By Bill O’Driscoll, Reno Gazette-Journal

A recent memo to salaried managers at the Grand Sierra Resort underscores a fact of life during recession: Businesses are boosting productivity out of existing staff instead of hiring more workers.

The memo, a copy of which was faxed anonymously to the Reno Gazette-Journal on July 6, directs all salaried managers to make sure they work 50 to 60 hours a week and to document actual hours for their superiors.

Bill Wright, president of the Grand Sierra Resort, confirmed the email memo but said the intent is to ensure that the Reno hotel-casino’s 150-plus managers are “visible” during the special events-filled summer season.

“We launched our pool party, we’ve had three concerts. It’s important (employees) see managers around,” Wright said. “We’re ensuring a consistency of service. It’s critical we, as management, need to be here. … This is our peak season, and it’s important to be around.”

But it also speaks to the broader challenge of survival in recession, others said.

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