Tough decisions have been made throughout the country. A growing number of hotel owners have been forced to furlough workers to steer their companies through the coronavirus pandemic. These decisions are tough but have unfortunately been necessary.
Rudy Sharp, General Manager of the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak began his new position just as the COVID-19 crisis began hitting the hospitality industry. Like most hotels, the impact of the global pandemic resulted in chaotic adjustments. On his second day on the job, 475 associates were furloughed.
“Even with all my experience in the business that wasn’t one I was fully prepared for,” said Rudy. “My first-time meeting some of the managers here on property was communicating the upcoming changes.”
While the hotel has remained open, Rudy has been committed to working on the frontlines to ensure that his associates will be able to return to work as soon as the crisis ends. He hit the ground running, navigating though his new role while supporting his staff in any way necessary. Rudy has begun seeing light at the end of the tunnel, with groups beginning to rebook previous cancellations and new incentives taking place.
Despite the chaos, Rudy has managed to keep open communication with his staff, continually updating them weekly on the status of the situation. With an optimistic outlook, he looks forward to interacting with his staff on an in-person basis.
“My interactions with the team here have been nothing short of amazing, what a true group of hospitality pros.”
While nobody knows exactly what lies ahead, people like Rudy are diligently fighting to preserve the jobs of hundreds of associates. Thank you, Rudy, for providing optimism through these difficult times.