Linchi Kwok, Ph.D.

When people think of Dutch Bros, they usually picture colorful drinks, loud music, free stickers, and baristas so friendly they’ll jump in the car with you.  As someone who has had the opportunity to work for Dutch Bros, I can say that the energy customers feel isn’t an act; it is the result of intentional and effective HR practices that are focused on orientation, socialization, and culture. From your very first day, you experience how these practices shape the entire Dutch experience.  Orientation, Socialization, Culture   In HR management, orientation is the introduction of the role and company to new hires. This is intended to help them feel welcomed and informed. Socialization goes beyond the initial training process; it’s how new hires grasp the organization’s values, behaviors, and traditions over time. Together, these fun...

Artificial intelligence has made massive improvements over the years. Recently, AI has reshaped the landscape of human resources. This is especially true in large hotel companies and hospitality brands where hundreds, if not thousands, of applications may come in for a single role. Tools such as automated resume screening, predictive analytics, and structured digital interviews can reduce the administrative burden on HR teams. However, as these systems become more prevalent in recruitment, hospitality leaders must confront the unintended discrimination emerging from the data and design of AI tools. The basic structure of AI is rooted in efficiency, but the very data that powers these systems can also be embedded with human bias. Decisions made by AI can unintentionally exclude qualified applicants, overlook diverse talent pools, and create new barriers, particularly for neurodivergent candidates navigating video-based assessments. Understanding these risks is essential for hospital...

Before taking HRT 3500, I understood the basic idea of unions, but I had never fully seen how much they impacted everyday work. That changed when I realized that the hotel where I worked operated with two completely different labor systems: almost every department was unionized, except one small department where I worked. I had never thought much about that difference until I witnessed how a single management decision, an attempted AI monitoring tool, played out in union departments compared to my own. Seeing that contrast made everything we learned about collective bargaining, employee voice, and workplace fairness feel real rather than theoretical. One morning, while grabbing a late lunch in the employee cafeteria, I noticed union representatives speaking with groups of housekeepers. The conversations appeared serious, and by the next day, the entire department was celebrating. I later learned what had happened: management had attempted to introduce an AI tool through carts or wa...

Sexual harassment in hospitality is often described as “part of the job,” especially for frontline workers such as housekeepers, servers, and front-desk staff. However, this belief reflects a long-standing failure, not a workplace reality that employees should accept. Hospitality roles require workers to interact directly with guests in private or semi-private spaces such as guest rooms, hallways, and service corridors. Despite this heightened risk, many hospitality businesses still lack effective reporting systems, consistent training, and protective technologies. As a result, harassment remains one of the most underreported and poorly addressed forms of workplace harm. The issue is especially severe in hotels. Housekeepers frequently work alone in guest rooms, with no witnesses and no ability to call for help if a guest acts inappropriately. According to surveys from UNITE Here and the Chicago hotel workers union, more than half of female housekeepers have experienced some form of se...