Culture Corner with Sara Abbott, Metropolis Resort

WHLA’s Workforce Culture Task Force is pleased to share the first installment of “Culture Corner'', a monthly news story featuring workforce culture initiatives from WHLA member hotel and lodging properties. Workforce recruitment and retention is still the biggest challenge for many lodging properties, and this series is meant to share ideas on how we can make the workplace culture at our properties a great tool for employee retention.

The Metropolis Resort is a family owned business featuring 111 unique hotel rooms, a trampoline park with ninja warrior courses, an indoor water park with a lazy river and aquatic playground, and a fun center with indoor and outdoor go-karts, laser tag, and all under one roof.  Resort General Manager Sara Abbott shared nine employee appreciation ideas that hit her team and led to more engaged and loyal employees.

1. Because we have lots of students working for us, we stock the break rooms when they have special times of hardship. For example, during finals week, we stock the break rooms with energy drinks, coffee, pop tarts, protein bars, healthy snacks, and other items that they can “grab & go” to take their finals or study. We even bought a small freezer that we fill with frozen pizzas, and the team makes them when they are hungry!
   
   
2. When the resort is really busy, I make a “Mom Meal” that is always something made from the heart that your Mom would make on a Sunday afternoon. Some of the things that I’ve done are lasagna, scalloped potatoes and ham, tacos, tater tot hotdish, etc. It’s important that it’s not leftover banquets, it’s something special that I make, and they know that I cooked for them all morning. When I cook this food, I go around and deliver it to each team member in a to-go box and personally thank them & give them a hug.
   
   
3. We have an awesome Christmas party with raffle prizes, BINGO, everyone gets to drink and stay overnight at the hotel for free. It’s a big deal because people really don’t stay overnight very often. It’s the most fun day of the year.
   
   
4. We give $5,000 worth of scholarships to employees every year. We write the check out to their school. They have to apply and explain why the Resort has been a great job experience for them. This was really important to me as I was a student employee. They really appreciate it!
   
   
5. We offer vacation time to hourly employees. I think it’s awesome that college kids can go on a Spring Break trip and get paid!
   
   
6. We offer “breakfast with my boss” which is just an hour where team members can sit with me or our owner. They can learn about our background, and ask any questions about the business or just chit chat. It’s a neat experience that I would have loved when I was first starting out in my career.
   
   
7. We installed TVs all over the back of the resort. They play different slideshows announcing things like, Birthdays, anniversaries, announcements, “you’ve been caught doing something good”, etc.
   
   
8. We buy and give out “Resort Merch” that only employees can get. We don’t sell it. It’s not uniform. They are different apparel, drinkware, etc.
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9. We internally advertised a day of “behind the fun” when our team could come play at the parks and bring as many friends as they want for free as long as they filled out an application. We had free pizza, soda, and play. We hired 5 people from it. Not one of our team brought in anyone that they wouldn’t want to work with.

About the Workplace Culture Task Force

WHLA’s Workplace Culture Task Force was created to explore best practices in building a healthy workplace culture that attracts and retains employees. Sara Abbott serves as a lodging director on the WHLA Board of Directors and is the 2023 Chair of the Workforce Culture Task Force. If you would like to join this task force in their work, please contact Bill Elliott at belliott@wisconsinlodging.org.

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