Mr. Heller

Human Resources, Recruitment & Training

Ten Reasons Why Small Hotel Employees Should Think Like An Owner - And How To Get Them Thinking That

By Jed Heller, President, The Providence Group

Small hotel owners know that every bit of material waste, every unoccupied room, every inefficient process, and every negative guest experience has a direct impact on the bottom line. While some owners are involved in managing the hotel on a daily basis, others rely almost solely on their managers and employees to operate the hotels around the clock. In the owner's absence, it becomes incumbent upon the onsite manager and hotel employees to carry the ownership flag - you trust them to share your values, implement best practices, and conduct themselves in a manner that creates the best guest experience. Undoubtedly, your hotel employees play the most visible role in making or breaking a positive guest experience, and in turn, making or breaking your profitability.

In short, you need your employees to think like you do. Below, I've listed what I believe to be the 10 most important reasons why you want your employees to think like an owner, and a few tips on how to get them thinking that way.

1) Your employees make the difference, good or bad, from the hotel next door. Employees who take pride of ownership will go that extra mile for your guests, and as we all know, happy guests ensure return guests. The attitude and mindset of your employees make all the difference.

2) Employees who think like an owner understand the importance of being dependable and on time to begin their duties. Poor performance in this area affects employee morale, which in turn will affect guest satisfaction.

3) Employees with an ownership mentality present themselves in a professional manner and take pride that the property always looks clean, fresh, and is in excellent working order. Conscientious employees and return guests directly impact the bottom line.

4) Versatile, well trained employees who take their jobs seriously, are capable of making decisions in the best interest of guests, fellow employees, and the owner. For example, the lone front desk clerk must be trained and prepared to deal with any emergency. If the fire alarm goes off in the middle of the night, the well trained employee could literally save lives.

5) Employees at a small property are often your only form of security onsite. They are the eyes and ears of that property and need to be alert to situations or people who raise red flags. Owners understand that guest safety is the number one priority, and employees need to feel the same way.

6) A successful, profitable hotel operation, ensures efficient coverage for guest services, while maintaining consistent hours for employees. An employee with owner-like thinking will be capable of adjusting employee schedules depending upon the volume of business. For example, if the hotel sold 28 rooms and the operating plan calls for one housekeeper for every 15 rooms over a 7 and half hour period, the responsible employee will not schedule 4 housekeepers during that time.

7) Employees who think like an owner recognize that a profitable, well run hotel can present future opportunities for them. For instance, if business is good, the owner may decide to put another hotel in the market, thereby creating new opportunities for growth and advancement. The best employees will work toward helping to create those opportunities.

8) Thinking and caring like the owner is a great form of job security. What owner doesn't appreciate and respect loyalty, hard work, and sincerity? The most successful owners will recognize and reward these outstanding employees regularly.

9) Successful owners are not afraid to ask for the business, so why not empower your employees to do the same? Too many times I've observed employees quote a rate on the telephone or in-person, and have the potential guest say," no thank you," and the conversation ends. An owner understands that if a room goes empty, it can never be recouped. An owner would value sell the hotel and then ask for their business. Your employees should feel the same way.

10) Waste is a key impediment to profitability and your employees have the power to minimize it. Cost-conscious employees realize that putting out too much food for breakfast or using guest towels for other purposes is wasteful.

Empower Your Employees to Think Like an Owner

It is easy to see how employees who think like an owner can have a significant impact on your hotel profitability, but getting them to see the light is another story altogether. Here are a few tactics that I've employed over the years that have made a difference in cultivating employee attitudes, improving performance, and sharing values.

Proper Orientation

Give each employee a thorough orientation - not just in their specific job responsibilities, but instill your personal values, business objectives, and let them know how they can make a difference and gain personal reward in doing so.

The Zen Principle

It is all about training, and more training. Keep things interesting for employees and demonstrate your interest in their development. Sometimes it may be helpful to outsource training to hone their skills through a third party or send them to an offsite development seminar.

Recognize and Reward High Performance

Offer incentive programs and promotions to your top performers. Most importantly, make sure all of your employees recognize the value you place on high performance. Reward them appropriately whenever you can.

Respect Your Employees

Always treat your employees with dignity and respect. If you need to discuss performance issues, do some calmly, and in private. They will appreciate the discretion and be less likely to harbor any outward animosity or resentment.

The Personal Touch

Take a sincere interest in your employees - they have unique hobbies, special interests, and personal goals. Making them feel like an important member of the organization will go a long way toward them taking an active interest in sharing your values.

Lead by Example

Whenever you are on the property, whether frequently or sporadically, conduct yourself and your interactions with others in the manner in which you expect your employees to do so. If you lead by example, your employees are more likely to follow your lead.

Jed C. Heller is CEO of The Providence Group LLC, which provides management services to hotels and timeshare resorts. Heller has managed all phases of three start-up ventures, two as the operating partner. He was the president of Goodmanagement, vice-president of The March Company Inc., and president of Premier Hotel Corp., He began his career with Winegardner and Hammons in Cincinnati, Ohio. Heller serves on the editorial board of Hotelexecutive.com and the Resort Management Committee of the American Resort Development Association. Mr. Heller can be contacted at 781-582-8785 or jcheller@providencegrp.com Extended Bio...

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