential of our workforce while unleashing a range of diverse skills and perspectives. | Martin Block

Oregon’s second largest private sector industry has thousands of jobs available for interested applicants and we anticipate similar workforce trends to be commonplace for our industry and many others for years to come.

The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) is laser focused on workforce development initiatives to do what we can to build bridges between hospitality industry employers and workers seeking employment opportunities. Currently the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association has two full time employees devoted to this work. This new workforce blog will be a joint effort to keep lines of communication open with all industry operators interested in connecting with future employees for their operations.

I want take a moment to thank Courtney Smith and Lupe Arellano on our professional staff for their work to highlight our ProStart Culinary and Management curriculum in high schools, job and career fairs organized by partner organizations, speaking opportunities for ORLA members in high schools, and amplifying leadership vacancies as they occur amongst Oregon’s 9 regional workforce development boards.

This is our moment as an industry to rise to the occasion and provide more leadership to showcase the vast opportunities available right now in Oregon’s hospitality industry. We hope our new workforce blog connects you with meaningful intelligence and insights that help you navigate our number one challenge in business – demand outpacing labor supply.

Cheers to you and your success in Oregon’s hospitality industry.

Sincerely,
 
Jason Brandt
President & CEO, Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association

Oregon Hospitality Foundation Workforce Blog: March 2023

The Oregon Hospitality Foundation’s new workforce liaison role is focused on building relational capital between educators, workforce programs/boards, and ORLA members. We are hopeful these relationship building efforts will assist us in reducing the current workforce demands facing hospitality employers. 

So far, the newly launched position has assisted ORLA and the Hospitality Foundation in building relationships with the following stakeholders:

• 37 High Schools (13 on the Coast which is a primary area of focus in year one of the position)
• 5 School Districts (Willamette Education Service District, Portland Public Schools, Washington, Multnomah, and Clatsop)
• 4 CTE Regional Coordinators
• 9 Community Colleges (Central Oregon, Clatsop, Klamath, Blue Mountain, Southwest Oregon, Oregon Coast, Linn Benton, and Portland)
• 2 Universities (Oregon, OSU Cascades)
• 5 WorkSource Business Representatives
• 5 Workforce Boards (Northwest Oregon Works, Lane Workforce Partnership, WorkSystems, Clackamas Workforce Partnership, and Willamette Workforce Partnership)
• 5 Regional Destination Marketing Organizations (Oregon Coast Visitors Association, Travel Portland, Travel Southern Oregon, Willamette Valley Visitors Association, and Visit Central Oregon)
• 10 Workforce development programs 

Career Fairs
We had four members (The Nines, Kimpton, McMenamins, Elephants Delicatessen) participate at the Portland Youth Opportunity Fair hosted by WorkSystems. The job fair is targeted for 16 to 24 years old’s but open to all. We provided free food handler card training vouchers to youth participating in the event. In addition, we have a new partnership with the Portland Workforce Alliance, which held their 19th annual career fair recently. With over 5,000 students and 75 schools present, the event was a good connector for hospitality employers looking for prospect employees.

Speaking Engagements
In late 2022, we connected our members to four speaking engagements, three of them in high schools and one to the University of Oregon. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort went to speak at Winter Lake High School and North Bend High School. Zach Poole with Pig ‘N Pancake went to Seaside High School. Colby Phillips with Beergarden spoke with a business management class at the University of Oregon. In January there were three more speaking engagements for our members to participate in, two on the coast and one in Benton County.

Workforce Development Boards
The hospitality industry is currently a represented sector with two workforce regions (NW Oregon Works and Lane Workforce Partnership). In addition, we are working on partnerships with three other regions and their respective workforce boards (WorkSystems, Clackamas Workforce Partnership, Willamette Workforce Partnership). More to come as we work to make sure an industry voice exists at board tables for all 9 regional workforce boards.

Learn more about OHF's workforce efforts and resources available to industry members at OregonRLA.org/workforce.

Posted by: Lupe Arellano, Workforce Development / Business Liaison, Oregon Hospitality Foundation

​Media Contact:
Lori Little
 
After Two-Year Hiatus, Oregon High School Culinary and Management Teams Return to Compete In Statewide Championships
 
WHAT
High school teams will compete in statewide culinary and management competitions at the Oregon Hospitality Foundation’s Oregon ProStart Championships. Culinary teams of four students prepare a 3-course gourmet meal in 60 minutes using only two butane burners and are evaluated by a team of professional chef judges. Five teams of four students will present their new restaurant concept to a panel of industry professionals in a simulated business exposition in the management competition. 
 
WHEN
Monday, March 13, 2023, 8:00am -2:00pm (Awards dinner 5-7:00pm); schedule is posted online at OregonRLA.org/championships
 
WHERE 
Salem Convention Center, 200 Commercial Street SE, Salem, Oregon 97301
 
WHY
To help high school students jump start culinary and hospitality careers, the Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) supports educators and schools offering ProStart, a national career and technical education (CTE) curriculum and program developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Teaching culinary, teamwork, and management skills needed by restaurant, hospitality and foodservice employers, the Oregon ProStart Championships is the capstone of this two-year program, providing a public opportunity for students to showcase what they have learned.
 
Of the 40 Oregon high school programs, currently involving over 4,000 ProStart students, a total of 13 teams from 10 high schools will compete in this event. The culinary competition runs 10:00am -1:00pm where chef judges evaluate culinary teams on taste, presentation, knife skills, and teamwork.

The management competition runs from 1:15-2:15 p.m. where teams are evaluated on their concept, marketing strategies, menu, recipes and food costs, operations, and critical thinking skills.

Winners of both competitions will be announced at the awards dinner program starting at 5:00pm. Students vie for a share of thousands of dollars in scholarships and prizes, plus, state winners will compete in the National ProStart Invitational May 2-4, 2023, in Washington, D.C. 
 
Sponsoring organizations partnering with the Oregon Hospitality Foundation include: DoorDash, Bandon Dunes, Ecolab, McDonald Wholesale, The Grand Hotel in Salem, Salem Convention Center, Swire-Coca Cola, and Zwilling J.A. Henckels.
 
WHO
The following high schools / programs are scheduled to compete:

• Crook County High School
• Estacada High School
• Liberty High School
• McMinnville High School
• North Medford High School
• Salem CTEC
• Sam Barlow High School
• Seaside High School
• Taft High School
• Willamette High School

Leveraging Oregon’s Leadership in the Sports Ecosystem to Boost Workforce Opportunities

This July, the World Athletics Championships come not only to the United States for the first time, but to Oregon.  We are a leader in track and field with Hayward Field consistently hailed as an elite track and field venue, but we are also a global leader in the “sports adjacent.”  In the area forming Eugene to Bend to the greater Portland area, there are over 800 sports apparel companies and thousands of sports related manufacturers, therapists, coaches, semi professional and professional athletic teams, Olympic trials, skiing, outdoor adventure, mountains, rivers, fields, venues, hopes, and dreams.  Where else in the country can you engage in the quality of recreation and athletics, live in the region where those amenities already exist, and make a living at the very activity that brings us joy?

When the World Athletics Championships meet later this month, they bring with them media opportunity from around the globe.  We have a rare opportunity to tell the world that Oregon is much more than Nike, Hayward Field, Portland Thorns, and Trailblazers.  We are a state dedicated to sports and everything that supports those sports.  That is why ORLAs’ Hospitality Foundation (OHF) has partnered with the Portland Business Alliance (PBA) to bring into focus the major impact that sports and recreation have on the economy and workforce of Oregon.  As OHF is digging deep into workforce development for our industry, it seemed logical that we needed a voice at the table to be a part of this important work.

PBA has completed an economic analysis and is in the process of naming what we will eventually promote as a brand for Oregon’s sports related economy, but what good does a bunch of data do except tell us what we already know?  The truth is, not everyone knows, and we are going to tell the world. This is about, creating awareness for existing investment and attraction of additional sports opportunities. We need to engage in legislation at every level of government to get traction for investment in our state and local sports economies. From workforce development to infrastructure, it is time to leverage our leadership in outdoor recreation and sports and and get creative with how we use it to make everything in Oregon more attractive and inclusive.

While we are unsure exactly how the messaging will be employed, we know that the powerful information this provides us would be lost if we don’t use it to leverage into real actionable help for our restaurants and lodging partners in Oregon.  How can we use this information to bring economic relief to workforce development, engage housing initiatives, affect transportation, food security, lift BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and women-run business voices, help with houselessness, mental health, and addiction and recovery services?  Right now we are meeting and talking through how to use this data to best affect the State of Oregon.

Watch for more information on the analysis and branding as we welcome the world into our homes for the World Athletics Championships. Let’s be ready to tell the narrative that Oregon is the leader in sports, outdoor recreation, and the opportunity it provides us all. | Ken Henson, Vice Chair, Oregon Hospitality Foundation

Guest Blog | UnitedHealthcare

The current labor shortage in the Hospitality industry is real. According to Job List’s Q2 2021 United States Job Market Report: 60% of job seekers indicated they would not consider working in a restaurant, bar, or hotel for their next job. In addition, 38% of former hospitality workers reported they are transitioning out of the industry.  

Though there is no silver bullet for attracting and retaining team members, there are three things that employers can do to keep their current team members engaged that will also appeal to potential new hires: 

1. Create a positive company culture- People want to work for an organization that treats them with respect, has shared values along with a unified vision. 
2. Shape their growth and development- Help your team members achieve their short-term and long-term goals through continuous education and internal career advancement. 
3. Pay/Benefits- “Invest in the root and it will bear fruit!”

A recent Benefits Pro article on employee retention indicated that “88% of employees would consider a lower-paying job with quality health benefits.” The pandemic brought to light the absolute need for everyone to have access to healthcare, even part-time employees. Though health insurance may not be an affordable option for all hospitality employers, virtual care is an incredible alternative! With HealthiestYou by Teladoc, members and their families get free and unlimited access to the following virtual healthcare services:  

• 24/7/365 access to speak to a doctor who can prescribe medication
• Unlimited mental health sessions with a licensed therapist 
• Nutritional counseling with a registered dietician 
• Receive a second opinion on a major diagnosis from the world’s top experts

For more information on the HealthiestYou virtual care program, reach out to Nick Gates at Teladoc Health: ngates@teladochealth.com.

Workforce Challenges Need Smart Strategies, Partnerships  

per·fect storm noun
“a particularly bad or critical state of affairs, arising from a number of negative and unpredictable factors” (i.e.) "the past two years have been a perfect storm for the travel industry" Oxford Languages.

Truth, Google it! Oxford actually used our industry as an example of how to use the phrase “perfect storm.” 

With more people becoming vaccinated, many operators felt great relief and were optimistic as customer demand continually, and in some cases monumentally, increased. Meeting this sudden ramp up would have expected challenges, of course, but few could have predicted that the biggest challenge was yet to come. Hiring staff!

Workforce Challenges. Hospitality is not the only industry struggling to hire and, in fact, we were experiencing difficulties pre-pandemic as well. But as one of the most battered by closures due to the pandemic, we are also among the hardest hit by hiring challenges. Few things can hamper economic recovery, or be more frustrating, than being unable to meet customer demand when there is facility capacity, but lack of workers to fulfill the need. While there is not a treasure map of where to find ready to work employees, and/or how to keep them, there are best practices and resources identified that I hope are helpful. 

Not One Strategy But Many. In the short term, partners have experienced some success by raising pay, offering hiring and/or length of term bonuses, creating referral programs, and offering housing stipends. Other tactics are proven to also strengthen appeal. These include:

Advertising starting rate and pay raise potential IN your ad. Failure to do so is cited by jobseekers and recruiters as the number one reason for lack of response. One successful employer actually advertised their starting rate on their company vans!

Decreasing amount of time between paychecks. Some operators are even paying daily, many at least weekly.

Emphasizing advancement opportunities and management support for career growth IN your ad. We have lost many veteran associates to other industries that could keep them employed during the pandemic when we could not. Those unfamiliar with our industry often do not understand the rapid career trajectory hospitality offers.

Guaranteeing shifts, even if demand is slower. One lodging operator shared that after analyzing their P&L, they realized that it was less expensive for them to keep seasonal employees on payroll during winter than to go through re-hiring and/or being forced to keep rooms unoccupied due to lack of staff. They planned to use the time to cross-train and focus on quality and service projects they never have time to do in summer, which will likely increase their Tripadvisor ratings for an even higher payback!

Promoting your company’s value system. Lockdown created time for many to reflect about their own ideals and how they want to spend their time. Are you a Certified B-Corp, do you support local philanthropic needs, are your business practices environmentally sustainable, do you hire people who have disabilities, do you pay employees to volunteer a few hours of their time? Recruiters note company culture is increasingly important as a deciding factor. For a good example of how to amplify culture, check out Elephants Deli’s hiring page at Elephantsdeli.com/about/careers.

Telling it like it is. On your hiring page, feature a few two-to-three-minute videos from actual employees. These do not need high production value, in fact, phone-recorded videos can be more credible. Focus on describing what the actual job is responsible for, what they like about working for your company, and even what the challenges are. Keeping it real is essential. Bandon Dunes needed golf course maintenance staff and received support from the Southwest Oregon Workforce Investment Board to create this recruitment video: youtu.be/3SJ_GZ95pvM. Though more highly produced than your company might need, you can see how effective this first-hand narrative approach can be. 

Leveraging online training resources. The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) offers online training at AHLEI.org/lodging to orient entry-level employees to their new roles before conducting on-site training. This approach can reduce the amount of supervisory training time needed and make the new hire more comfortable, increasing their desire to stay. Courses include front desk representative, kitchen cook, housekeeping attendant, restaurant server, and more. AHLEI and the National Restaurant Association also offer skill-building courses to help enthusiastic employees progress towards supervisory roles, while still working in their current position; visit ServSuccess.com for more information. Remember that your foundation, the Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF), also offers two online guest service courses–one which is specific to the pandemic’s service and safety challenges–at OregonGuestService.com. 

Getting to know your local WorkSource Oregon agencies who work directly with jobseekers. Funded by your taxes and therefore offering no fee assistance, these teams are dedicated to “…to effectively respond to workforce challenges through high-quality services to individuals and businesses, resulting in job attainment, retention, and advancement.” Do more than just place an ad with the office. Developing a relationship can have a big pay-off with support most hospitality employers do not even realize is available. Visit Worksourceoregon.org/about for more information.

The Big Picture. When I wrote about this idea a few years ago, the strategy seemed like an interesting idea. Now it feels like an essential strategy in order to build a labor-source pipeline such as the healthcare, IT, and construction industry has done. How? Flex our collective economic and hiring impact, and gain attention from local workforce boards. 

The purpose of Oregon’s Workforce and Talent Development Board (Oregon.gov/workforceboard) is to “Advance Oregon through meaningful work, training, and education by empowering people and employers.” Its nine regional development boards identify the most economically impactful employers in their local communities and offer tremendous strategic and financial support to create tactics that help meet these employers’ needs. Find your local workforce development board at bit.ly/9-LWDB and see what industries are currently regarded as major sectors. You will find the hospitality industry is regarded key in only one of Oregon’s nine regions thus far.

Until and unless the hospitality industry is recognized for the important economic role it has in the other eight regions, hiring, training, retaining, and advancing employees will continue to be our struggle alone, rather than engaging the expertise and funding support that Oregon’s workforce system offers. 

In fact, as a pilot program, OHF, in partnership with the Oregon Coast Visitors Association and with assistance from workforce board leader and ORLA member Zack Poole (Pig-n-Pancake), has built a growing relationship over the past four years with Northwest Oregon Works (NOW). This workforce development board serves Clatsop, Lincoln, Tillamook, Benton, and Columbia counties. Thanks to these efforts and NOW board support, the Leisure and Hospitality Industry has recently been recognized as a major sector, the first region in the state to do so. To understand more about the positive impact of this collaboration, read more at bit.ly/OHFwbpr.

Weathering the Storm. While navigating through current workforce challenges, plotting a course toward an easier route can be feasible. See additional resources and learn more from OHF’s recent webinar, “Accessing Resources to Help Support Your Workforce Needs” at bit.ly/webinar052521.

I welcome your ideas, questions, and comments. Reach me at WPopkin@OregonRLA.org. | Wendy Popkin, Oregon Hospitality Foundation

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 

Guest Blog | BYOD, Inc.

Most of the conversations I am having with restaurant colleagues these days involve any number of terms:  RRF, PPP, Covid-19, recovery, consumer confidence, and many more.  However, at my own restaurants the conversations center around one thing: staffing. In 25 years, I’ve never seen an employment pool as shallow as it is right now. While the economy is seeing wonderful recovery (the unemployment rate fell by another .3% last month adding almost 550K jobs, and the economy grew by 6.4% in Q1 and continues to skyrocket), we in the hospitality industry are not experiencing the same boom. Reuters reports that 5.6% of restaurant workers quit their jobs in April (an all-time high according to Gordon Haskett Research Advisors) and the bureau of labor statistics shows the hospitality industry came out of April still down more than 2.8 million workers from where it was pre-pandemic, with an unemployment rate of 10.8% compared to the national level of 5.5%. On top of that, I haven’t spoken to an operator in months where the phrase “severely understaffed” doesn’t come up. 
 
Though there are multiple drivers (unemployment benefits, governmental pandemic regulations, large wage increases in industries that weren’t shutdown, etc.) behind this situation, and we can all debate them until we are blue in the face. The reality of the situation is that a smaller and shallower hospitality employment pool is here to stay. With that sobering fact readily apparent after the last several months, we also are hearing a lot from “experts” stating the only way to attract workers back is to raise wages. With efforts from groups like the IRC as well as state and national government to push a $15/hour minimum wage it seems a bit like the industry is being pushed into accepting this new reality by bully pulpit and the peanut gallery. The problem seems insurmountable, especially considering the fact that industry wide we lost 110,000 restaurants permanently last year and almost $240 billion. However, the building blocks of an alternative solution to “raising wages and just keep raising them” are already in many other industries.
 
In the 1950’s the manufacturing and agricultural industries employed 1 in 3 Americans workers, but in 2009, it was closer to 1 in 8. What happened, you ask? Automation. We began to use machines, computers, and finally data to evolve how those industries work. Now I know I just lost some of you. For years people have told me how backward the restaurant industry is, and how technological behind we are. We’ve been slow to adopt new technologies and sometimes burned by the ones that we have. I hear the argument that while spending millions of dollars on technology might work for a big factory doing $1 million dollars a day in revenue, it can’t work for a restaurant doing $1 million in revenue annually. But that supposes that automation requires large physical infrastructure, expensive software programs, large implementation teams, and a number of other hurdles that make it very difficult for an industry that is made up of more than 60% independent operators to consider implementation.
 
Automation is something that the restaurant industry has championed for years (just ask McDonald’s), but it has approached it from the standpoint of unit replicability, when what we need to focus on as an industry is how automation applies to a single unit. Simply put, are there tasks that technology can do (perhaps better than humans) that can be easily and inexpensively implemented? The answer is a resounding yes – with machine learning and artificial intelligence. Why couldn’t an AI build a schedule better than an assistant manager? Crunch data and predict sales and staffing at better rate? Coordinate your ordering for you? Essentially remove all of the mundane “office” jobs that an operator deals with on a daily basis so that they can focus on more important tasks? If a manager could skip 50% of their paperwork to spend more time training the limited staff that they already have (because an AI did it for them), could that staff begin to handle a higher workload? If consumer interfaces could start with technology as a welcome funnel (QR codes, AI engaged CRM’s that auto-seat customers) could that allow restaurant to do more with less staff?
 
In the end, what I believe will come out of the pandemic is not necessarily higher wages, but a greater reliance on technology as an interface between management and staff as well as restaurants and their customers. Technology isn’t the only solution to the current job market, but it certainly seems like a more palatable one. | Samuel Short
 
Sam is the Chief Strategy Officer for BYOD, Inc., a Restaurant-focused Artificial Intelligence company. Sam also owns a restaurant group in Michigan and has spent the last 25 years in the restaurant industry. He served on the board of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association for many years. 

[Originally posted March 21, 2021] - ​In response to a number of inquiries on this subject, ORLA has compiled various sources of information on the topic. Please note, the following information is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice. 

The Rundown:
The vast majority of content reviewed on this subject urged caution. A number of exceptions exist within mandatory programs, including medical conditions, religious grounds and potential union bargaining (if applicable). Mandatory vaccination programs are subject to state and/or federal oversight (BOLI, OSHA, NLRB, EEOC) and can trigger program review and legal pitfalls, such as violating the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and a host of potential medical, personnel and personal Data Privacy violations.

Even if successful in navigating the external patchwork of state and federal agencies, an operator that chooses to adopt a mandatory vaccination program must then overcome internal operational issues, such as what steps must be taken when an employee chooses not to be vaccinated, how to then protect the rest of the workforce, reconfiguration of office space, schedule changes and the like.
 
The Bottomline:
While mandatory vaccinations are allowed, a mandatory vaccination program is not advisable. The downside seems too great of risk for operators large and small.
 
Employers are encouraged however to promote employee self-education for vaccination acceptance, support voluntary vaccinations, follow the guidelines of local, city and state health authorities, provide their workforce the flexibility for designated group vaccination schedules and work with local Chambers and trade associations.

Here is a list of resources providing information on vaccines in the workplace:

• Oregon Health Authority Employer Toolkit - information about vaccines, eligibility
• Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry - current FAQ’s for employers regarding vaccinations
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - guidance and FAQ’s for employers to consider, including ADA-covered persons, exemptions and reasonable accommodations
• State Accident Insurance Fund (SAIF) current FAQ’s for employers regarding vaccinations
• National Restaurant Association “Taking a Shot at COVID-19” - on-demand webinar recording; (download presentation deck)
• National Restaurant Association / Restaurant Law Center - association and federal agency guidelines on mandating vaccines
• American Hotel & Lodging Association Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Information - resources for educating and encouraging employees to get vaccinated
• Asian American Hotel Owners Association launches new “Pledge to Protect Our Guests, Employees and Businesses” - new initiative that encourages hoteliers to proactively promote COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees
• Oregon Business and Industry “COVID-19 Vaccine in the Workplace: What Employers Should Know” - key considerations for employers as the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available to Oregonians
• HR Annie “Vaccinations in the Workplace Considerations & Best Practices for Employers” - COVID-19 vaccinations in the workplace; considerations and best practices for employers; (download presentation deck)

For questions, please reach out to your Regional Representative.

Guest Blog | GNSA

What Employers Need to Know
 
Payroll processing has a lot of moving parts. Before paying an employee, you must consider several variables, including the minimum wage, hours worked, overtime, allowed deductions, tax, and more.
 
Understanding federal and state laws regarding payroll is essential to avoid disputes with employees and the government. Keep in mind that if you do not have the resources or bandwidth to understand the legislation or comply with it, an Oregon payroll service might be right for you.
 
Here are vital items employers in Oregon need to know about payroll.
 
Oregon Minimum Wage
While the current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, Oregon minimum wage figures are much higher, and can be dependent on a specific locale or city. The minimum hourly rate is $11.50 in urban areas, $12.00 in standard counties, and $13.25 in the Portland metro area.

Oregon minimum wage law requires you to pay the most beneficial rate to the employee, which is the state minimum wage. The minimum wage requirement applies to all paid workers, including minors and employees on official training. It increases every July 1st, but this trend will change after 2022.

Starting July 1, 2023, the state's minimum wage will increase depending on inflation as per the Consumer Price Index. This inflation-based minimum wage rate is becoming increasingly common in many other states now as well.
 
Workdays and Hours Worked Requirements in Oregon
A workday, according to Oregon minimum wage law, is a fixed period of 24 consecutive hours. On the other hand, a workweek is a specified period of seven successive days that occurs regularly.
 
Businesses have to pay employees for all hours worked. Oregon's minimum wage law defines hours worked as all hours an employed person commits to their employer. This includes the time an employee is on duty at the employer's premises or engaged away.
 
Further, Oregon recognizes work requested as well as suffered or accepted unrequested work as hours worked. If an employer doesn't want a worker to perform work, the employer must ensure the employee doesn't do it.
 
Payroll Tax in Oregon
Oregon requires employers in or operating within Oregon to withhold tax from wages paid to residents working in or outside the state. They must also do the same for nonresidents who deliver services in Oregon.
 
An employer with paid employees in Oregon needs to register for a business identification number (BIN). Corporations without workers should also have a BIN to report remuneration for corporate officers.
 
Oregon withholding taxes and federal taxes are due on the April 30. Unemployment and transit taxes are due on the last day of the month following a calendar quarter. If you pay federal taxes electronically, you should do the same for your combined payroll taxes.
 
Oregon Requirements for Deductions from Wages
Oregon has strict rules governing how an employer can withhold or deduct part of an employee's wages. As the employer, you can only make deductions if:

• The state or federal law requires you to do so.
• The employee has authorized a deduction by writing for their own benefit.
• The employee voluntarily authorizes a deduction for some item, provided you aren't the ultimate recipient of the money.
• The deduction is a garnishment under Oregon Stat. 18.736.
• A collective bargaining agreement in which you are a party authorizes the deduction.
• You're making the deduction upon a worker's termination to repay a loan you gave them.

 
However, there are many instances where the state prohibits you from deducting or withholding any amount from an employee's wages. Examples include deductions to cover:

• Cash shortages
• Returned or dishonored checks
• Damaged or lost employer's property
• Tools, uniforms, and other items required for work

 
Oregon Pay Schedule Rules
Every employer in Oregon must establish and observe a regular payday when they must pay all employees the wages due to them. However, section 652.120 allows you to enter into a written agreement with your workers to pay them at a future date.

Typically, the payday should not extend beyond 35 days from the day you engaged an employee or since the last regular payday. Employers are free to establish and maintain more frequent pay intervals.

Wage Payment Methods in Oregon
You can pay your employees by cash, check, or direct deposit. A payment check should be redeemable at face value with no deductions by the employee's bank. If you want to pay via direct deposit, payroll card, ATM card, or any other electronic means, the employee must consent to it.

Electronic payment methods should allow the employees to withdraw their net pay once cost-free. A worker who wishes to revoke their consent to electronic deposits must issue you with a written notice. The revocation becomes effective 30 days after you receive it.
 
Oregon Employee Time Reporting Requirements
Oregon requires employers only to compensate workers for hours worked. Therefore, you don't have to pay an employee for showing up or reporting if they don't work. Additionally, you don't need to pay a worker the minimum number of hours if you dismiss them before completing their shift.
 
​
To read the full article (originally posted on gnsadmin.com April 5, 2021), including more info on travel time regulations, on-call time guidance, Oregon final paycheck requirements and statement of wages, visit GNSAdmin.com.
 
 
About
​
GNSA is a Payroll, Human Resource, and Benefits Administration firm specializing in serving the small to middle market. Started in 1997, GNSA has steadily grown from year-to year as more and more companies have identified GNSA as the premier outsourced service provider. At GNSA we believe that the strength of the United States economy resides in the small to mid-market, therefore GNSA has focused its efforts towards better serving this segment.

NW Oregon Works Identifies Hospitality Industry as Major Sector of Economy 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2021

Contact:
Wendy Popkin, Executive Director
Oregon Hospitality Foundation
503.331.7528 | wpopkin@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR – NW Oregon Works, one of nine regional workforce boards in the state, is the first to identify the hospitality industry as a major sector of their regional economy. The state’s workforce boards are entrusted with state and federal dollars to connect job seekers with training and certifications to meet industry demands. A map of the workforce board regions can be viewed here.

“The strategic funding and priority decisions our board makes are based on employers’ workforce needs in our communities and positive outcomes an industry can contribute,” said Heather DeSart, Executive Director of NW Oregon Works, which supports Benton, Columbia, Clatsop, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties. “The Oregon Hospitality Foundation and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association worked hard over the past three years to help us understand the range of diverse employment opportunities the hospitality industry can offer to our residents, as well as the important role it has as an economic driver.”

Oregon’s hospitality industry remains the second largest private sector industry behind health care, yet many of its employers are experiencing the workforce recruiting challenges incurred by COVID’s impact, as are other consumer-facing businesses. The industry’s positive impact on local and state economies, and its ability to provide a low barrier to entry for first-time and less-skilled job seekers who can gain experience and a high opportunity to advance, make the hospitality industry’s recovery critical as part of Oregon’s overall pandemic economic recovery plan.

“Our foundation’s mission is to support the workforce, education, and philanthropic needs of Oregon’s hospitality industry,” said Wendy Popkin, Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation. “We use a variety of tools including nationally accredited certifications that help provide a skills-based pathway from entry level positions to executive positions that pay six figures. We are thrilled about this growing collaboration with NW Oregon Works and its agency partners to serve beside the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) as conveners for our sector’s strategies.”

Addressing workforce shortages is commonly a team lift involving key stakeholder organizations reliant on a steady flow of both job seekers and job openings. As part of this new strategy, expert education partners are also involved such as Chemeketa Community College who offers all its hospitality course and degrees online, and the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Foundation who have received and administered numerous grants from agencies such as the Department of Labor. 

“OCVA’s major role in the coastal tourism industry is to align and support partnerships between communities and partner resources,” said Arica Sears, Deputy Director of the Oregon Coast Visitor’s Association. “The recent identification of leisure and hospitality as a major sector speaks to the collaborative and forward-thinking partners that NW Oregon Works and the Oregon Hospitality Foundation are, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

Workforce shortages continue to be cited by restaurant and lodging employers as the number one issue facing their business. The Oregon Hospitality Foundation will host a webinar highlighting tools and partnerships that can assist with these challenges on Tuesday, May 25th from 2-3:30 p.m.; learn more and register here.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation please visit OregonRLA.org/foundation. 

###

The Oregon Hospitality Foundation, a nonprofit 501c3, strives to support the workforce, education, and philanthropic needs of Oregon’s hospitality industry, Oregon’s second largest employer, which before COVID-19 provided over 180,000 paychecks to working Oregonians. 

The Governor’s announcement ending Extreme Risk in 15 counties will help restaurants at a critical time ahead of Mother’s Day – typically the top sales day of the year.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 5, 2021

Contact:
Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA     
503.302.5060 | jbrandt@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR– Oregon restaurants struggling to survive welcome Gov. Kate Brown’s recent announcement ending the Extreme Risk category for 15 counties, allowing them to resume some indoor dining ahead of their busiest day of the year – Mother’s Day.

On Tuesday, Gov. Brown stuck to her commitment to use statewide metrics announcing that because COVID-19 hospitalization rates have leveled, restaurants and their patrons can return to limited indoor dining starting Friday, May 7. 

“With Oregonians continuing to get vaccinated each week, my expectation is that we will not return to Extreme Risk again for the duration of this pandemic,” Brown said.

This is welcome news to the thousands of local restaurants barely holding on during the pandemic recession.Oregon has seen more than 1,000 restaurants close in the past year.

“With indoor dining coming back online across Oregon, ORLA’s focus now moves to two crucial fronts – supporting efforts to continue relaxing restrictions and finding solutions for lodging and restaurant employers struggling to get their employees back on the schedule,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “The workforce shortage crisis is the challenge of our day outside government restrictions and it’s a national crisis. We look forward to working with our national partners on legislation to turn extended unemployment benefits through September into upfront cash bonuses to accelerate the industry’s recovery.”
 
Restaurant and lodging operations continue to take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. Oregon public health officials have confirmed only 3% of the new COVID-19 cases were traced back to restaurants and bars while most of the new cases are attributed to schools. 

“Now that everyone older than 16 is eligible, help us move away from future government restrictions by getting vaccinated. And please continue to support local restaurants this Mother’s Day by celebrating at your mom’s favorite place,” said Brandt.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

###

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which before COVID-19 provided over 180,000 paychecks to working Oregonians. 

Restaurant Operators Remain Baffled by Disproportionate, Inequitable Restrictions 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 3, 2021

Contact:
Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA     
503.302.5060 | jbrandt@oregonrla.org

Wilsonville, OR– This past week, Oregon State Epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger provided a COVID update to the Oregon Senate Committee on Health Care alongside Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen.

As part of the official testimony, Dr. Sidelinger and Director Allen were asked a series of questions by members of the State Senate serving on the committee. Of particular importance was the answer to a question about environments deemed responsible for increased case counts.

Dr. Sidelinger referenced spread in multiple settings and cited 257 new outbreaks during the course of the past week. He said 30% of cases are attributed to single case outbreaks associated with schools, 12% are attributed to two or more case outbreaks associated with schools, 4.5% of cases are attributed to recreational sports and sports teams, and only 3% are traced back to restaurants and bars. Director Allen also shared 60% of cases are sporadic with no additional information about where they originated.

Testimony continued including a summary statement from Director Allen who stated, “kids going back to school has led to more coronavirus, just not in school. It’s everything around it.”

If restaurants are not a leading cause of spread, owners and operators across the state are baffled why thousands of restaurants in 15 counties have indoor dining bans.

“It is clear from testimony that schools, not restaurants, are driving the overwhelming majority of new COVID cases,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. “Nonetheless, restaurants, which are taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their employees and customers dining indoors, are shut down indoors at thousands of locations across 15 counties despite a lack of evidence to suggest they’re the source of spread.  You can’t justify putting thousands of people out of work in an entire sector of the economy when there’s no evidence it’s contributing to the spike in cases. It makes no sense.”

While the Restaurant Revitalization Fund will help some restaurants, the demand and urgency for aid far outpaces the amount of funding available. The Small Business Administration admitted they expect the federal funds to go quickly as restaurants across the country struggle.

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

###

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which before COVID-19 provided over 180,000 paychecks to working Oregonians. 

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

DHS considering supplemental H-2B seasonal guest-worker visas

​The Department of Homeland Security is “taking a very close look” at whether to issue supplemental H-2B seasonal guest-worker visas for the coming summer months. H-2B visas are reserved for seasonal jobs outside of the agriculture industry, such as landscaping, resorts, and seafood processing, with demand highest in the spring and summer season.

A recent Cato Institute REPORT entitled, “H-2B Visas: The Complex Process for Nonagricultural Employers to Hire Guest Workers,” correctly concludes that the program is overly complex and burdensome and should be streamlined and reformed to benefit both employers and guest workers alike.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association is part of the H-2B workforce coalition whose focus is on three strategic areas right now:

1. Urging the administration to utilize its authority provided by Congress to issue additional H-2B visas (see attached);
2. Securing similar appropriations language for FY22 that would remove any discretion for the administration (change the word “may” to “shall” issue) and mandate a doubling of the cap;
3. Introduction of bipartisan authorization legislation which would permanently increase the cap while also providing many of the integrity measures being pushed by our opposition (in order to undercut many of their strongest arguments). 

Read the coalition's letter to Secretary Mayorkas on supplemental visas.

ORLA recently posted a press release on workforce shortages in the hospitality industry, "Oregon hospitality positions are coming back online but where are the workers?" Oregon Employment Department data shows approximately 136,000 Oregonians are actively looking for work. Even so, hospitality operators are having great difficulty finding applicants who follow through and take open positions within restaurant and lodging establishments in regions across the state.

We reached out to the Oregon Employment Department for additional insights on what resources are available to assist our industry in addressing this challenge. The following is their response:

The Employment Department is committed to helping unemployed workers, with benefits and with finding new jobs and careers, and equally committed to helping businesses find qualified employees, all around the state. We know that business are struggling, and that there are still many struggles facing employers, and workers, financially and in terms of keeping themselves and others safe while the pandemic, although on a much better path now, still continues.
 
Some of the steps that job seekers can take to find a job include:

• Get registered on iMatchSkills.org - Create a profile and get matched to jobs! Employers and our Business Services Staff actively search these profiles for job candidates.
• Browse for jobs at oregon.gov/employ - Select "Find a Job" under the Job Seekers section to browse open Oregon jobs
• Browse for jobs and more at QualityInfo.org - Go to "Find a Job" under Jobs & Careers to use the robust search engine. You can also browse labor market, career, training, local area, and employer information.
• Follow us on LinkedIn - Click here, or search WorkSource Oregon to get connected
• Call us for 1:1 support - Visit our website to find the contact number for your region.

 
We recommend that employers post job listings on www.iMatchSkills.org, which will prompt our staff to follow up with the employer or to directly post the job listing (after employer validation) depending on the employer’s entry responses.
 
For employers with at least minimum recruitment sizes, we are providing additional support, such as Virtual Hiring Events (when at least 1-2 employers have multiple openings) and Drive Thru Events with COVID-19 safety precautions in place (when 6-10 employers have multiple openings). Employers interested in these business services should contact Adalberto Rubio.
 
If employers are having work offers turned down without a COVID-19 related reason, let us know. People can continue receive benefits if they turn down an offer of work because of a COVID-19 related reason (listed below), but if the work is suitable for them and they do not have ‘good cause’ for refusing it, they are not eligible for benefits. We want employers to tell us when that happens so we can follow up and ensure benefits are going to those who meet eligibility requirements, including accepting offers of suitable work.  Someone may have a COVID-19 related reason if they are:

• Ill with COVID-19.
• Potentially exposed to COVID-19 and subjected to a mandatory quarantine period.
• Staying home to care for a family member, or other person they live with or who they provide care for, who is suffering from COVID-19 or subject to mandatory quarantine.
• Unable to work because they have to stay home to care for a child due to the closure of schools, child care providers, or similar facilities due to COVID-19.
• Asked to work when it would require them to act in violation of a mandatory quarantine or government directive.
• Unable to work because they have been advised by their health care provider or by advice issued by public health officials to self-quarantine due to possible risk of exposure to or spread of COVID-19 I have called my staff back to work, but one person is sick with COVID-19 and the other is in quarantine.

 
It may also be useful to remind your members that Work Share can be used to recall workers part time, and the recent federal legislation extended the federal payment of those Work Share benefits through September 4, 2021. More information can be found here.

Webinar Recording: What Employers Need to Know About Oregon's Work Share
In case you missed it, ORLA co-hosted a webinar on Feb. 25, 2021, with representatives from Work Share. Access more information here: 

• Recorded webinar on-demand
• Presentation slides: Work Share Oregon

Oregon hospitality positions are coming back online but where are the workers?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9, 2021
UPDATE: 3.17.21 - Response from the Oregon Employment Department 

Contact:      
Jason Brandt, President & CEO, ORLA      
503.302.5060 | JBrandt@OregonRLA.org

Wilsonville, OR– According to the Oregon Employment Department, approximately 136,000 Oregonians are actively looking for work. Even so, hospitality operators are having great difficulty finding applicants who follow through and take open positions within restaurant and lodging establishments in regions across the state.

As vaccination rates continue to improve with more supply on its way, hospitality businesses are looking ahead to the busy Spring and Summer seasons with plans to bring some of the lost jobs in the industry back online. In a March article available on qualityinfo.org, regional economist Guy Tauer of the Oregon Employment Department describes the drop off experienced in the hospitality industry. “From December 2019 to December 2020 the leisure and hospitality sector shed 38.7% of payroll employment, compared with a loss of 9.1% across all Oregon industries.”

With such a steep dive in employment numbers and substantially high levels of Oregonians searching for work, operators are expressing unexpected challenges in identifying their next teammates for crucial roles in their businesses.

“Oregon’s restaurant and lodging industries get a bad rap due to the size and scope of entry level positions available within our industry,” said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association.“But make no mistake – advancement opportunities in many companies across our industry are considerable for those pursuing careers beyond desired part-time work and those career opportunities can come with six figure salaries for managers in both restaurant and lodging settings.”

Outside of career opportunities, the hospitality industry has long been acknowledged as America’s training ground where our youth and those returning to the world of work can hone their interpersonal skills. “Many Oregonians, including myself, started their career working in restaurants,” said Tauer. “Those skills, such as getting along with coworkers, showing up ready and able to put in a full shift, providing quality customer service and countless more, are essential and transfer to many other industries and jobs.”

You can view Guy Tauer’s full article on the Oregon Employment Department website.

Recently the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association reached out broadly to industry operators across the state to learn more about their challenges recruiting staff. The response was considerable. A small collection of responses from operators across Oregon regarding their workforce shortage challenges are noted below:

“Hood River is a seasonal town. Our spring staff-up for restaurants is always a challenge. This year, however, is unlike any other. On top of the difficulties from COVID closures we face scarce options for capable hires. Our ability to recover, ultimately to survive this past year is at grave risk.” 
- Ben Stenn, Celilo Restaurant & Bar, Hood River

“It has always been more difficult to recruit kitchen staff but now it's harder than ever. Even with a 50/50 tip split between front and back-of-the-house providing $25-$30/hr., applicants are few and far between. We have had a number of applicants tell us they are only applying so they can stay on unemployment. I feel like there needs to be more checks and balances to get people back to work and off unemployment as jobs are becoming available again.” 
- Colin Rath, Migration Brewing Co., Portland

“Pig & Turnip as well as the business owners I have talked to recently are all struggling to find employees ready and willing to work. We currently have several job postings, and instead of the 75+ applications we normally get for a job, we have received two legitimate applications over the span of 12 days.” 
- Natalie Sheild, Sheild Catering and Pig & Turnip, Springfield

“For the first time, in 27 years, I have positions in housekeeping and the front desk unfilled for almost a year. Never have I spent so much on ‘Help Wanted’ ads.” 
- Peggy Backholm, Bandon Inn, Bandon

“Unemployment benefits and government stipends have made it excruciatingly difficult to rehire and hire people to work for our restaurants. Small, independently owned businesses like ours strive to pay competitively and continue to do so despite constraints mandates have put on how we can operate our restaurants. These difficulties make me fear for the likelihood of survival for in-state restaurants moving forward.” 
- Andy Rhine, Cascade Lakes Brewing Co., Bend

“Like many of our colleagues in hospitality, we are currently experiencing some new challenges with recruiting. There were a number of individuals that switched industries during the early part of the pandemic when it became clear that it was a crisis that was not going to resolve quickly.” 
- Cari Shafer, Oxford Suites, Pendleton and Hermiston

“We have been advertising available jobs since we opened again June 2020.  It makes no sense that the Lincoln County unemployment rate is still high as most employers in the area are currently advertising for available work opportunities. This is the worst we have seen in 23+ years and we will have to shutter room inventory this summer if we are not able to fill available positions.” 
- Drew Roslund, Be Our Guest, Inc. and Overleaf Lodge & Spa, Yachats

For a full list of responses from industry operators around the state (sorted by region), see below.

“It is clear employers are anxious to welcome back new and former employees as the industry works to fill everything from low barrier to specialized positions,” said Wendy Popkin, Executive Director of the Oregon Hospitality Foundation charged with the advancement of careers in hospitality. “The challenge seems to be in getting the word out about available jobs and matching those opportunities to job seekers. Hopefully the latest job availability intelligence will help our industry continue to strengthen its relationship with the Oregon Employment Department as we seek to facilitate more connections between job seekers and growing opportunity in our state’s hospitality industry.”

For more information on the efforts of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association please visit OregonRLA.org. 

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The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association is the leading business association for the foodservice and lodging industry in Oregon, which before COVID-19 provided over 180,000 paychecks to working Oregonians. 

Hospitality Industry Responses on Workforce Shortages (by Region)

HOOD RIVER / THE GORGE

“Yes, here in Hood River we are experiencing a hiring frenzy. Combine that with a workforce that can’t afford to live in Hood River and workforce that has been able to live off unemployment assistance and you have a recipe for disaster. Basically, while I appreciate the  efforts, ‘the wheels of government turn slowly.’ While they are debating the newest relief package, employers are starting to look for new hires. What we need now is a program that will wean the labor pool off the government unemployment and get them back out there applying for jobs."
- Andrew McElderry, Skylight Entertainment Inc, DBA Andrews Pizza-Skylight Theater-Hood River Cinemas, Hood River

“Solstice is both feeling the pain of labor shortages for both the present level of business and for planning for the future. We currently cannot staff to the latest capacity allowances. Solstice needs guests in seats to recover from the last 12 months of revenue loss. We are very concerned that we will not be able to staff to our annual seasonal ramp up. Our survival is dependent on the anticipated Summer business. If we do not capture the business that is here in the summer months, we nervously enter the slow season with no cash reserves. This would leave us dependent on government subsidies, which we assume will have dried up by then. 
Over the last 12 months many of our tenured staff have decided to leave the hospitality business to seek out 9 to 5 jobs. In addition to those that have entirely left the sector, those who are currently unemployed are receiving higher government subsidized incentives to stay out of the workforce.”
- Aaron Baumhackl, Solstice Wood Fire Cafe and Bar, Hood River

“It’s a frustrating situation when you actually hire a cook and they don’t even show up (or call) on their start date. If we don’t have a cook, we don’t have a restaurant.”
- Leslie VanSickle, The Dalles Country Club, The Dalles

“Hood River is a seasonal town. Our spring staff-up for restaurants is always a challenge. This year, however, is unlike any other. On top of the difficulties from COVID closures we face scarce options for capable hires. Our ability to recover, ultimately to survive this past year is at grave risk.” 
- Ben Stenn, Celilo Restaurant & Bar, Hood River

"We are only able to offer limited days and hours due to the shortage of applicants for all of our kitchen staffing needs. Until we can hire more staff, we are unable to fill our current reduced seating capacity and on line orders due to this shortage, as well."
- Lisa Merkin, Pub General Manager, Full Sail Brewing Company

OREGON COAST

“We are definitely seeing an increased difficulty filling our positions… I fear we are creating a culture unreasonably dependent on assistance when the means to support themselves is available. The drain on those of us struggling to maintain businesses may very well crush so many that when people finally have to return to work, they may find they have waited too long." 
- Sharleen Hughes, Inn at Lincoln City, Depoe Bay

“Finding quality employees on the coast is always a challenge but even more so now. With shuttered restaurants reopening, it has increased the challenge in a super tight labor force.” 
- Frank Squillo, Wanda’s Cafe + Bakery, Nehalem

“I hope the Legislature will look at the honest intentions of employers to run their business safely in contrast to those who are abusing government programs.” 
- Mark Tolan, Seaside Vacation Homes, Seaside

“Staffing shortages in our market is making operating our business effectively increasingly difficult. Affordable and available housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our industry as we seek to attract and retain employees.”
- Diana Steinman, VIP Hospitality Group, Lincoln City

[click "Read More" to view entire list of responses]