Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | November 13, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 15 Hiring is still a challenge Among the fallout from the COVID pandemic has been workforce shortages. Industries, including health care and retail, reported challenges finding and keeping staff to fulfill their employment needs. Those issues eased somewhat for certain industries, but unemployment remains historically low – around 3% – and is trending lower. When polled online, nearly three-fourths of WBJ readers said recruiting new staff is a challenge. Are you having difficulty recruiting new staff right now? F L A S H P O L L No, we never had trouble finding new staff. 8% No, it has improved this year. 18% November 16, 2023 Program 3:00-5:00pm; Networking 5:00-6:00pm • DCU Center (Junior Ballroom), Worcester Cost: $45. Pre-registration required. UNDER FORTY UNDER DIVERSITY & INCLUSION FORUM Register: wbjournal.com/diversity Please join us for this special annual forum, aimed at helping our audience develop a deeper understanding of how the impact of a well run DEI structure can improve operational performance while also enriching the community. IMPACTING POSITIVE CHANGE Presenting Sponsor: Supporting Sponsor: F O C U S qualified and expe- rienced healthcare talent," she said. UMass Me- morial is focused on speeding the hiring process and on applicant experience to try to bring more individuals in, she said. Applicants will hear from a member of the recruiting team within 48 hours of applying, according to Urlaub. It's a way the system is trying to differentiate itself from other organizations while the num- ber of people available for jobs across the board is low. e system is also working to bring in untapped talent in the state, including the immigrant population, refugees, and a pipeline of youth interested in health- care careers. Creating career pathways for entry level employees to learn skills while in positions at the organization is a tenet of UMass's approach, said Urlaub. "ey help us with roles that we know are really challenging to fill," said Urlaub, pointing to the employer's many techni- cian positions. Hospitality bright spot At Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg, general manager Henry Tessman says they aren't seeing significant difficulty in filling roles related to the labor market, but that initiatives and practices to keep applications up and employees in posi- tions remain important. Great Wolf Lodge in just the past six months recovered to pre-pandemic staff- ing levels, said Tessman. e hotel was closed for 15 months of the pandemic, and it took since reopening to achieve full employee counts of 725 to 750, he said. Business is fairly steady year round, he said, with 80-90% occupancy the average. "We spend a lot of time, energy, and money on retention," said Tessman. e trend at Great Wolf Lodge match- es what Christina Pappas, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Lodging Association is hearing from members. e association polled members in October, and respondents indicated that the pipeline for frontline hospitality staff is good, she said. e hotels have been actively recruiting for several cycles, and with the hotel business bouncing back aer pandemic restrictions, staff are returning, too, she said. "People are ready to jump in and have a job again," said Pappas. If there's difficulty in recruiting across the board, it is in hiring for managerial roles in hospitality rather than more en- try-level positions, according to Pappas. Kaitlyn Urlaub, vice president, talent acquisition, UMass Memorial Health Department of Human Resources Yes, it has been an ongoing challenge for the past several years. 70% 4% Yes, it is a new challenge this year. W Reader comment The MassHire Central Region Career Centers and Workforce Board offer resources for employers seeking to hire qualified staff and for job seekers to secure stable, living-wage employment. We can especially help around this time of year as retailers seek to hire seasonal staff. www.masshirecentralcc.com and/or www.masshirecentral.com.

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