The hospitality industry was the first to take a hit when COVID-19 struck. Varying restrictions and social distancing measures paused travel for an unforeseeable future, which pushed hotels to furlough or let go of staff and merge positions to stay afloat in the market.
Due to the uncertainty brought on by the ongoing pandemic, the industry has struggled to maintain or attract talent in the last few years. Hoteliers are now in a transformational period of finding new ways to adapt to the evolving industry to change this reality.
As per a recent employment outlook survey by Manpower Group, though ‘Great Resignation’ had its impact, India has shown the most substantial hiring prospects (close to +49%) in the Asia Pacific region in the last few months. Despite remote working and a post-pandemic hiring frenzy, this growth has made it easier for hospitality workers to switch employment in search of new prospects and a better work-life balance, posing a risk to businesses that rely on personal services. As people are at the heart of hospitality, hoteliers are rising to the hiring challenges, from recruiting fresh talent to keeping the current employees 100% engaged and committed.
The only way to overcome these enduring HR challenges is by coming up with long-term solutions and altering them as per market realities. Here are some strategies that hoteliers can imbue to retain and engage their talent pool.
Rebuilding Trust And Confidence
Many hotels had to let go of or temporarily cut down on staff. Many hotel groups partnered with other companies globally to hire short-term staff to assist their employees. They also implemented several practices to welcome back guests safely and attract qualified staff.
For instance, Wyndham rolled out the ‘Count on Us’ programme for hoteliers to rebuild guest and team member confidence. This gradually enabled them to welcome back guests and staff to their properties.
Retaining Existing Talent Pool
The long-standing staffing problem with high attrition rates is a challenge for the hospitality sector. In theory, all of the industry’s cuts should have alleviated the usual talent shortage.
However, as the economy is on its road to recovery, HRs receive many applications, making finding the right talent more difficult. So instead of looking for a new workforce, it’s essential to focus on training the existing workforce. Incentives like flexible working hours and promotions can keep vital employees around for longer.
Increased Recognition
Regardless of the role, the hospitality industry requires hard work and often long, irregular hours. With such a scenario, it is possible not to notice some of the well-committed staff that further leads to feeling undervalued and unappreciated.
Hence, recognising the star players with monthly incentives, better career progression, perks, and more might help mitigate this challenge. For example, Wyndham recognises its team members through the company’s ‘Count on Me’ awards. It celebrates team members who demonstrate its core values and competencies, such as integrity, innovation, business acumen, and more.
Growth Opportunities
The apparent lack of growth prospects in the hospitality business is one of the leading causes of employee turnover. While many people begin their careers in hospitality while they are young, few opt to continue in the sector for the rest of their lives, considering it less rewarding.
Practices like promotion, training, educational support, and giving more responsibilities with time build attachment and high retention rates. Therefore, the promise of a flourishing career rather than just a job can contribute significantly to employees’ motivation.
Fostering a Participative Culture
In a post-pandemic world, the employees shift the power balance more and more. Increased demand for work-life balance, hybrid working, better perks, and job security are some of the staff’s top priorities. As the hotel industry is labour-intensive, a culture of continuous feedback must be ingrained as part of the ‘new normal’.
The needs and expectations of the staff to management, and vice versa, should also be clearly communicated. A real-time understanding of what is working and what doesn’t plays a crucial role in retaining top talent.
Many hoteliers have responded positively to meet the new demands of the employees by executing programmes that ensure both professional and personal development of the staff. For instance, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts recently launched a Talent Engagement initiative for partners in Europe, the Middle East, Eurasia, and Africa (EMEA) as part of its long-term recovery efforts from Covid-19.
Wyndham’s additional recovery assistance measures include recovery guides, commercial toolkits, and tools such as several webinar sessions on various themes ranging from improving cleanliness and operating standards to commercial activities to help drive performance. Over 160 tools and resources, including webinars, podcasts, films, and other materials to attract, nurture, and retain people, are available on Wyndham University and Wyndham’s internal digital platform to over 470 hotel partners across EMEA. Post-COVID trends such as workstations, weddings, and short vacations are already staging a comeback for the hotel industry. Thus, attracting and retaining top talent is pivotal in maintaining profitable and sustainable growth. As many studies have found that higher levels of engagement lead to reduced employee turnover, a well-thought-out investment in people strategy is a must for the industry. Now is the right time for the hotel industry to act and adapt to the new expectations to thrive in the years ahead.
