HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW

March FOCUS: Hotel Human Resources

 
March, 2023

Hotel Human Resources: The Great Resignation


Hotels have always struggled with the task of attracting and retaining qualified employees. At any given moment, hotels are consistently understaffed which makes providing quality guest services a persistent challenge. Additionally, as a consequence of the pandemic, there has been a mass exodus of workers who left their employers and haven't returned. This phenomenon has become known as the Great Resignation. In one month alone last year, over 900,000 employees left hospitality jobs, affecting all areas of operations including frontline workers,  restaurant and housekeeping staff, and hotel management. To overcome these challenges, Human Resource departments are implementing a variety of solutions. First, they are reassessing their wage and benefits guidelines in an effort to become more competitive. They are also leveraging digital technology to attract and retain talent, and to improve the employee experience. The goal is to centralize communications, enhance employee engagement, empower independent decision-making, and expand educational opportunities. The March Hotel Business Review will explore what some HR professionals are doing to address these critical employment issues in their respective departments.  


This month's feature articles...

Valerie Bolton

Many of us in hospitality like to think that "there are no silos, here." But is that the reality? The pandemic put that assertion to the test and many hotel disciplines were prompted to work together in new ways to care for guests-and to care for each other. These experiences are helping us rethink our human resources approaches going forward. READ MORE

Corey McCarthy

Hotel employees have the ultimate control over whether guest experiences exceed or fail to live up to expectations. To earn their commitment in going the extra mile, hoteliers need to equip their teams with the right tools and workplace conditions to succeed. Using newer workforce management strategies and technologies, the goal of providing truly exceptional service is now within reach. READ MORE

Wei Wei

Digital technologies are increasingly applied in today's human resources management practices for talent acquisition, employee experience, and well-being, from social media platforms, to mobile app gamifications, to metaverse-enabled job placement and training, to the recent development of ChatGPT. This article discussed some of the latest trends and aims to inspire conversations in both industry and academic along these phenomena. READ MORE

Aimee Mangold

The Great Resignation refers to a growing trend in the United States that was witnessed after the impact of COVID-19. The phenomenon entailed many workers quitting their jobs to reassess their lifestyles in the wake of COVID-19. Many industries were affected by COVID-19, and the hospitality industry was among those adversely affected. As companies are still recovering from the impact, this article will address what was great about the Great Resignation. READ MORE

Geri Williams-Fitts

Highgate's "People First" philosophy has led to some of the highest retention and lowest turnover rates in the industry. Chief People Officer Geri Williams-Fitts shares three core tenets that can help hospitality companies refocus their priorities to future-proof and advance the hospitality industry as a whole. READ MORE

Frank Speranza

If you are left scratching your head as a result of the demand for talent and the short supply of it on this side of the Covid pandemic, this article is for you. What are the key factors that will help you survive in these tough times and be able to gain your fair share of the available leadership talent base? Read on to find out! READ MORE

Julie Farnsworth

Post-pandemic travel has created many challenges for hotel chains around the globe and in order to succeed, hospitality leaders must determine which innovative techniques best suit not only their guests, but also their employees. Unfortunately, what has worked in the past may not ring true in present days - how does this redefine traditional hospitality and tourism as we know it? READ MORE

Mia A. Mackman

Lessons of history and innovation anchor the premise of this article. As the hospitality market struggles with ongoing staffing and labor challenges, the terms of service have changed dramatically. This article highlights patterns of transformation and the urgency for brave-hearted organizational innovation. Not only are employees seeking versatility and flexibility, but many people are also seeking significant improvements and changes to their quality of life. READ MORE

Susan Sanders

While the hotel industry has long since passed COVID-19 fatigue, there have been some incredibly powerful lessons to come out of the pandemic. From the talent perspective, we have to be innovative, proactive, and empathetic in order to succeed. By focusing on talent retention, talent acquisition, and talent development, hotel companies can position themselves for post-pandemic success. READ MORE

Ann Christenson

In response to the pressures of the Great Resignation, human resources professionals, hotel owners, operators, and even professional organizations are coming up with inventive new ideas, practices, and creative ways to effectively change the hospitality game when it comes to strategies such as employee experience and engagement, talent recruitment and retention. READ MORE

Rohith Kori

There is a world of difference between service and hospitality. Having staff capable of delivering guest hospitality is critical to zero disappointment guest stays that earn five-star reviews. Management focused on hospitality must provide staff with the training and tools necessary to exceed guest expectations. This High Return Hospitality not only benefits guests, but also elevates staff experiences leading to fulfilled staff with a higher intent to stay. With staff shortages across the industry, a property's ability to attract and retain high-performing staff is critical to providing exceptional experiences that delight guests. READ MORE

Amanda Gray

The global labor shortage has continued to create challenges at every level of the hospitality industry and hotel operations. As a result of the ongoing talent shortage, hotel owners and operators have had to find creative solutions to recruit and retain employees. Continuing to adapt and adjust to this changing landscape is every company's best way forward. READ MORE

Mark Alvarez

Labor, its availability, costs and productivity, are essential factors that significantly impact operating expenses and a hotel's return on investment. After the challenges of the pandemic, now is the time to stop talking so much about labor and, instead, do something about it. This means building one's staff of the future through training, mentorship and a positive organizational culture. READ MORE

Nicole Dehler

Although travel demand has increased, hoteliers are still experiencing a protracted labor crisis, complete with simultaneous labor shortages, high turnover, and increased labor costs. Fortunately, technology can help. This article will explore how mobile platforms can boost team productivity through automation, mitigate the negative effects of high turnover, and increase ancillary revenue generation to accommodate higher wages and benefits. READ MORE

Alan S. Gregerman

Finding, keeping, and inspiring the best people is even more challenging in our post-pandemic world. Talented people have more choices than ever given the possibilities afforded by technology and remote work. While travel and hospitality is compelling, we need to take a new and more innovative look at what it really means to connect with and unlock the genius in all of our people. To do this we must be even more dedicated to helping everyone to belong, learn, grow, make a difference, have fun together, and achieve some degree of work-life balance - as they deliver compelling value to our guests. READ MORE

Cara Silletto

If you are finding that people are frequently quitting after day one, week one, or month one, it's time to reexamine your onboarding approach. So much of a company's problem with high employee turnover can be alleviated in the early stages if we create a better new-hire experience for team members. But how can you make the days after day one count? READ MORE

Joyce Gioia

The Hospitality Industry on land - and sea - is in the process of rebuilding from COVID as well as The Great Resignation. It may take years to return to full staffing. In the meantime, service suffers, employees struggle, and leaders feel frustrated. This article will provide you with insights and suggestions including what has already worked for hospitality professionals both in the US and globally to help them recruit, engage, and retain the talented people they need to serve guests and drive profit. READ MORE

Cynthia Schuler

Although millions of Americans have left their workplace since April of 2021, and the hotel industry remains one of the hardest hit industries, "The Great Resignation" has presented opportunities. Senior leaders in the hotel industry should use "The Great Resignation" as an opportunity to take advantage of creating or rebuilding healthy organizational cultures to attract and retain employees. READ MORE

Arte Nathan

Everybody's talking about the Great Resignation as if the causes are a surprise. While there are many, I believe a big one is that employees don't know their purpose or how it fits into their company's plans. This article suggests that better communications and participation in your company's plans will inspire them to be more connected and less likely to leave. READ MORE

Cleo Clarke

To fill job vacancies left in the wake of the pandemic and "Great Resignation" and keep hotels fully staffed, hospitality HR professionals must think differently about recruiting and retention while helping property managers cultivate teamwork and a positive workplace culture. Along the way, HR professionals can help restore the industry's passion and heart for serving others. READ MORE

Robert O'Halloran

The hospitality industry was hit hard during the pandemic on all fronts, including human resources. It is no secret that industry and its lodging, food service, meeting and events sectors continue to be challenged with identifying, recruiting and retaining employee candidates in the hospitality workforce. The "Great Resignation," as it is referred to, has caused organizations and their HR units to rethink the HR processes. This article will discuss current HR issues, offer suggestions and recommendations for HR practices and operations in industry working as "Academies of Learning". READ MORE

Merrick Dresnin

The Great Resignation – no one wants hospitality work and current employees want to leave. Less experienced candidates are demanding more money, more flexibility and weighing you against your competition. How do we successfully attract and retain in this environment? Know thyself! Understanding who you are as an organization will allow you to attract and retain people in any challenging period. READ MORE

Daniel Chao

How you think about your hotel, the tools and vocabulary you use to conceptualize your strengths and weaknesses, lay the foundation for the solutions you build. Looking at the same question using multiple frames of reference can generate multiple insights. One approach is to consider how your hotel is different, and how it is exactly the same as your competitors. READ MORE

Julie Cheetham

Data-driven technology has enabled some of the biggest advances in health and well-being that we have ever seen. So, what if we applied this measuring, monitoring, and mapping approach to our businesses' health as well as our own? In this article, Julie Cheetham, founder of Weeva, explores how data-driven technology can create healthier, more resilient travel businesses. READ MORE

Coming up in March 1970...