Lattanzi, Union Joints

WINNER: OVERALL EXCELLENCE

Julie Lattanzi

HR Manager, Union Joints

When COVID-19 led the state to impose a number of restaurant restrictions in an e ort to curb the spread of the virus, Julie Lattanzi, HR manager of Union Joints LLC, quickly put processes in place to help keep the Clarkston-based restaurant group a oat.

Union Joints has about 400 employees across seven restaurants, a general store and cupcakery, a main o ce in Clarkston and a commissary. e restaurant group is known for restaurants including Clarkston Union in Clarkston and Vinsetta Garage in Berkley.

When Michigan’s indoor dining restrictions were enforced last March, Lattanzi was tasked with furloughing nearly 600 employees, a majority of Union Joints’ workforce at the time.

To help mitigate the furloughs, Lattanzi created a Union Joints Family Page, a website where sta can access up-to-date information and submit anonymous feedback. e website contained information and tips to help employees manage Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency process.

“We wanted to make sure employees knew we had their back,” Lattanzi said. “Half the battle was making sure they had the information.” ree weeks later, Lattanzi rehired about 600 employees after Union Joints received funds from the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program. When Union Joints came o of the PPP last June, Lattanzi implemented Michigan’s workshare program, which allows employers to call back laid-o workers at reduced hours while they collect partial unemployment.

“We knew that would help get money in our employees’ pockets at a time when they desperately needed it,” Lattanzi said.

However, in November, the state issued indoor restaurant capacity restrictions and Lattanzi furloughed about 200 employees.

Throughout these challenges, Lattanzi maintained communication by creating a HR phone hotline and organizing virtual town hall meetings via Zoom, allowing employees outlets to ask questions and air concerns.

Since Michigan’s restaurant restrictions have been relaxed, Lattanzi has been working toward re-hiring restaurant sta , which she said has been a challenge due to a restaurant labor shortage.

To help recruit and retain talent, Lattanzi used an online applicant tracking system through Union Joints’ payroll vendor, Paycor. e system integrates with Union Joints’ career page and online job boards to be able to track where its applicants are coming from and what Union Joints’ hiring trends are.

“It’s given us a leg up in terms of recruiting, especially this year,” Lattanzi said.

Lattanzi also re-worked Union Joints’ bene ts package to include perks such as additional time o and extended insurance coverage.

“ e foundation of HR is building the bridge between doing what’s best for the business and doing what’s best for the people,” Lattanzi said. “Having compassion but also having an understanding of the business element of it and a strategic mindset is critical.”

“THE FOUNDATION OF HR IS BUILDING THE BRIDGE BETWEEN DOING WHAT’S BEST FOR THE BUSINESS AND DOING WHAT’S BEST FOR THE PEOPLE. HAVING COMPASSION BUT ALSO HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUSINESS ELEMENT OF IT AND A STRATEGIC MINDSET IS CRITICAL.”

—Julie Lattanzi, HR manager, Union Joints LLC

Rachelle Damico Special to Crain’s Detroit Business

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