Hospitality day at tHe state House
Hoteliers offering incentives to fill staff Vacancies
As nearly 80 percent of hotels are experiencing staffing shortages, hoteliers are offering potential hires a host of incentives to fill vacancies, according to a new survey of hoteliers conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).
Seventy-one percent of respondents are increasing wages, 64 percent are offering greater flexibility with hours, and 33 percent are expanding benefits—but 81 percent say they are still unable to fill open positions.
tHank you to our generous Hospitality day sponsors!
Seventy-nine percent of survey respondents indicate they are experiencing a staffing shortage, 22 percent severely so. The most critical staffing need is housekeeping, with 43 percent ranking it as their top hiring need.
The numbers are an improvement from September 2022, when 87 percent of respondents to an AHLA survey said they were short-staffed, 36 percent severely so, with 43 percent ranking housekeeping as their top hiring need at the time.
Respondents are attempting to fill an average of seven positions per property, down from 10 vacancies per property in September 2022.
These staffing challenges are resulting in historic career opportunities for hotel employees. As of December, national average hotel wages were at all-time highs of more than $23 per hour. Since the pandemic, average hotel wages have increased faster than average wages throughout the general economy.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, hotel employment is down by more than 250,000 jobs compared to February 2020. Hotels are looking to fill many of the jobs lost during the pandemic, including nearly 100,000 hotel jobs currently open across the nation.
Additionally, AHLA affiliate “Hospitality is Working” recently launched the Workforce & Immigration Initiative. The effort is aimed at urging Congress to address workforce shortages with bipartisan solutions to incorporate more immigrants into the U.S. economy.
“Recruiting enough workers continues to be the top challenge for many hoteliers, and this is leading to historic career opportunities for hotel employees,” said AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers. “AHLA and the AHLA Foundation are working tirelessly to grow the industry’s talent pipeline and retain workers through innovative events like National Hotel Employee Day and compelling ad campaigns like ‘A Place to Stay,’ but there is still more to be done. We need Congress to help address workforce shortages with bipartisan solutions to incorporate more immigrants into the American economy.”
To read the full article, visit lodgingmagazine.com
scrla forges neW partnersHip WitH alltrack perforMing rigHts national restaurant association updates congress on state of tHe industry & policies needed for groWtH
On March 6, the National Restaurant Association sent a letter to Congressional leaders outlining the state of the industry and the policy priorities where their support could make a wide and positive impact for restaurant operators and the industry workforce.
The letter highlighted some of the findings from the recently released 2023 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, including that the restaurant and foodservice industry is fueling the American economy. Its hiring rate and wage increases are outpacing the overall private sector, and this year it is expected to contribute nearly $1 trillion to the economy. In addition, the Association forecasts that the industry will add 500,000 jobs – bringing total industry employment to 15.5. million by the end of 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
To help power this growth, the Association identified these issues where Congress could make a difference: Create opportunity to expand the nation’s workforce.
• Establish a non-immigrant essential worker program by supporting the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act (EWEA).
• Strengthen existing visa programs by raising the cap on H-2B visas and providing an exemption for returning workers, and expediting processing times for EB-3 and J1 visas.
• Provide clarity and a permanent fix to individuals already living in the U.S.
• Shorten the waiting period for asylum seekers to receive employment authorizations.
Support changes that will help bring down the cost of doing business.
• Advance the “Credit Card Competition Act” to stem sky rocketing swipe fees.
• Permanently restore the business interest deduction to reduce tax burdens.
• Scrutinize labor rules from the National Labor Relations Board.
Stabilize and expand the food supply chain.
• Fund agricultural development and insurance programs in the Farm Bill.
• Bolster the Restaurant Meals Program.
• Unravel tariffs that spike costs throughout the restaurant value chain.
“These actions will provide greater economic stability and have an overwhelmingly positive impact on businesses and workers in neighborhoods across the country. Even incremental changes can fuel economic growth in our industry - which will spread in our communities and down the supply chain. Congress can act in a way that will improve restaurant choice, employment, and investment in every area of the country,” said Sean Kennedy, executive vice president for Public Affairs at the National Restaurant Association.
To read the full letter, including each of the policies, visit restaurant.org
The South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (SCRLA) recently entered into a new partnership agreement with AllTrack Performing Rights, the fastest growing Performing Rights Organization (PRO) in the United States, to issue discounted music licenses to its members.
Proper music licensing is fundamental to any business that plays music or hosts live performances, whether at a restaurant, hotel, bar, or nightclub. A PRO clears music for businesses and passes the resulting royalties on to songwriters and publishers each time their songs are played by any of the following means: audio streaming, TV or video streaming, background music services, live performances, live DJs, karaoke, digital files, and jukeboxes.
AllTrack is exclusively dedicated to aggregating independent, aspiring, and professional creators and publishers across all major genres including country, hip hop, pop, and rock, and making their music available to businesses throughout the world.
“We are thrilled to partner with the SCRLA, as South Carolina is home to some of the best and most unique restaurants and hotels in the country,” said Brian Mullaney, Chief Revenue Officer for AllTrack. “We believe the music we represent is the perfect complement to what the state has to offer its visitors and residents.”
Through this partnership, AllTrack will seamlessly provide SCRLA members the blanket protection they require under United States Copyright Law. AllTrack’s tech forward approach makes the process of obtaining a blanket license easier than ever and provides the required protections that cannot be obtained from background music subscription services.
Businesses are required to have a performance license to play copyrighted songs in their establishments that the public can hear and enjoy.
“Music and entertainment for many hospitality businesses are key to the success of their operations,” said Susan Cohen, President and CEO of the SCRLA. “We are pleased to offer our members valuable savings when paying their music licensing fees.”
AllTrack will provide a 15% discount for all SCRLA member restaurants and hotels on their annual licensing fees, which vary by member type and size. In addition, an incremental percentage will be given back to the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Foundation to support post-secondary scholarships, industry-related school-to-career programs, and workforce development initiatives.