Mr. Haynie, SR.

Human Resources, Recruitment & Training

Tapping Into Your Team’s Talent and Keeping Them Motivated

By Michael Haynie, SR., President, Parkway Hospitality Management

Tapping into the talent of employees and keeping them motivated are two of the most important challenges that hotel management professionals face. The public has many choices of where to spend their travel dollars and the quality of service can have a significant impact. Poor attitudes or inattention to detail can make the difference between a guest becoming a repeat visitor or trashing your hotel on travel websites and to their friends. Having a great staff is not as simple as hiring great people – of course that is part of it, but hotel management must also tap into their team’s talents in strategic and creative ways in order to bring out the best in their team and keep them motivated to perform day in and day out.

First off, hotel management needs to look at creative ways to attract top talent, as there is no substitute for a quality team. One effective way of attracting recruits is through the use of social media. Posting job openings on your Facebook page and Twitter feed is a good way to attract candidates who are interested in our industry. Young graduates are increasingly turning to social media in their job searches. Depending on the position you are hiring for you may want to use social media to your advantage and see what you can learn about the candidate prior to an interview.

Employee Referral programs are also an excellent way to attract strong hires while also boosting morale within your organization. The premise of employee referral programs is that current employees are given a bonus if a person they refer to the company for employment is hired. Studies have shown that a well-designed employee referral program can produce over 70% of hires, and these hires are statistically proven to have a lower rate of attrition. This benefits everyone, as you will get talent that your quality team members have essentially endorsed and the referring employee receives a monetary bonus, which creates a positive perception of your company and builds good will with that employee.

Once you have top talent in the door it is absolutely essential they stay motivated. One in-house program that my team uses to motivate staff is Spot a Star. This program allows us to identify and recognize deserving candidates from within our organization. Our associates carry printed cards to hand out when they notice someone going above and beyond the call of duty on their own time. These associates are then identified for promotion within the organization. By rewarding our current employees and recognizing their hard work, we are able to provide them with job satisfaction and motivate them to exceed expectations.

Peer recognition and financial incentives are certainly motivators, which entice employees to shine. One strategy that we have found to be successful over the years it to identify and honor employees who are going over and above the minimum requirements for their position and representing the hotel in a positive fashion to guests. It is equally important for hotel management to have predetermined criteria, which they use to assess performance, as it is for employees to be aware that hard work and a positive attitude are rewarded. Employees who management selects to recognize are rewarded at quarterly Employee Recognition & Awards celebrations, where we award these employees of the cash prizes and plaques. The agenda for these meetings always includes games and contests among the departments. As word of the program spreads, other employees will want to know how they can be recognized and will strive to do their best to earn recognition.

On a day-to-day basis it is not necessary to reward employees with money or prizes. Management should simply go out of their way to recognize the good job they are doing and the hard work they are putting in. Give out “Thanks a million” cards, or an “I Get It, I Got It” button. These programs are instant recognitions awards for those who have been observed “doing it right.”

Providing employee training, whether for a new hire or for introducing a new concept to your existing workforce, is a significant key to keeping staff motivated. While most companies have new hire training programs that give a basic overview of job expectations and performance functions, going a step further to immerse new hires into the company and its culture can really pay off. Consider implementing a new hire-training program, which gives staff an understanding of not only their job function, but also each job within the hotel. By showing staff where they fit in the organizational structure and how their specific duties impact guest experiences and the company as a whole, they are more likely to take pride in their work. One tactic we have found particularly beneficial is to have new hires spend a day working in each department of the hotel from the front desk to housekeeping. This gives them an appreciation and respect for the tasks their coworkers perform and helps them to be better team players.

Continuing education for the current staff is just as important as new hire training. This type of instruction can incorporate monthly training activities for all personnel. For example, in my experience holding monthly roundtable discussions with the General Manager for staff to discuss and address concerns has been helpful in improving policies and processes while also making employees feel as if their opinions matter. Monthly team building activities with a twist such as a WII Game Night or a Deal or No Deal type game show can incorporate training into a format that combines fun and learning. It is definitely important to make sure training activities are fun, as boring training exercises can backfire.

One way to keep training interesting is by taking the staff to a different location for the day. Many hotels have sister hotels within driving distance, and having associates swap locations is a tool that we have. In a new environment, employees can see things with fresh eyes and are likely to come back with suggestions and ideas for improving their own performance. Another key tactic that I highly recommend is to hold brief morning meetings (usually no longer than 15 minutes) where a single guest comment card is presented to the staff and opened up for discussion. The comment card can be complementary or critical in nature as the most important thing is for the staff to see how guests perceive their actions. By having the team discuss the things they did right and the things that need to be improved you can allow your staff to take ownership as they see how they have a direct impact on guests.

One of the most important tactics to motivate employees is simple appreciation of a job well done. Often when employees feel they are not appreciated by their organization they lack the desire to go the extra mile for their company. It is important to make sure employees know their organization cares about them by making them feel as if they are a valued member of the team. Employees should not only hear from management when they have done something wrong, rather management should give positive feedback and recognition whenever possible. Not only will recognizing a job well done improve morale but sometimes employees are unaware they are doing a good job until someone tells them.

It is important to reward employees with personal attention when they are doing something right. A simple “thank you for taking care of that” can go a long way in motivating an employee to work hard. Specific appreciation even for a routine task can make the employer look more sincere and help the employee feel as if they are part of a team.

Management should lead by example. One of the best ways to inspire employees to exceed expectations and put the needs of guests first is for management to practice what they preach. By demonstrating enthusiasm and a love of their job, management will see this attitude trickle down to their staff. If a manager is not enthusiastic and excited about their work, they cannot expect the employee to be. By inspiring employees and showing them their work matters, employees will be motivated to work harder and care more about their tasks.

Overall we have found keeping staff at all levels of the operation motivated and engaged is the key to success. Housekeeping, front desk staff and management alike need to have a positive attitude, a love of their organization, and a respect for one another in order for a successful hotel to function as a well oiled machine.

Michael Haynie has devoted his entire professional career to the lodging and hospitality industry. After attending Northeastern University in Boston, MA, he took on various entry level positions before rising through the ranks to the executive level positions he has held for many years. Mr. Haynie has experience in every facet of hotel operations and has served in leadership capacities in hotels ranging from economy to luxury. Prior to launching his own hotel management enterprise, Mr. Haynie served as the Vice-President and Managing Director of Baltimore’s Tremonts Hotels which encompassed the upscale Tremont Plaza Hotel and the economy Tremont Park Hotel. Mr. Haynie, SR. can be contacted at 443-604-3835 or mhaynie@parkwaymgt.com Extended Bio...

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