HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW
MARCH FOCUS: Hotel Human Resources

How to Engage Employees Returning to Work Post Lockdown

By Caroline Cooper President, Naturally Loyal | March 2021

For many hotels, plans are now underway for re-opening; which is brilliant news. But it would be naïve to think we can just pick up where we left off.

Not only is it going to be a bit of a shock to the system getting back into a routine from a physical perspective, there may also be some emotional needs we have to address too.

Even in normal circumstances, one of the questions I'm most frequently asked, is "how do I keep my employees engaged?". But when team members have been away from the business for anything from 4 months to maybe as long as a year, they will be experiencing all kinds of emotions.

I'm sure some will looking forward getting back into a routine. Many will have missed the social aspects of work. Others are just relieved and grateful they still have a job to come back to.

But despite that, many will have concerns about their long-term future. Some may be uncomfortable about changes to their role, and others anxious about their safety, either within work, or on their journey to work.

There might also be an element of sadness and reluctance, as people have discovered new interests and other priorities in life. Some may be even questioning whether they want to come back to the same role or come back to work at all.

If we ignore these concerns they can have a big impact, not just on the individual concerned. When this gets picked up by colleagues, it can have a domino effect on how they feel and how engaged they are too. Which ultimately has an impact on productivity and your customers' experience.

One to One

However far away you are from your opening date, set the wheels in motion now to help prepare your employees for their return. Your aim is to help them look forward to their return and be prepared - both mentally and physically - for their role.

One way to do this is by conducting confidential one-to-one meetings with each of your team. Assuming you are conducting these virtually, choose the medium each team member feels most comfortable with.

Unlike a regular one to one (which are always important to engage employees at any other time) these won't focus so much on reviewing performance, but will be geared towards looking forward.

Here is the 7 step CLEARER framework I've created:

1. Connect

Your goal here is to relax your team members so they feel confident to be honest with you about how they are feeling. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ask about and show an interest in what they've been doing during their time on furlough.

Keep this conversational, not an interrogation, asking casually about:

What have they been up to? What's been good about their time at home? What will they miss most? Have they taken up any new hobbies? Have they discovered or rediscovered things that are important to them or activities they enjoy? Have any of their priorities in life changed as a result of time away from work?

2. Listen

It's important to discover how they feel about being back at work. What concerns do they have, what questions about the business, their role, new ways of working? Some people are very good at putting on a brave face; listen to their tone and any hesitation. If you are on camera or face to face watch their body language. Be mindful of what they don't say, and note any questions they avoid answering.

3. Establish Expectations

It's inevitable that some ways of working and duties will have changed. If there are duties that used to be part of their role that are now less of a priority, explain why this is. If these were tasks they did well or took a particular pride in doing, be sensitive to how you handle this. You don't want them to get the impression that their previous efforts were not appreciated.

4. Agree on Any Actions

As a result of your meeting there may be things they need from you, and possibly things you need them to do. Confirm any actions either of you will take and by when, so you both know where you stand.

5. Reassure

Let them know you are there to support them, and that they can come to you with later questions, concerns or suggestions. Reassure them of your commitment to their safety and ongoing support.

6. Enthuse, Excite and Energize

It's all too easy to dwell on the past few months. Behaviour breeds behaviour, so demonstrate your enthusiasm and excitement about the opportunities ahead. Listen and take on board any ideas and suggestions they have to help with their return to work or your reopening.

7. Review Date

Schedule a follow-up date with each team member. Even though you've told them you are there for them, some would never initiate a conversation or come to you for help unless it's in the privacy of a scheduled one to one meeting.

Rebuilding the Team

Some of your team members won't have seen one another for the whole of the lockdown. Take steps to rebuild the team, and ensure when they return that everyone is aligned.

Maintaining communication with the team as a whole continues to be important, although the focus might now change. Here are three areas to pay attention to:

1. Shared Purpose

A lot has changed in the last 12 months, so there's a good chance your vision, mission, or values have shifted slightly. If this is the case, communicate this with your team before they return. If you do this collectively you know that everybody has had the same message.

In the lead up to opening, you will also have some immediate priorities. If you let everyone know now what these priorities are, it means they can be more prepared for them as and when they return to the business. This enables everybody to be working towards the same goals and targets.

This is an opportunity for people to share their ideas and input. Your team will often have a different perspective, so give them a voice, which in turn gains buy in and helps them to feel valued.

2. Understand Each Other

It's likely that most people's roles will have changed in some way, even if only slightly. This presents everyone with some new challenges; some of these will be very positive, and an opportunity to stretch and develop them. Others, however, may leave people needing support, so it's good for everyone to know where that support might come from. Who within the team has a strength or experience in that area to support a colleague?

As you will have identified in your one to ones, priorities for some employees have changed. If this will impact how or when people work, it can be useful for others to understand this. If they feel comfortable to do so, create an opportunity for them to share this.

If you have recruited any new team members, they may not yet have met anybody within the team. So, it's important to involve them in any reopening activities and an opportunity for them to get to know, and to be welcomed by, the rest of the team.

3. Spending Time Together

In the same way that you might under normal circumstances, don't let the lockdown prevent you from doing things together as a team.

There are plenty of activities you can do online, where people can work as a team. Anything from quiz nights to virtual escape rooms, horseracing, cocktail masterclasses, wine tastings, etc.

Whatever you do, the focus should be on having some fun with their colleagues. If there's some relevant learning to be had as a result (such as wine tasting), so much the better, but that shouldn't be a prerequisite.

If you have the outdoor space to allow it (and a good weather forecast!), is there an opportunity to get your team together in person? Of course, still maintaining social distancing and any other government guidelines.

Taking part in a charitable event - be that fundraising, volunteering, or simply raising awareness - can be a rewarding way of bringing people together to work as a team, even if virtually.

Remember to celebrate what's been good about the past 12 months. Has anyone learnt a new skill, or achieved a qualification since the start of lockdown? Who has had a significant event, birthday, or anniversary, and missed out on the opportunity to celebrate with others? What achievements have you had within the business: supporting key workers, new services, renovations, etc?

Maintaining Engagement

There's so much pent-up demand, it's very possible you will be extremely busy in the first few weeks of opening. Make sure your team prepare for this. But don't let all that effort you put in pre-opening simply stop just because you're busy. Continue to take steps to help your team feel valued.

1. Recognition

Recognise and reward the extra effort that goes into the first few weeks, whilst everyone is getting to grips with new ways of working alongside keeping your guests happy.

Continue to give them a voice. Ask for their feedback and ideas, particularly over the first few shifts, to review how things are working.

2. Trust

Be positive and optimistic about the opportunities ahead. However, be honest too, your team will see through any false bravado.

Trust is two way, so demonstrate your trust in them. Empower them and give responsibility and ownership for the areas within their control. When they have ownership they're more likely to take pride in what they do and do an even better job.

3. Ongoing Development

Although there may be lots to learn in the weeks leading up to and post opening, ensure you continue to offer your team ongoing development, to give them the opportunity to grow and keep them interested and engaged.

It many ways the pandemic has brought out the best in people. One of the results of this is revealing strengths and interests people weren't aware of before. Recognise any projects or activities they've been working on whilst on furlough, so you can take advantage of these, or give them the opportunity to continue their development in these areas.

Continuing to invest in them will help maintain commitment, engagement and loyalty.

Handling the Fallout

The past year has given people plenty of time for reflection. It's possible some of your most loyal team members have had other thoughts about their career. Is their current role (or redefined role) really what they want?

If this is the case, you may find yourself needing to recruit, either now or as you get back to full capacity.

Whilst you need to be prepared for this, it is beyond the scope of this article. But you can find further guidance here on 8 factors to help you get started with attracting new recruits and getting the best fit for your business.

In conclusion

Recognise your team will be experiencing a mix of emotions as they think about their return to work. Start preparing them as soon as you can so they are ready mentally as well as physically. Listen to their concerns, answer their questions, and ask for their input so they feel valued. Bring your team together so they are aligned and working together towards a shared purpose.

And remember to celebrate and recognize your team's contribution to your successful re-opening.

Good luck!

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In the event that you have chosen to have your membership automatically rebilled, unless and until you notify HotelExecutive that you wish to cancel or terminate your membership to HotelExecutive, you hereby agree and authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to automatically renew your membership to HotelExecutive on a continuing basis and to charge your credit card (or other payment means you have selected) to pay for the ongoing cost of your membership. You hereby further authorize HotelExecutive's Internet Payment Service Provider to charge your credit card (or other approved payment means you have selected) for any and all purchases of products, services and entertainment provided to in, at, through or in association with HotelExecutive.

13. PRIVACY POLICY

The following is the Privacy Policy for HotelExecutive

We can be reached via telephone, email, or online at our contact page. When you visit our site we do not log any information regarding your domain or email address. Information Sharing: We do not share user information with any third parties other than via press release distribution as described below.

Hotel Newswire is a newswire service that distributes press releases on behalf of our users. If you decide to submit a press release for distribution through our system we will transmit your entire press release including any personal information therein contained to our media contacts and online distribution points including search engines. This is the only redistribution of your information that we engage in. Your submission of press releases through our system indicates consent with this policy. The information we collect during your registration process is used to notify users about updates to our service and inform users of any special events hosted by Hotel Newswire. This information is not shared with other organizations for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

Cookies: Our system requires the use of cookies to enable the user to log back into our website to access information from the newswire, without having to log in each time using the required username and password.

If you do not want to receive email from us in the future, please let us know by following instructions included in our communication with you. Users who supply us with telephone numbers online may receive telephone contact from us regarding their account, or informing them of new products and services available on the HotelExecutive website. If you do not wish to receive such telephone calls, please edit your account and remove your phone number from your account profile. This can be done from your user account menu.

Ad Servers: We do not partner with or have any relationship with any ad server companies. From time to time, we may use customer information for new uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. If our information practices change at any time, we will post the policy changes to our website to notify you of these changes and provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back at our website periodically.

Upon request we provide site visitors with access to all information (including proprietary information) that we maintain about them. Users can access this information by logging in to their account.

Security: We always use industry-standard encryption technologies while transferring and receiving user data exchanged with our site. We have appropriate security measures in place in our physical facilities to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of information that we have collected from you on our site. We do not store credit card information in our systems.

If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact us.

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Creating Guest Experiences That Amplify Your Brand's Social Impact

By Maliha Aqeel, Founder & CEO, The Ideas Collective Inc.

Last year, my family and I visited an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. The resort organized activities for children that included learning about the environment and the importance of protecting marine life through their actions. Several months later, the kids were still talking about what they experienced and became more interested in what they could do for the environment in our local communities. The lesson I took away from the trip was that there is a time and place for lounging by the pool, but it’s not enough to make a trip memorable - at least not for every demographic. ...

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The distant stare, absent-minded twirling of the pen, subtle fidgeting on an uncomfortable chair - all too familiar signs of boredom, fatigue, and disconnectedness during meetings and events. This tendency to zone out has plagued the corporate world for eons and has become even more prevalent as companies embrace hybrid and remote work models, ditching their on-site meeting rooms (and, often, office spaces altogether) to bring like-minded individuals together off-site in hotel conference and event spaces. There, time spent together is a precious commodity, and attention spans are fleeting-therefore, maintaining focus and alertness in hotel meeting spaces becomes paramount....

Managing Online Reviews and Reputation With AI Tools

By Jeff Pedowitz, President, The Pedowitz Group

Welcome to the digital age, where the power of a single online review can make or break the fortunes of hotels and resorts around the globe. Have you ever wondered just how much impact your TripAdvisor comment has? In today’s hospitality industry, the battle for hearts, minds, and bookings is won and lost online. One review can shift the tide, underscoring the unprecedented importance of reputation management. At the vanguard of this battle? Artificial Intelligence (AI), with its arsenal of innovative tools, revolutionizes how the hospitality sector interacts with customer feedback and crafts its digital identity. Dive into the...

Business Travel Reinvented: What Hotels Must Do to Win in 2025 and Beyond

By David Mollov, Senior Product Manager, Emburse

In 2025, business travel has moved decisively from recovery to reinvention. What began as a cautious rebound has matured into a stable yet highly scrutinized market. According to the latest Emburse Business Travel Snapshot, based on booking data from North America, EMEA, and APAC, travel demand has steadied, but expectations have shifted dramatically. Companies are traveling with more purpose, finance teams are applying sharper oversight, and sustainability has become a baseline requirement rather than a differentiator. For the hotel industry, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. Procurement leaders are negotiating harder, buyers expect measurable ESG commitments, and travelers...

Thought Leadership Development: Creating a Culture and Community

By Robert O'Halloran, Professor & Director, Hospitality Management, East Carolina University

The premise of this discussion is that thought leadership can and should be developed as part of a business culture. I view thought leadership being tied to overarching business concepts like leadership, innovation, sustainability, and communication. The inferences from thought leadership in general, is to have an authoritative source share what s/he or a business see as the future and or the changes in a business sector or in the economy in general. To develop thought leadership skills, one should establish expertise in a niche area, be consistently creating high-quality original content, establish an online presence, actively engage with an...

Debt Reset Challenges Hotels: Examining Financing Strategies

By Shivan Perera, Managing Director of CRE, Bridge Marketplace

As we approach 2025, the commercial real estate market, especially the hotel sector, faces a pivotal moment. A significant wave of maturing debt from loans taken out during the historically low-interest-rate environment is set to reset. The majority of commercial loans reset to market spreads a the five year interval and when rates were at their lowest, many owners fully recapitalized their property in anticipation that rates would remain low for long term. The Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes have upended this thinking and repositioned the entire market. These rate hikes coupled with rising cap rates and delayed...

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By Alyssa Benson, Senior Media Manager, Crowe PR

As remote work cements itself in the global workforce, digital nomadism is quickly evolving from a niche trend to a viable lifestyle. More than just a buzzword, it represents a new level of portability and flexibility within traditional job roles, allowing professionals to maintain high performance while working from anywhere in the world. For me, digital nomadism wasn’t a deliberate career pivot; it was a natural extension of both personal passion and professional opportunity. Travel has always been part of my identity, and joining Crowe PR in 2022 marked my first fully remote role. Initially, I approached the idea...

HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW MARCH FOCUS: Hotel Human Resources

How to Engage Employees Returning to Work Post Lockdown

By Caroline Cooper President, Naturally Loyal | March 2021

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HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW
MARCH FOCUS: Hotel Human Resources