KLIN News caught up with Executive director at Nebraska Hospitality Association, Zoe Olson, to follow up about the state of Nebraska’s hospitality industry which, in late 2022, was still recovering from the 2020 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
“It’s still a challenge” said Olson. “Our industry did not expect to come back as a whole until probably the end of this year…We’re still having challenges.”
Staffing may be one of the largest issues facing Nebraska businesses right now. Olsen said “Despite having raised wages tremendously in our state, we just simply don’t have enough people for the jobs,” she continued, “Supply chain issues are still out there… and then inflation has been difficult. The cost of goods has gone up tremendously, and we’re not expecting that to change anytime soon.”
A staffing shortage may not be surprising, as Nebraska has one of the lowest unemployment rates nationally. Far below the 5% full unemployment rate standard. Olson queued on comprehensive immigration reform as a solution to this dilemma, “We need a working way for people who want to come to our country, and not wait 20 years, to be able to come here.” Further saying we ought to embrace Nebraska’s long history of immigration, “You know, Nebraska’s always been a place of immigrants, right? There’s no reason why we can’t welcome others to come here and participate in our economy.”
Olson is hopeful that further reform to immigration policy, which must come from congress, can help bolster local business’ staffs and the Nebraska Economy at large.