The importance of remaining up to date.(From the Center)

The economy is reaching new lows as I write this. Considering the outlook, it is understandable that people may think twice before attending conferences this year. I would like to suggest that this is an essential time to update your contacts and knowledge. With that goal in mind, Cornell's Schools of Hotel Administration and Industrial and Labor Relations, along with our center partner, LRP Publications, have developed the third annual HR in Hospitality Conference, set for March 17 through 19, at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Orlando, Florida. As director of the center, I must admit my vested interest in the success of this conference. That said, I still contend that in this year, more than ever, this is a vital conference for HR professionals.

In addition to the need to remain current, this year's conference is important because of changes in Washington and in the economy. First, the Democrats' sweeping victory in November has made the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) a real possibility. This legislation changes the way unions organize, by allowing a union request certification based on a majority of employees' signing cards of interest in being represented. No election would occur. We will discuss the EFCA in detail at the conference and discuss the consequences and strategies that employers can and should implement. Second, the economic crisis has put HR professional in a perilous position. Reductions in force can create legal liability in addition to creating morale problems. Moreover, when the economy turns, will there be enough staff to provide service to the guests? We will discuss how to manage and lay off in these times. Other key topics will be wage and hour lawsuits, human resource scorecards and managing international workforces, moving between union and nonunion environments, examining the latest in employment law, predicting the issues in the next set of hotel negotiations, Millennials in the workplace, employee development as a strategy for growth, and building employee and customer loyalty.

We will once again run both traditional sessions and roundtables. Our roundtables will be led by Cornell faculty, including HR professor Bruce Tracey, ILR dean Harry Katz, and Paul Wagner (who is also a partner in the law firm Shea, Stokes, Wagner, and Roberts). Research center board members Gregg Gilman, of Davis & Gilbert, and Carolyn Richmond, of Fox Rothschild, will chair both traditional sessions and roundtables. We are also thrilled to have Bob Batterman from center partner Proskauer, Rose back to discuss union issues in the hotel industry. In addition, conference stars who return this year include Zev Eigen from MIT, John Gessner from Hooters, Sarah Norton from Hilton Hotels, and Arte Nathan from the Irvine Company. Finally, we are ecstatic to have Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Hotels Corporation, as our keynote speaker.

Conferences are often a difficult sell in tough economic times. This conference, however, was designed to deal with the real issues facing HR professionals now. Thus, instead of representing an expense, I am certain that attending this conference will show long-term savings for HR professionals. Hope to see you there.

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