​If you are a hospitality technology wiz or have an idea to share, we invite you to step up to the podium and present during the “Reimagine Hospitality - The Digitized Guest Experience” breakout session at the 2022 Wisconsin Lodging Conference and Trade Show on November 7 at The Osthoff Resort. 

T​he hospitality industry has managed to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a labor shortage threatens the recovery. Operators can look to a little-used arrow in their quiver to attract workers: Employee benefits, health insurance in particular.

Does it matter to you that a prospective employer has 5,000 locations worldwide, or that it calls itself the No. 1 leader in hospitality? Probably not, yet it’s messages like these that I see on many hotel job ads. Similar to how properties need to battle for guests, these days they especially need to battle for employees as well.

As the travel and tourism sectors experience increased guest demand, recruitment and retention has become an increasingly important area of focus for hotel owners, managers, and operators. With the rise of the gig economy luring hourly workers away from entry-level jobs and record low unemployment levels, hotels are struggling to maintain minimum staffing levels to keep the doors open.

​With the labor shortage and a high turnover rate it’s no secret that the hospitality industry is struggling to find employees and retain them. Milwaukee Area Technical College Hospitality programs are working on being innovative to create a streamline of employees into the field. The programs are creating new ways of teaching and learning while providing students accolades with each step.