Linchi Kwok, Ph.D.

Bells are ringing, and the New Year is around the corner. Have you made plans for the holiday already?     I got a chance to check on four hospitality students at Cal Poly Pomona lately about their plans for the winter break. Our students feel appreciated about their in-person campus life and hope for a new academic year.     The student profiles     Bianca Louise N. Del Castillo , a second-year master’s student in the M.S. Program in Hospitality Management.   Brandon J. Oceguera , a first-year student with a focus on food and beverage. He now works in a country club in Orange County.   Destiny S. Wallace , a first-year student with a focus on lodging.   Jordan A. Garcia-Nazarit , a veteran and a junior with a hospitality major. He is also the President of the Hospitality Management Council, the central representative body of student organizations and Associated Students, Inc (ASI) within the Collins College of Hospitality Management.      Students felt grateful to be back on campus fo

The hotel and restaurant industries have experienced a recession in the past two years and encountered difficulties. Nowadays, the hotel and restaurant industry has been recovering. Meanwhile, the hospitality industry needs to confront the severe problem of labor shortage.  Manipulating strategy to overcome labor shortages According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (ALHA), the rate of job vacancies in the hotel industry is very high. The hotel industry has 91 percent of job vacancies that cannot be filled. In addition, 87 percent of hotels encountered a lack of staff. Additionally, Hospitality Asset Managers Association (HAMA) is concerned about the labor market. Matt Arrants is the president of the HAMA. He mentioned that labor is an important asset. A good employee can provide good services to the customers and help the business increase sales. During the pandemic, many hotel employees left their jobs. Some employees resigned from their jobs. However, many employees we

Technology has now become part of an employee’s daily work and a new way of life. This transformation creates an all-in workforce approach, with engaged employees that make up a more diverse workforce.    The Future of the Workforce   The workforce will continue to be diverse, with different generations constantly entering and exiting. There need to be new ways to achieve productivity while maintaining simplicity. Constantly upskilling employees in a way that appeals to them will contribute to productivity.  Technology as an Enabler: New technology and products will continue to change how we work. Embrace Disruption: “Change is the only constant.”  Utilize Information Technology: Social media will always yield better and faster results. Excellent Iteration: Projects develop at a fast pace to match evolving employees. Expectations. Move quickly through development and constantly ask for feedback. Be comfortable with smaller steps and changes. Delegate: Managers should not be doing all o