Work-related burnout is increasing, resulting in stress, a decrease in productivity, and ultimately could lead to high employee turnover. After spending three decades in the hospitality industry, I have witnessed work-related burnout and the negative impact it has on others. Vacation time helps, but implementing tools that can prevent employee burnout is not only easy, but effective in maintaining a positive and productive work environment. I want to share some of my best practices for team building, internal communication, self-discovery, and encouraging the best performance from employees in any industry. READ MORE

Hotel executives that manage innovation and use HR technologies as an important driving force for business success find their hotels to be more competitive and on the cutting edge. However, innovation and performance in hotels are determined by a set of critical success factors, one of which is the strategic dimension of HR technologies. Hotel executives can implement HR technologies to create conducive organizational climates that foster organizational learning in which knowledge, as a driver of improved performance, is shared and exploited. This is not enough, however, for hotel executives. They need to see how HR technologies can help hotels in facilitating organizational processes. READ MORE

How does your hotel show up online? Since first impressions are made without a guest physically being on property, all aspects of your online communications (website and social media) need to be calculated and perfect. What is seen online is usually a guest's first impression of your hotel. Websites and social media posts need to come across as smart- post differently, have clever delivery, use engaging content, etc. Hotels need to show personality in their messages and on their websites. Show real guests experiences, have some fun and make us fall in love with the images and your hotel. A successful online presence can be hard work, but the benefits are hard to ignore. READ MORE

In the hospitality industry, the cookie-cutter approach just won't cut it anymore. With a new decade dawning, more and more travelers are looking for hotels that are immersed in local culture. They're on the hunt for a place the reflects local touches and offers local insight. They're avoiding the tourist traps in favor of truly local experiences, whether it's signature cuisine or attractions that shed light on a place. Today's traveler is searching for authenticity. Fernando Rivera, General Manager at the soon-to-be-opened Kimpton Palomar South Beach, has developed an array of strategies to help hotels tap into local culture. READ MORE

The hotel industry is complex, and every hotel and restaurant is different – where the hotel is located, the skills of the staff needed to effectively run the operation, the number of restaurants, cafes and other amenities offered – the list goes on. Finding the right labor management system is time consuming and requires extensive research, which is why so many operators chose to go with a simple, one feature set-approach. On the surface it reduces stress because of its ease of use, but depending on the business, a one-size-fits-all approach just won't cut it. READ MORE