Hospitality Begins With Taking Care of Yourself

 

A new year means making changes. It’s all done in the name of putting yourself and your goals first in search of improvements in your life. Additionally, a new year also ushers in many opportunities and the biggest one should always be improving your health.

It is a well known fact that most of us who work in the hospitality industry don’t receive health benefits; it’s been a hot topic for years. Since most employers in this industry aren’t able to provide coverage for their employees, the best option is to enroll into a personal health plan. In fact, in 2016, the Affordable Care Act goes into effect which means that everyone must be enrolled by January 1st, 2016 or face a tax penalty of $695 per adult, or 2.5% of household income, whichever is more.

Since avoiding the penalty while also protecting your own health seems to be the obvious answer, Team Harri did some research to find the best option for you and your family!

Meet Oscar. Oscar is a tech-savvy healthcare network that offers a number of plans designed to help keep you healthy and save you money. They pride themselves on delivering better care at lower costs and like Harri, they are revolutionizing their industry through technology, data and design.

Oscar currently offers plans to individuals, couples, and families living in New York, New Jersey, California and Texas who don’t already receive health insurance from an employer. Oscar’s simplified plans and customer support team will help you answer any questions you may have as well as help you decide which plan is right for you.

In the end, all you have is your health. To learn more about Oscar and easily enroll yourself in their amazing coverage go to www.hioscar.com.

NY Board Upholds $15 Minimum Wage for Fast-Food Workers

 

A state oversight board on Wednesday upheld the decision by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration to gradually raise the hourly minimum wage for many fast-food workers to $15.

The New York Industrial Board of Appeals rejected the National Restaurant Association's arguments that that the wage order was unconstitutional, arbitrary, unsupported by the evidence and focused improperly on fast-food chains with more than 30 locations.

The industrial board, whose members are appointed by the governor, said it's authorized only to determine whether the administration's actions were lawful under New York's labor statutes. A wage board heard testimony earlier this year and recommended the wage increases, which were approved by the state labor commissioner in July.

"We find nothing in the statute to prohibit (the labor commissioner) from issuing a minimum wage order that classifies employees based on the number of locations their employers are affiliated with," the industrial board ruled. The commissioner has authority under the law to investigate the adequacy of wages in any occupation, which can be done "for a subset of a segment of an industry" and requires a record establishing "a factual basis for doing so."

The wage board and commissioner concluded current wages were insufficient to meet workers' cost of living. They also concluded that fast-food chains with 30 or more restaurants nationally are "better equipped to absorb a wage increase due to greater operational and financial resources and brand recognition."

The restaurant association said it is "extremely disappointed" with the ruling and will go to court. "We are committed to helping the restaurant community continue to grow and create jobs across the state and plan to take legal action against this arbitrary mandate which is contrary to law," spokeswoman Christin Fernandez said.

New York's minimum wage will rise to $9 an hour on Dec. 31 for most workers under state law.

About 200,000 fast-food chain employees will see their minimums rise then to $10.50 an hour in New York City and $9.75 elsewhere under the commissioner's order.

Their wages will rise after that in three annual increments to $15 by the end of 2018 in New York City and in six increments to $15 by July 1, 2021 across the rest of the state.

(via ABC News)

Celebrating National Pastry Day

  Today is National Pastry Day, and in honor of the holiday, we will be spotlighting some of the best bakeries and pastry spots in New York City:

BOUCHON BAKERY

Chef Thomas Keller opened the first Bouchon Bakery, located in close proximity to Central Park at Columbus Circle, in 2006. Like any traditional French boulangerie, they offer a wide variety of baked goods, including macarons, croissants, cakes, cookies, breads and more. The cafe and dining portion also serves soups, salads and sandwiches. The brand has now expanded to several branches in Rockefeller Center, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills and Yountville.

Like to work at Bouchon Bakery? Here are current openings for Savory Chef De Partie, Pastry Chef de Partie, Service Manager, Retail Associate and more.

SADELLE'S

Sadelle's is no doubt one of NYC's hottest openings of the year. Foodies lined the block to get a chance to purchase delicious pastries before they sold out. Their chocolate babkas, cheese and fruit danishes, sticky buns and bagels were highly raved. Initially opened just for morning and mid-day service, they have now extended their times to dinner service as well.

Join the growing team at Sadelle's. They are accepting applications for Sous Chef, Prep Cook, Line Cook, Bartender and more.

MAISON KAYSER

Founded by Eric Kayser in Paris in 1996, Maison Kayser is an authentic artisanal French boulangerie. Maison Kayser prides itself in creating artisanal, handmade, natural breads, pastries, cakes and French bistro dishes for food lovers. 

Check out the FOH Barista and Server opportunities at Maison Kayser.

CANELÉ BY CÉLINE

Canelés by Céline is a high end French pastry store that specializes in making mini canelés, which originate from Southwest France. Chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernandin exclaimed, "Céline’s canelés are exceptional for their size and for the perfection achieved between the crunchy exterior and creaminess of the inside." In addition to canelés, they create other pastries, such as financiers and croissants.

Skilled in French pastries? Canelés by Céline is seeking Canelés Chef. Apply for the position on Harri.

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Technology and Video to Change Hiring Game in 2016

 

WELLESLEY, Mass., Dec. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Predictive Index, a company that empowers businesses to realize what drives workplace behaviors, released their hiring predictions for 2016 today.

Mike Zani, CEO of The Predictive Index, feels that companies will need to supplement traditional thinking when it comes to selecting qualified candidates - including using assessments as part of the vetting process.  Zani states, "In order to increase efficiency and find qualified people, we will see the use of behavior, personality, cognitive ability, and skills assessments used earlier and earlier in the hiring process to ensure only the best-fitting candidates are moved through the hiring process."

Most companies are facing the seemingly omnipresent obstacles like the war for talent, change management, employee retention, and the changing workplace (which includes continuing to adapt to the changing needs of the millennial workforce). Facing these challenges head on can provide great opportunities for companies to automate, modernize, and lead in 2016.

The top workplace trends for 2016 identified by The Predictive Index:

1. People Will Use Technology to "Shop" for Their Ideal Employer Employers are seeing the war for talent fought on a national and even global scale. This is due to ubiquitous information access and the fact that the best candidates are more mobile than they had been prior. Organizations now find themselves competing beyond their local market. Additionally, sites like Glassdoor (which provides transparency about what it's like to work at a company) further shifts power from the employer to the well-informed job seeker. Employees can "shop" for their ideal job and company much easier than ever.
2. More Personal Connections between Employees and Employers Will be a "Must Have" Millennials, according to various estimates, will make up a majority of the workforce after 2020. As this majority grows, workers have indicated a desire to feel like they're working for a company they can relate to on a deeper, more meaningful level.  Companies that encourage a fluid, entrepreneurial approach to work and get in involved in causes on a local and global level will be successful in attracting top talent. Social media will continue to grow as a force that drives employer branding, advocacy, and the perception of potential candidates.
3. Video will Change the Hiring Game There will continue to be an increase of hiring tools and software packages that allow employers to easily administer video interviews. With the fluctuation in cost of video hardware and software, more and more companies will be leveraging video to qualify candidates earlier in the hiring process. A growing trend in 2016 will include candidates recording video responses to a few canned questions using their laptop or tablet and uploading them to the potential employer. This makes it easier for an employer to find quality candidates in a scalable way that doesn't break the bank for the candidate.

For more information contact: Karen Pantinas 781-418-2413 kpantinas@daviesmurphy.com

About The Predictive Index Serving more than 8,000 clients across 142 countries and delivering solutions in 70 languages, The Predictive Index is a simple methodology that allows businesses to understand what drives their people so they can take them where they want to go. Through a unique blend of scientific assessments, groundbreaking software, top-notch management training, and professional consulting from the world's best workplace behavior experts, The Predictive Index can help you overcome the most complex business challenges. Scientific validation and a 60-year proven track record has shown that business challenges big and small are no match for our unique approach to client education and knowledge transfer, which ensures swift adoption, direct ROI, and high impact on performance metrics. Each year, 2.5 million PI assessments are administered and over 7,000 professionals are trained in our workshops. Visit www.predictiveindex.com to learn how to select, hire, and onboard the best-fitting talent, increase employee engagement, develop teams, discover high potential employees, and overcome sales slumps.

(via PR Newswire)

American Diners Willing To Spend On Dining Experiences

 

GREENVILLE, S.C., Dec. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans said they would splurge an average of $203 in order to have a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience at a gourmet restaurant, according to a recent online survey by Harris Poll sponsored by Michelin, the global tire maker that publishes, arguably, the world's most celebrated restaurant guide that imparts the famous Michelin stars to the very finest eateries.

"We discovered across every demographic that American diners would be willing to pay a sizable sum to eat the best meal of their lives at a high-end restaurant," said Cynthia Ochterbeck, Michelin's U.S. editorial director for travel guides. "Perhaps this is the influence of around-the-clock food shows and celebrity chefs, but the fine food movement continues to see an extraordinary growth in popularity."

Michelin's survey with Harris Poll queried more than 2,000 U.S. adults, revealing some surprising preferences about great food experiences:

• Millennials (ages 18-34) on average would pay $282 for this culinary experience, compared to those diners ages 45-54 who would shell out $170, and $122 for those 65 and older.
• Geographically, diners in the West are much bigger spenders, saying they would pay $352 for an unsurpassed meal, which is essentially double what people would pay in the Northeast ($182), the South ($149) and Midwest ($148).
• Gender is also a factor, according to survey results. Men are willing to drop an average of $241 for a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience, while women are inclined to spend considerably less on average, at $166.

What cuisine would American diners likely splurge on?

• A quarter of U.S. adults who participated in the Michelin survey say that steakhouse cuisine is their favorite choice for dining.
• Italian ranked as the second choice nationally for the meal of a lifetime. Notably, nearly 1 in 4 Northeast diners (24 percent) favor Italian fare, versus 18 percent in the South, 15 percent in the Midwest and 17 percent in the West. Tied for American adults' third choice are Mexican, American and Continental, all at 13 percent in the survey.

Michelin's famous restaurant guides When it comes to dining expertise, Michelin has a storied history in publishing guides with restaurant advice. The company's founders, brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin, created their first travel guide with dining and hotel recommendations in 1900 to promote early automobile travel and thereby sell more tires. Today, Michelin's Red Guide is recognized internationally as the standard for restaurant information. The Michelin Red Guide is published in 24 countries, covering four continents. Michelin publishes three guides in the United States: New York City, Chicago and San Francisco. All these guides have a suggested retail price of $18.99 ($21.95 in Canada); they can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and your favorite bookstore. Each year, Michelin food inspectors award the finest eateries with the coveted Michelin stars: one star, "a very good restaurant in its category;" two stars, "excellent cuisine, worth a detour;" and three stars, "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey." Michelin recognizes about 112 three-star restaurants in the world.

Survey Methodology This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Michelin from June 24-26, 2015 among 2,028 adults ages. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, contact Tony Fouladpour at tony.fouladpour@us.michelin.com.

About Michelin Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs more than 22,750 people and operates 20 major manufacturing plants in North America.

(via PR Newswire)