HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW

March FOCUS: Hotel Human Resources

 
March, 2021

Hotel Human Resources: Pending Labor Shortage

The immense devastation suffered in the hotel industry last year has compounded a problem that human resource professionals will face once the market starts to recover in 2021 - a pending labor shortage. Though some hotels have done their best to retain employees or to ease the suffering caused by mass furloughs, staff reduction was inevitable and many of those employees may not be available to return when guest traffic picks up. Consequently, hotels will once again be competing to find and retain qualified talent to staff their operations. Naturally, companies will have to review their wage and benefits packages in order to remain competitive. They might also wholeheartedly embrace the work-from-home trend for some corporate positions. In addition, human resource professionals will also have to definitively convince frontline employees that their  hotels are safe to work in. The March Hotel Business Review will explore what some HR professionals are doing to address these and other employment issues in their respective departments.  


This month's feature articles...

Stacey Oliver-Knappe

Are you challenged onboarding new employees or keeping current employees trained on evolving information? Do you struggle how to upskill staff to maintain high guest service levels? This article simplifies the training function to teach any leader workforce learning tactics and strategies to continue staff develop. I am confident you can do this, and do it well, with these ideas. READ MORE

Zoe Connolly

Covid happened, the industry is starting to adjust, and now what? While we don't know how soon things will get back to normal or if this is our new normal, what we do know is that travel is starting to pick back up. This means hotels need to restaff and reopen. Let's focus on how we can find the best talent and get our teams to thrive. READ MORE

Suzanne McIntosh

The impact of 2020 will have a long term effect as millions of jobs were lost, hotels closed and businesses that depend on our industry were shuttered. This article shows how hiring managers can source and hire the very best candidates in this new environment. It will also give some guidance to job seekers on how to compete for the fewer positions that are available in this different employment landscape. READ MORE

Sheetal Singh

As we seek diverse individuals to fill our organization's ever evolving human capital needs, we also need to ensure that we hire individuals that are a good fit for our organization. In this article we highlight the traps leaders need to avoid and how to look for similarity in value that helps them find candidates with good fit. READ MORE

James Ward

Devastated from COVID-19, our current focus is a return to normalcy. We terminated millions globally. Those who remain are tired and worn. Our mad rush to terminate left sentiments of distrust, distaste, and dissatisfaction. Future potential employees are encouraged to steer clear. Without a "call to action" on recruitment/ employee satisfaction we face rough waters ahead for talent acquisition. READ MORE

Florian Kittler

Can a virtual interview be enough to hire senior executives without meeting them face to face? Can a brand entice top talent to join based on a Zoom call? Florian Kittler from HVS Executive Search explores how virtual recruiting is becoming the new form and why hospitality companies should revisit their biggest strength and incorporate it into their hiring process. READ MORE

Adam Calli

What kind of support should a hotel executive receive from their HR team in 2021? And what kind of support should they expect their HR team to expect from them? Find out from an expert how HR has changed over the past 40+ years, how you should change with it, and how all will benefit along the way! READ MORE

James Houran

Psychology says that decision-making is complicated by a "speed-accuracy" trade-off. This issue becomes more salient as the post-pandemic "rebound and recovery" period approaches. Many organizations will need to increase their talent bench-strength quickly to meet pent-up demand. New psychometric research and AI-technologies confront the traditional trade-off by facilitating more efficient and effective hiring decisions than ever possible before. READ MORE

Paul Feeney

No matter your role or how long you have been in it, we all have situations we would rather avoid. No matter the situation, most would agree that leaving your comfort zone can create the opportunity to flourish professionally, personally, and financially. Yet that comfort zone can be a cozy blanket of security quite difficult to shed! READ MORE

Conor Kenny

The pandemic, like a nasty cut, will leave many scars. Healing will take time but there's a bigger problem coming for a fragile and bruised hospitality industry. A problem that has the capacity to destroy the heart of what excellence in hospitality is all about. We are talking about young people and how they are choosing to leave the industry before they start. READ MORE

Mark Munoz

As a result of the pandemic, the hotel industry experienced diminished numbers in market size and employees in the workplace. This requires a reframing of conversations pertaining to the practice of human resource management. With challenges emerging in various fronts, solutions are available through a three-pronged strategy involving the rapid response to issues, heightened revenue focus, and revitalization of technology. READ MORE

Robert O'Halloran

The hospitality industry needs to embrace reskilling and define it for their operations and apply it through education and training. Potentially, new contexts can be incorporated into hospitality business models to include enhanced mentoring programs, a focus on technical abilities, improved organizational culture and highlighting empathy as a skill. All of which need to be incorporated it into hospitality training and education and seeing the issues from a guest and fellow employee perspective. READ MORE

Albert Brannen

President Biden promised to be "the most pro-union President" in U.S history. In his first days in office, Biden took swift action to change agency personnel, sign Executive Orders promoting unions and begin a dramatic pivot toward a pro-union environment. This article offers 20 steps that employers can take to increase employee engagement and minimize their vulnerability to union organizing. READ MORE

Merrick Dresnin

Just like with any sickness, it is important to take your temperature to determine how it is affecting you. The same holds true in business -- companies need to take their temperatures and use the reading to see where they are on the "road to recovery". Human Resources can be a company's thermometer and provide numbers that tell us if we are on our way to recovery and normalcy. READ MORE

Eugenio Pirri

As the adage goes, with every cloud there is a silver lining. This crisis has undoubtedly changed the face of hospitality for years to come. It too has transformed the way HR is seen in a business, and how organisations and their workforces will look. As a result, we are now seen the 'Covid Dividends' - the learnings and some surprisingly positives outcomes. We need to take all that we have learnt, done, adapted and use this so it becomes part of our strategic fabric. READ MORE

Roberta Chinsky Matuson

Millions of confined people are longing to hit the road again. Many have already begun to do so. Are you ready to welcome an influx of guests? Now's the time to rethink your entire talent strategy so that you're able to quickly staff up, with the right talent, the moment hotel bookings begin to rise. Here's where to begin. READ MORE

Mark Ricketts

As we work to battle the coronavirus and restore our economy, the hospitality industry can be a leader in bringing people together - one community at a time. This article will consider non-doctrinaire ways that hospitality organizations can help promote mutual respect and understanding among staff, guests and partners, better understanding what it is like to walk in another person's shoes. READ MORE

Laurie Friedman

As a coach I have heard many people ask, quietly, if not, somewhat fearfully what if I really do not care about the people? They continue to explain what they really care about is getting results. This question is not surprising given why we work and what is measured at work. If you want your team to get better business results; try practicing this 5-step guide to leadership caring to maximize performance. READ MORE

Linchi Kwok Ph.D.

The unemployment rate in the hospitality industry hit 15.9% in January 2021. Companies adopted new virtual hiring practices due to the changes in remote work. Job candidates must have a strong digital presence to stand out. This report highlights the findings of a research study about how people's information revealed in their social media profiles may affect managers' hiring decisions. READ MORE

Michael Strohmer

COVID-19 is the latest outcome in a volatile cycle of crises that have had devastating effects on the hospitality industry. While we don't know what the next crisis will be, we know that it will likely have similar impacts. But by understanding the conditions that have made the hospitality field particularly vulnerable to past crises, we can anticipate - and design for - the impact of future catastrophes or calamities. READ MORE

Ines Barreiros

According to The Hotelier PULSE Report, an increasing number of hotels worldwide are prioritizing 'Social Media' as a means to engage with guests and drive direct bookings. But at what cost? This article will show you how to calculate what your hotel is investing toward your social media strategy vs the return on investment (ROI) for your business. READ MORE

Ruby Gurrola

Anyone you ask will likely tell you that they couldn't wait to say adios to 2020. As you settle into 2021 and think of ways to thrive in this "new normal," take time to reflect on how 2020 changes your workplace and considering updating your HR practices. Read on to see the top four HR practices for you to consider implementing in your organization to set you up for success in 2021 and beyond. READ MORE

Cara Silletto

Healthy company cultures are marked by leaders who make time to stay connected to their staff. Leaders want staff who are 100% productive and who stay for years. But do those same leaders ever stop to ask what the staff members want or need? Learn the five ways self-aware and diligent leaders avoid becoming disconnected from staff by truly knowing their people. READ MORE

James O'Brien

Hotels have long been moving business processes online and into the cloud, but for many, I-9 compliance remains stuck in the age of paper. Electronic employment authorization verification systems should not be assumed to have legal compliance built in. Current law imposes additional requirements on employers which use I-9 electronic systems. HR must carefully vet such systems before deploying them. READ MORE

Michael Sturman, Ph.D.

When the COVID-19 pandemic finally comes under control, the hospitality industry will face a host of HR problems. This includes traditional challenges, plus new difficulties resulting from the pandemic's effects. Companies need to think not just about how they plan to restock the human capital lost due to the pandemic, but also carefully consider the timing of this recovery process. READ MORE

Frank Speranza

Will you have the leadership and service staff to take care of your guests when those empty spaces enjoy a robust recovery caused by potentially 24 months of pent-up travel demand? If you're not planning ahead, you could get caught in a staffing hole that is very hard to climb out of! Let's take a good look at the possible scenario that may await you... READ MORE

Bruce Tracey

The pandemic's lingering effects mean that continued emphasis on retrenchment and building resilience will remain priorities for HR professionals. In this article we explore some encouraging signs that the future of hotel work will offer even more enriching and professionalized employment opportunities, which in turn, will help make the hotel industry an even more compelling place to work. READ MORE

Lisa Seay

Just like a ride on a roller coaster, a new leader's ride is filled with both terrifying and thrilling moments. In this article, Lisa Seay from Element C provides an essential insight into three common struggles hospitality leaders experience, along with three solutions to not just overcome these struggles but to thrive as a result of them. READ MORE

Janet Wright

New pandemic cleaning and social distancing protocols are keeping hoteliers on their toes as they work to ensure that their employees, visitors and guests can enjoy a clean and safe experience. Unfortunately, this focus on COVID-19 cleanliness has led many to place less emphasis on basic safety protocols, such as those for slips, trips and falls and accident reporting. READ MORE

Adria Levtchenko

Many newer technologies are being introduced and promoted in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, especially in the name of contactless services and guest communications. However, there are multiple technologies that will have a strong role in hospitality's future to save time and money; to increase productivity and responsiveness; and to better serve guests. READ MORE

Silvia Camarota

For women in travel, the COVID-19 crisis has had a massive regressive effect on their careers. Women in Travel Thrive, a grassroots movement driven by volunteers from across the travel industry aims to change the narrative and increase women's leadership representation. Founding member Silvia B. Camarota writes about the organization's first steps to combat the crisis and how to get involved. READ MORE

Francis (Frank) Nardozza

The fallout from COVID-19 has presented unique challenges to the hospitality industry. Virtually every hospitality loan has some level of distress and Lenders may soon begin to make blanket decisions on their overall loan portfolios. Authors Frank Nardozza and Troy Taylor share why being proactive, critically addressing your financial situation, and developing a plan to bridge the difficult times is more important now than ever. READ MORE

Coming up in March 1970...