CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Eureka Casino Resort is thriving in a struggling job market. There are several factors that make it easier for their employees in Mesquite, Nevada, to overlook some new, unpleasant cultural norms – factors such as amazing benefits, proximity to work and opportunities to work from home when available.
But the truth is, when someone in a Clark County casino sticks around for 20 or more years with the same employer, especially in the midst of a cultural upheaval, there must be more than just a paycheck at stake.
Eureka employs over 550 people in Mesquite, and their retention rate is well above the industry average. The slot department is an amazing example of this. Within the team of 18 people, six of them have been with the company for over 20 years, and another six have more than 10 years behind them, a full two-thirds of the department.
According to Zippia.com, 71% of slot attendants nationally stay in their position for less than five years, with only 8% making it past 10 years. It would seem like the Eureka has turned the numbers on that table.
Granted, the Eureka does have superlative long-term benefits that encourage employees to see the value of sticking around, but the transition to being employee-owned, which brought on many of those benefits, didn’t happen until some of these employees had 15 years’ tenure.
“Once someone puts on a Eureka uniform, they really don’t want to take it off (figuratively, of course),” said Tecia Marotta, Eureka’s human resources director. “I repeatedly hear from employee-owners that Eureka feels like family.”
And that’s what actually keeps the employees coming back. Although money is always the primary reason people go to work, this case goes much deeper than “just a paycheck.”
Eureka employees have established relationships with one another and long-term patrons, some of which have lasted decades. Some of these are as important as the connections they make with family and friends outside of work, and when a coworker moves away or retires, it creates a much deeper absence than just turning around another employee.
No matter how you look at it, Eureka is its own community. It has an identifiable culture with responsibilities and rewards that highlight what the employee-owners expect from themselves and others. While there are always other places to work, there’s no reason to go anywhere else when your needs as an employee are met with grace and gratitude.
Because of the consistency and longevity of the slot department, they are truly the core of Eureka culture. They were there when the original owners, Ted and Doris Lee, would walk the floor. They’ll always remember and act on the values that built not only the structure, but more importantly, the integrity of Eureka.
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- Eureka Casino Resort | Address: 275 Mesa Blvd., Mesquite, Nevada | Telephone: 800-346-4611 or 702-346-4600 | Website.
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