Atrium Hospitality

Jude Resser

Jude Resser is a seasoned HR professional with over two decades experience in the hospitality industry. Reser worked with Marriott International for a span of 17 years before joining Atrium Hospitality in 2019 as a regional director of HR. During the post-pandemic period, she became the director of talent acquisition at Atrium. Now serving as vice president of human resources, Reser oversees HR strategies and operations across multiple hotels, ensuring talent management and employee engagement remain top priorities.

In an exclusive interview with Manage HR, Reser shared her valuable insights on the challenges, trends and best practices of the PEO space.

What are some of your roles and responsibilities as the vice president of human resources at Atrium Hospitality?

I hold the position of vice president of human resources, hotel operations at Atrium Hospitality, where my primary responsibility is to oversee the HR operations across various locations. I am entrusted with the management of HR operations for a total of 43 hotels, each affiliated with various prominent brands such as Marriott, Hilton, and IHG, as well as several independent hotels. My team consists of 23 HR professionals, who are supported by additional staff members in the field.

My role extends to collaborating with talent acquisition specialists, who are actively engaged in the recruitment and selection processes. We address the diverse range of day-to-day HR responsibilities together, which encompass areas such as compliance, talent acquisition, training, brand adherence, and more. This comprehensive scope of work involves managing various facets, including matters pertaining to health and safety, workers' compensation, and associate relations issues. In essence, my responsibilities encompass the gamut of HR operations expected in a typical working day.

What are some of the challenges that you see in the PEO space today?

One of the significant challenges in my industry revolves around the ability to effectively recruit and select suitable individuals for the appropriate positions, and subsequently retaining them. Addressing staffing and retention, along with fostering employee engagement, is a constant priority in my daily responsibilities. I diligently work through strategies and actions to tackle these challenges.

“When it comes to employee engagement and retention, it is crucial to prioritize adaptability, flexibility, and open communication.”

Despite these obstacles, our company has experienced successes in steadily expanding our workforce. We encountered a considerable and unprecedented turnover rate during the recovery period from the pandemic in 2022. While we demonstrated our capability to fill positions, it is now imperative to focus on the retention aspect. Achieving this entails rebuilding the organizational culture, placing emphasis on creating a favorable work environment, enhancing the experiences of new hires and existing employees, and ensuring that our practices actively support employee retention. This approach is fundamental to the HR industry and also applicable across various sectors.

Is there a process or methodology followed to kind of help you mitigate these challenges?

We have revamped our orientation experience, aiming to make it more engaging, interactive, and inviting for new hires. We have implemented several updates, including improved communication methods and a reduction in the number of SOPs that require signing off. The executive team members have been actively involved in the process, participating in meet-and-greet sessions with new associates. To ensure new employees are not simply thrown into their roles without guidance, we have developed functional training checklists. These align with their job descriptions, ensuring that they receive proper mentoring and support before being placed on the floor.

In support of retention, we have conducted a wage analysis as an ongoing project. This analysis takes into account changes in the labor market and the competitive landscape, allowing us to quickly compare our wages and salaries against those offered by our competitors. This ensures that our compensation remains competitive and prevents employees from seeking alternative employment opportunities for minimal wage differences. Furthermore, our compensation and benefits team regularly reviews our benefit offerings and total rewards packages. We have also revamped our tuition reimbursement program and scrutinized our sick leave and vacation policies to ensure competitiveness in the market.

We have placed a greater emphasis on providing learning and development opportunities for our associates, particularly in supervisory skills. We partnered with American Hotel Lodging Association (AHLA) for skill-building programs, identifying and nominating high-potential associates to advance their careers. This three-month training initiative combines virtual learning modules with live presentations by executive leaders within our company. The program equips participants with valuable insights into transitioning to supervisory positions, providing recommendations, and sharing best practices for successfully managing a team.

Our engagement surveys also play a vital role in our efforts to enhance employee satisfaction and retention. We conduct regular surveys and maintain an ongoing dialogue about engagement. Action plans are put in place and consistently updated, with engagement topics integrated into our department meetings. I personally seize every opportunity to engage with associates during my field visits, conducting focus group meetings, feedback sessions, and one-on-one meetings. By asking open-ended questions and allowing associates to freely express their thoughts and experiences, we gain valuable insights into their perspectives and current employment concerns.

Is there a prominent trend that can shape the PEO space within the next 12 to 18 months? 

When it comes to engagement and retention, it is crucial to prioritize adaptability and flexibility in communication. As we compete with the gig economy, we may need to explore alternative scheduling options, such as accommodating a nine-to-two shift for working mothers with young children or offering later shifts for parents with varying work schedules. It is essential for managers to be open to these conversations and demonstrate greater flexibility than before. We must be mindful of associates who rely on different means of transportation, as schedules that do not align with their availability can hinder their ability to commute to work. We should explore potential solutions to accommodate their transportation needs, such as adjusting shift start times.

Furthermore, it is imperative that we become better listeners to our employees. The current labor market may not voice their concerns as openly as in the past. Instead of providing reasons for resigning, associates may abruptly quit without any communication. To counter this, we must establish connections with new hires and candidates early on. By creating a sense of connection and understanding, we can prevent instances of sudden departure and ensure a more positive working environment.

What advice would you share with an aspiring professional in the PEO space? 

Patience is a critical factor in achieving success. It is essential to be patience with our associates, considering the multitude of challenges they face in the current labor generation. They experience heightened stress from various environmental factors, including economic, political, social, and financial pressures. In addition, prioritizing mental health is of utmost importance. As leaders, we must practice patient and empathetic listening, demonstrating genuine concern for the well-being of individuals while simultaneously striving to achieve our business objectives.