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SPIRIT panelists: Good workers hard to find, harder to keep

SPIRIT panelists: Good workers hard to find, harder to keep

LOS ANGELES —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

The panelists, all representatives of companies that received this year’s SPIRIT Awards for their innovative and successful human resources policies, gathered during this year’s Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference in Los Angeles to share employment practices that have been developed for today’s competitive yet dwindling industry workforce. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

“Our challenge is the same that all of us in the industry face,” said Matt Riley, director of human resources for Bruegger’s Enterprises Inc., based in Burlington, Vt. “It’s hard to find good people, it’s hard to find out what makes them tick and then what it takes to keep them.” —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

The SPIRIT Awards, created by Nation’s Restaurant News and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, were sponsored by The Coca-Cola Co. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

In 2007, the industry will employ more than 12.8 million people in the United States and “without a properly recruited, trained and recognized staff, a business has little chance of success,” said Mary M. Adolf, the NRAEF’s president and chief operating officer. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

The SPIRIT awards panel was moderated by Dina Berta, NRN’s human resources editor. Panelists and award winners were Paul Bolles-Beaven, chief people officer at Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City; Marty Calcagno, director of human resources at Famous Dave’s of America Inc. in Minneapolis; Riley from Bruegger’s; and Frank Weber, vice president of food and beverage operations at Royal Caribbean International in Miami. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

Panelists touted the importance of hiring the right people for each respective company or brand, as a bad hire can have lasting long-term effects. At Famous Dave’s, current and successful employees are the best recruiters, Calcagno said, as “they get it, they know what it takes to succeed.” More a quarter of new employees at Famous Dave’s, which operates and franchises nearly 500 restaurants, come from internal referrals, he said. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

Union Square’s Bolles-Beaven spoke of using hospitality when educating and working to retain employees. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

“If the goal is to make [employees] engaged, then the secret weapon is hospitality,” he said. “How we make [employees] feel is so important.” —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

Union Square Hospitality Group, which operates 12 restaurants in New York from the fine-dining Union Square Cafe to the quick-service Shake Shack, uses monthly new-hire meetings with founder Danny Meyer to help solidify the company’s “open-door” relationship with employees. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

Bruegger’s also has been focused on creating a positive experience for its employees and guests. The company, which operates or franchises about 260 specialty bagel restaurants, has started to offer limited health benefits for part-time workers and provides paid leave for time that employees perform volunteer work. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

Sensitivity to the various backgrounds and cultures of industry employees also helps to create a positive work environment, said Weber of Royal Caribbean, operator of 21 cruise ships that employ more than 13,000 food and beverage employees that speak more than 80 languages. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

“Easy-to-understand training,” as Weber described it, is imperative, he said. Royal Caribbean uses video training in multiple languages, with humorous segments created by actual staff members so that new hires can relate to the material rather than watching actors portray their jobs. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

Finally, giving employees control over their own career path also helps to keep employees engaged and happy at work, he said. Royal Caribbean’s “Chart Your Course” program helps each employee develop a career track covering various roles and options. —A positive work environment and opportunities for career growth are two key drivers behind successful recruitment and retention, said human resources executives whose companies boast savvy employment techniques that garnered industry recognition earlier this month.

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