Those benefits included medical, dental, and vision insurance available without payroll deductions, 401(k) retirement savings with employer matching contributions, generous paid time off, free daily meals during paid breaks, and tuition reimbursement.

And it makes economic sense for the business.” All of our team members were never without insurance. We kept everyone’s insurance going, full coverage during the three-month closure and even when we reopened at 25 percent capacity. “We were closed for 92 days, and we kept everyone’s benefits going in order to keep the best team members. “Our ancestors have a strong ethic of taking care of one another,” Sarris said. It continued to provide both wages and benefits during that time. In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, Graton raised its minimum wage substantially higher than surrounding businesses. Workers there are thinking in terms of careers.īehind the phenomenon is a sense of loyalty on both sides. Graton Resort and Casino, the third largest employer in Sonoma County, has seen the opposite of the Great Resignation. Sarris is chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which operates the largest tribal casino in the Golden State. Greg Sarris doesn’t worry much about employees leaving for greener pastures. It’s the workforce version of a buyer’s market. In many cases, people haven’t returned to their old jobs, even when the positions reopened.

The phenomenon has put workers in the driver’s seat, in a position to demand higher pay, more perks and increased remote-work options. Employers are practically begging people to apply for jobs. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to labor shortages in all sectors, but hospitality and gaming have been especially hard hit. Treat your employees really well-like family-and they won’t join the more than 47 million Americans who took part in the so-called “Great Resignation” that began last year.

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