“ Identify employees with the highest potential and highest productivity , because it ’ s much less expensive to keep a team member than to replace one .”
— Ann Simmons Nicholson , Founder , the Simmons Group
tunity within their organization .”
In response , a number of Nicholson ’ s clients have established leadership development programs , “ a commitment of 18 months to two years where fresh college graduates start at a certain rate and are introduced to almost the entire company ” over that period ( she recommends regular pay raises , every six months or so ).
By the time the candidates finish , “ they ’ re more well-rounded . Usually by that time , there ’ s a position they can go to that might get them that $ 80,000 to $ 90,000 a year . It ’ s sort of a long-term job interview , but it ’ s good for both parties .”
It ’ s true that Gen-Z workers are “ less interested in loyalty and tenure in general ,” says Nathan , “ and this poses a real challenge to traditional managers and supervisors . This group , like many in other generations , is simply demanding a more democratic management style .”
Some employers are more open to “ non-traditional hiring pools ,” says Nicholson . The latter can include retirees , who are usually more flexible with scheduling and don ’ t require a full benefits package ; the recently incarcerated (“ a group that ’ s often overlooked ” but may be eligible for certain positions ); and the disabled .
Nathan observes that regional casinos have “ quickly adopted older and other non-traditional workers ,” but Las Vegas is still “ style-conscious , and trying to stick to traditional appearance practices .
“ That ’ s not to say most gaming companies aren ’ t doing everything they can to fill open positions , with whatever qualified talent there is . The problem is still that prospective employees are voting with their feet — staying away from work and companies for a variety of reasons . One issue may still be the lack of flexible options available to gaming companies . Their staffing plans still don ’ t include the kinds of flexibility constructs that Mc- Donald ’ s and Walmart have successfully pioneered .”
Full-time equivalent ( FTE ) arrangements , or job-sharing , can work for some who don ’ t need a 40-hour-plus job . But work-from-home ( WFH ) options are less abundant in gaming , and there ’ s something to be said for onsite working as a team-builder . Most hospitality jobs simply can ’ t be phoned in , Nicholson observes . And remote workers “ end up missing out on what ( the late Zappos CEO ) Tony Hsieh called the ‘ collisions at work ’”— the water cooler chat , the Monday-morning get-togethers , the face-to-face collaborations that are “ the building blocks of culture .”
According to a 2022 report in Wired , for all the perceived benefits of remote work , “ social connection remains a pain point .
“ There are plenty of advantages to remote work — and , after two years of doing it , some people refuse to go back to the office . At the same time , employees who don ’ t know their coworkers , don ’ t interact with people beyond their team , or don ’ t have strong ties are far less likely to stay in a job .”
Remote options are still popular in positions that can accommodate that practice , says Nathan . “ The limiting factor is management acceptance of WFH and the difficulty many managers have supervising that phenomenon effectively . Most gaming companies would opt for more return to work if they could get employees to accept it . Workplace culture is something that WFH is still affecting .”
Who ’ s the Boss ?
There are reasons to believe that workers are now in the catbird seat , able to pick and choose their jobs and dictate the terms . That ’ s probably overstating it , but businesses that survived Covid may have a greater appreciation of the rank-and-file employees who drive the enterprise .
“ Social media has promoted an environment where one has 15 seconds to show a person WIFM ( what ’ s-in-it-for-me ),” says Takeshita . “ With an increase of people using social media as a job-seeking platform , companies that recognize the importance of paying attention to and highlighting what ’ s important to their team members will attract and retain better talent . A thoughtful and comprehensive benefit package , rewards and recognition , work-life balance and incentives that resonate with team members are not just nice perks — they ’ re essential to attract talent .”
Meanwhile , says Nicholson , unemployment is at an all-time low because of demographics .
In the early 1990s , “ we had a ‘ drop off a cliff ’ in birth rate ,” she says . “ Twenty years ago , October 18 , 2021 was identified as the date that 12,000 to 13,000 boomers would be eligible for retirement , and only 8,000 to 9,000 from younger generations would be joining the workforce . On top of that , add the global pandemic , early retirements and people able to work from home . So it ’ s a perfect storm . There are fewer and fewer people entering into the service industry .”
All the more reason to find a strong core of employees and give them reasons to stick around .
26 Global Gaming Business MAY 2023