Avoid Winter Staffing Shortages: How Resorts Can Build a Reliable Seasonal Workforce

Winter is around the corner, which means West Coast resorts are still working to prepare their teams for the winter vacation season. Although food and beverage, housekeeping, and back-of-house roles are consistently the hardest to fill, they’re critical in providing efficient service delivery, higher revenues, and guest satisfaction.

Although the first snow is a few months away, resorts that understand these pressures today will be better prepared to keep operations running smoothly all season. Here are some tips to help you prepare now so you can handle the influx when it comes.

Staffing Pressures: Visas, Food and Beverage, and Housing

This year’s winter hospitality season features some unique staffing pressures. First of all, many ski areas rely on J-1 visa programs; however, new delays and requirements are making arrivals less predictable, unsettling resorts’ hiring plans.

Food and beverage departments are taking the biggest hit, especially in kitchens and other back-of-house roles where turnover is highest. Many resorts are responding with creative adjustments to address this problem: simplifying menus, consolidating kitchens, and offering more grab-and-go options to enable them to operate with smaller teams.

On top of that, housing adds to the pressure. In mountain towns, limited supply and high costs make it difficult for employees to relocate or stay through the season. Even when roles are filled, unstable living options often lead to mid-season turnover and leave resorts scrambling to rehire.

Good Labor Jobs helps address these issues directly. Our staffing approach includes housing, relocation, and transportation, giving employees stable accommodations and reducing the risk of turnover. We also connect resorts with U.S. citizens, including skilled hospitality workers from Puerto Rico, removing visa barriers and ensuring teams are ready to work when the season begins.

Staffing Shapes the Guest Experience

Staffing is not just a workforce issue; it directly shapes the guest's experience. When restaurants are short-staffed, wait times increase and service quality suffers. If housekeeping teams are stretched thin, room turnover slows, which can delay check-ins during peak weekends. Consistent staffing is what keeps the service smooth, experiences positive, and guests coming back.

Resorts that build a stable seasonal hospitality workforce gain more than operational coverage. They gain a competitive advantage. Reliable staff make it possible to keep restaurants open, rooms clean, and amenities running smoothly. That consistency in service is what keeps guests coming back to the same resort every winter.

Regional Focus: West Coast and Mountain Resorts

As winter approaches, resorts across the West Coast and Mountain West face unique pressures. Many aim to open in early November and be fully staffed by the holidays, when guest numbers surge and service expectations are at their highest.

While these destinations’ remote locations and authentic mountain-town feel make them attractive to visitors, they also make staffing more complex. Finding accommodations near resort towns is limited and expensive, which shrinks the available labor pool. There are not enough local workers to cover seasonal demand, and international visa programs have their own uncertainties. The result is a staffing crunch that returns year after year.

The good news is that resorts still have time to prepare. By focusing on a few key areas now, hospitality leaders can build stronger teams, protect the guest experience, and head into winter with confidence. Here are five strategies to consider before the first snow.

1. Diversify Talent Pipelines

International programs are uncertain, and local labor options are limited. Expanding into U.S. citizen labor pools, including Puerto Rican hospitality professionals, allows resorts to secure workers without immigration hurdles or delays.

2. Secure Remaining Gaps Now

In October, many resorts have already started building their teams, but critical roles such as housekeepers, line cooks, lift operators, and front desk staff often remain open. Focusing on these gaps now ensures operations are fully staffed before lifts open. By partnering with a staffing firm, resorts gain access to a seasonal hospitality workforce that can relocate quickly and stay through the season.

3. Plan Operations Around Leaner Teams

Staffing shortages don’t have to limit service quality . Resorts that adapt their operations through cross-training, streamlined menus, and smart use of technology can maintain service quality even with leaner teams. These adjustments protect the guest experience while making better use of the staff already in place.

4. Make Housing Part of the Staffing Plan

Housing challenges are a reality in many mountain towns. Good Labor Jobs helps solve them by including housing as part of every placement, giving seasonal teams stability and helping resorts reduce turnover throughout the season.

5. Plan Beyond One Season

Resorts that view staffing as a long-term strategy, not just a seasonal fix, are better prepared to tackle the staffing challenges that recur year after year. Building relationships with a trusted partner now creates a smoother process for future hiring, reduces last-minute recruiting, and helps maintain a reliable seasonal workforce.

Set Your Resort Up for Success Before Opening Day

October is a great time to secure the seasonal hospitality workforce your resort needs. Taking steps now helps ensure your team is ready for opening day and prepared to deliver consistent service throughout the season.

Good Labor Jobs provides a practical solution by connecting resorts with U.S. citizens, including skilled hospitality workers from Puerto Rico, and by coordinating housing and transportation as part of every placement. This reduces dependence on unpredictable visa programs and ensures employees arrive prepared to stay through the season, even in the most remote ski towns.

Ready to strengthen your winter staffing plan? Connect with Good Labor Jobs to secure the ski resort labor you need and keep your operation fully staffed all season long.