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When Safety Breaks Down: HR Lessons from the Paris Baguette Factory Tragedy (by Samantha Kim)

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Introduction As someone who has worked in the food industry for the past three years, first at a small local café and now at Paris Baguette, I’ve seen how labor and safety laws protect workers in real time. It’s interesting to see how these rules actually play out on the job and how they shape our daily routines. The United States has a mixed reputation when it comes to sanitation and workplace standards, but compared to many other countries, we still have strong enforcement and awareness. I was reminded of a story from South Korea that made me think about what happens when those systems fail. The Paris Baguette factory accident in 2022 is a tragic example of how ignoring safety can lead to devastating consequences and reveals the importance of human resource management (HRM) in the food industry. The Paris Baguette Factory Accident In October 2022, a 23-year-old woman working at an SPC Group factory in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, was killed in a workplace accident. SPC is the parent...
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Three HR Mistakes That Hold Small Hospitality Businesses Back (And How to Fix Them): Insights from 10 Years on the Front Line (by Sofia Sepetjian)

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Having spent the last decade growing and working at my family’s bakeries, I have become all too accustomed to the best and worst aspects of the industry. I went from an 8-year-old employee sampling our fresh bread to draw in customers to the Front of House Manager who trains new staff, handles customer complaints, and keeps day-to-day operations running as smoothly as possible. While the bakery feels like home, it has also taught me that small hospitality businesses often underestimate one of the most critical functions of the workplace: human resources. Unlike large, structured hotels, small businesses treat HR as an afterthought until a problem forces change. Over the years, I’ve noticed three major mistakes in HR that hurt employee morale, retention, and performance- and I want to share what steps we took to fix them. Mistake #1: No Real Onboarding Training is a big part of employee success, and small businesses often treat it as a one-time event that is easily forgotten. New hires...
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How Job Seekers Can Succeed in AI-Assisted Hiring

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As artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized how businesses recruit and select talent , job seekers must also adapt to this new reality. This week, we shift the focus from how companies and HR managers can lead the process to how job seekers can use AI strategically to enhance their success in the job application process while maintaining authenticity, integrity, and self-awareness. The Research Acknowledging AI’s significant impacts on various HR functions , particularly the hiring process, my coauthors, Drs. Ning-Kuang Chuang , Yung-Kuei Huang , and I published a viewpoint article in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research . We discussed how job seekers can use AI tools strategically and responsibly throughout their job search. How Job Seekers Can Stand Out in AI-Assisted Hiring Job seekers who understand how AI systems operate across the hiring process can take greater control of their career search. Specifically, we propose six strategic ways to succeed: Se...
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How Companies and HR Managers Can Lead in the Age of AI-Assisted Hiring

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized how we recruit and select talent . HR and hiring managers are no longer just recruiters. They are strategic supervisors of the whole AI ecosystem. The new challenge is to lead responsibly, ensuring that technology enhances rather than replaces human judgment. The Big Question In our recent publication in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research , “Staying ahead: A critical assessment of the GenAI-assisted hiring process using the OECD AI Principles,” my coauthors Drs. Ning-Kuang Chuang , Yung-Kuei Huang , and I address the following question: How can hospitality and tourism (H&T) firms remain competitive, relevant, and compliant with the global AI standards (e.g., the OECD AI Principles)? How HR and Hiring Managers Lead AI-Assisted Hiring Responsibly AI has significantly improved hiring efficiency, from automating job postings and resume screening to scheduling and conducting job interviews and drafting job offers. Howev...
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How AI Is Revolutionizing the Hiring Process

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how organizations hire talent. Today, AI is not just a tool but a partner that supports and enhances human decision-making across all six distinct phases of the hiring process, from receiving applications to extending job offers (see Figure 1). The Research I collaborated with Drs. Ning-Kuang Chuang and Yung-Kuei Huang to assess Generative AI’s (GenAI) impacts throughout the hiring process using the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) AI Principles for trustworthy AI . We published our work in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research , addressing four guiding questions: RQ1. What revolutionary changes does GenAI bring into the hiring process? RQ2. What ethical concerns arise when aligning GenAI hiring practices with the OECD AI Principles? RQ3. How can the two hospitality and tourism (H&T) stakeholders – H&T firms and their managers, as well as job seekers remain competitive, relevant, and co...
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Research Questions Regarding AI in HRM: Preparing for an AI-Powered Workplace

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In a series of discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) in human resource management (HRM), we explored how AI has transformed the traditional HR functions and how HR professionals can remain irreplaceable in the age of AI . To help organizations and HR professionals prepare for the still-evolving AI-empowered workplace, academic research must not only address the relevant and timely research questions but also emphasize the need for responsible and ethical AI use that matters to our industry partners. The Big Question After reviewing AI’s impacts on the HR profession, my co-author, Dr. R.L. Fernando Garcia , and I sought answers to another question: What pressing research questions can be addressed to support organizations and HR professionals in a new GenAI-empowered work environment? The Answers In our article published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management . We argued that much more research is needed to help organizations use AI responsibl...
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How HR Professionals Can Remain Irreplaceable in the Age of AI

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Last week, we discussed how artificial intelligence (AI), particularly the widespread adoption of generative AI (GenAI), has transformed the traditional HR functions across the six stages of the employee lifecycle. Many professionals want to understand what roles still remain for humans in HR. The Big Question Reflecting on our personal and professional experiences, my co-author, Dr. R.L. Fernando Garcia , and I reviewed the relevant literature and industry reports to answer: How can HR professionals sustain their critical role in the organization when AI is transforming traditional HR functions? The Answers We provided our answers to the question in our recent article published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management . Our reflection reveals that AI adoption does not diminish HR’s importance. Instead, AI will redefine the HR profession. HR professionals must strengthen the areas that AI cannot replace while embracing new responsibilities that emerg...
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