BEST PRACTICES FOR THE HOSPITALITY WORKFORCEWith funding from Travel Oregon, ORLA’s Education Foundation commissioned OSU's Hospitality Management Program to conduct research to identify and highlight organizations in Oregon who have created innovative practices that have resulted in improved employee retention. The results are a series of short video interviews with nine companies who recognized the need to transform their view of the company’s relationship with their employees.
While best practices highlighted in the study range from first-year engagement tactics to experiential training, there were several common threads recognized among the companies interviewed, including the need to change human resource and management practices in order to increase retention and integrate perspective from outside the hospitality industry. |
“Leaders implementing best practices realize the current labor market and trends are unsustainable, they need to adapt or die, literally.” |
Workforce Turnover: Creative Solutions
Wendy Popkin, (former) Executive Director ORLA Education Foundation |
Retention: Oregon Best Practices Study
Todd Montgomery, Project Researcher Oregon State University |
Employee Perspective: Retention Best Practices
Cristina Bennett, Graduate Oregon State University |
OREGON INNOVATORS: Best Practices Interviews
Company: Vacasa
Interviewee: Stephanie Bastin-Wells, Head of Employee Experience Tactic: Benefits & Flexibility Location: Statewide |
Company: Oregon Beach Vacations
Interviewee: Dean McElveen, Director of Operations Tactic: Employee Ownership Location: Oregon Coast |
Company: Loge Camps
Interviewee: Johannes Ariens, CEO Tactic: Soft-Side Benefits Location: Central Oregon |
Company: Kachka Restaurant Group
Interviewees: Israel Morales Bonnie Morales, Owners Tactic: Health & Wellness Fee Location: Portland Area |
Company: Legacy Healthcare
Interviewee: Colleen Peters, Director of Food & Nutrition Tactic: Youth Transition Program Location: Oregon - Statewide |
Company: Blue Scorcher Bakery
Interviewee: Joe Garrison, Co-Owner Tactic: Shared Power Location: Oregon Coast |
Company: Mt. Bachelor
Interviewee: Monica Rotzien, Vice President of Human Resources Tactic: Company Culture & Caring Location: Central Oregon |
Company: Adrift Hotel
Interviewee: Tiffany Turner, CEO & Rebecca Blasko, Director of HR Tactic: Living Wage Location: Oregon Coast |
Company: Five Pines
Interviewee: Greg Willitts, President Tactic: Family Driven Culture Location: Central Oregon |