Suzanne Wild doesn’t like using visa workers to solve her seasonal-workforce needs. She’s the director of services for the Marriott Summit Watch and during the 2007-2008 season the majority of her housekeeping staff was on H2B or J1 visas with 10-month work contracts.

Summit Watch had to subsidize their housing, the students developed no loyalty to the company, she found there was low productivity and the estimated cost of turnover for each worker was $2,145.

In the meantime, many Park City Latinos had I-9 Form problems and struggled to provide documentation they were legal to work.

So Wild began considering other methods of staffing. Then she was introduced to the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City. Every year 1,000 new refugees arrive in Utah looking for work. Overlooking the language barrier that’s common to her line of work, Wild found them to be hard working and grateful for their jobs.

For about $7,000 a year Summit Watch can operate a 15-passenger van to bring them to Park City from the Salt Lake Valley for their shifts a lot less expensive than worker housing.

During the 2007-2008 season she initially hired 14 refugees from Burma and this year has 18 on staff. Her turnover rate is now closer to 4 percent instead of 98 percent.

There was a tough transition at first. Towels and bedding need to be folded a certain way, for example. Wild had trouble training them and explaining what not to do. In 2008 she told The Park Record that one of them put toasters in the dishwasher.

Since those communication struggles have been surmounted, it’s been great, she said.

Last Friday, March 12, Wild hosted a group of new refugees to job shadow her staff and see if working in a hotel would be something they’d like.

Jessica Anderson with the International Rescue Committee said the group is called Job Club. Every Friday morning they learn hands-on job skills, and then in the afternoon put them into practice by shadowing.

Wild introduced them to her Burmese employees and explained the process of getting assimilated onto the staff. She talked about the benefits of working for a hotel or a large corporation like Marriott including paid holidays and health benefits.

She explained that English-proficiency and experience were not required, just good customer-service skills and a desire to work hard.

After a presentation, Netra Bahadur Sanyashi, originally from Bhutan, teamed up with Burmese worker Lai Ran Tueng to clean rooms together.

Sanyashi said he spent most of his life in Nepal and has been studying English since the 10th grade. He caught on quickly to Tueng’s directions, mostly done with hand signals, saying he used to clean and change bedding at a hospital in Nepal.

Wild said the refugees are appreciative employees, and loyal workers treat guests well. Her hotel has a good rating for service within the Marriott brand and she wants more employers in Park City to see them as a potential resource for creating a win-win relationship.

The International Rescue Committee can be reached at (801) 328-1091.


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