housekeeping or maintenance up to management , or to start as a GM at a select-service property and move to a GM role at a fullservice property .
A strong desire to learn , grow and shape the future of hospitality is the first quality we look for in both recruiting and developing an associate . An associate ’ s ability to demonstrate crucial soft skills , like teamwork , communications and relationship building is also key . Those qualities combined with hands-on experience are what make for top talent .
Today ’ s worker wants to know there ’ s a path for them to advance , and that they ’ re working for a company that cares about them as individuals . The core tenants of The Aimbridge WAY are rooted in the values , behaviors and culture we uphold as an organization , and the actions each of us takes to help our people grow , belong and succeed .
HOTELS : As of May , national average leisure and hospitality wages were at an all-time high of more than $ 21 per hour . Since the pandemic , average hotel wages have increased faster than average wages throughout the general economy . How has this put a strain on operating margins and profitability ? Christenson : The importance of highly trained and experienced hospitality specialists cannot be overlooked , and we work with our owners to find the balance of employing the right individuals to staff and service their hotels while looking for opportunities to continue delivering against their financial goals . Because of our size and scale , we ’ re able to provide owners with creative labor solutions , like job complexing . For example , hiring an engineer in the Dallas market to support two hotels with the owners of each property sharing the cost rather than duplicating roles and paying two fulltime associates .
HOTELS : To deal with the jump in wages , are hotels running leaner up and down the chain scale ? Has the traditional number of FTEs it takes to run , for example , a select-service hotel , dwindled ? Are hotels being run more efficiently ? Christenson : Finding ways to drive greater efficiency , both for labor and purchasing costs , is imperative . Each hotel team is empowered to make the best decisions for its property , including reviewing staffing needs so they ’ re able to deliver on financial and operational expectations . At the same time , our corporate team focuses on how we can improve operational efficiencies across the portfolio and provide value at scale so our frontline associates can put their energy toward providing outstanding guest service .
HOTELS : What are employees asking of their employer today that they might not have five to 10 years ago ? Christenson : The entire landscape of what candidates are looking for has completely transformed . Today ’ s jobseekers are looking for flexibility above all else . In addition to shift-sharing , flexible scheduling has also been very well-received and allows associates to balance both work and personal time . For those who want to have a consistent schedule so they can plan around work , that ’ s available , too .
Employees also want to be heard and taken care of . In direct response to employee feedback , we were one of the first to offer daily pay . Last year , more than $ 25 million was accessed in daily pay by Aimbridge associates across the organization .
HOTELS : After hiring , retention is vital . What is Aimbridge doing to ensure its front-line employees stick around ? Christenson : To be successful with retention in today ’ s market , we need to invest significant resources in highlighting the career opportunities and benefits of working in the industry . From elevated and increased training and development programs to benefits traditionally offered in gig jobs , we must continue applying design thinking to the employee experience .
HOTELS : What is the biggest change COVID did to the labor market and will it last ? Christenson : Bringing back talent that left the industry for other opportunities during the pandemic and identifying and recruiting new talent to join the industry was something we had to think differently about post-pandemic . From how to reach and retain talent that ’ s moved from urban to suburban settings to expanding on the types of skill sets and prior experiences that translate to a role in hospitality , it was a chance to reexamine our recruitment approach .
To help address recruitment challenges , we introduced new initiatives that improve talent acquisition and retention while also embedding more tech-enabled solutions to reduce the time between application and hire . One solution was placing market recruiters in critically understaffed regions , which has helped Aimbridge fill hourly hotel jobs 75 % faster than the industry average . Competition for talent is fierce ; we need to find ways to make it easier and appealing for people to join the industry .
HOTELS : What are the biggest challenges for a HR executive and how do you overcome them ? Christenson : There is no shortcut when it comes to building a strong company culture . The work starts at the top , with codifying expectations and accountability up and down the organization . As an HR executive , creating forums for our employees to share what ’ s working , what ’ s not , what do they want more of , what do they need from us as leaders and how do we keep improving is all critical feedback and it gives us direction and helps us prioritize the work with the greatest impact .
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