SPECIAL REPORT
GET WITH THE PROGRAM
“ I TELL NEW EMPLOYEES TO EXPERIENCE THE HOTEL AS IF YOU WERE A GUEST ; THAT WAY YOU KNOW AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE GUEST IS FEELING AND YOU CAN LEARN THE SKILLS THAT YOU NEED FOR THE JOB .”
— KARA LUNDGREN , GM , CIRC HOTEL
learning tools are being utilized . But it needs to be done in short increments to avoid “ e-learning fatigue ” and for the information to sink in , says Josh Haims , principal in human capital at Deloitte Consulting . “ You can ’ t open up an online catalog that will take 45 minutes or an hour to go through ,” he says .
Some of these innovations that will be a future component of training will include virtual classrooms . Hilton has begun using VR goggles to offer a business immersion experience for trainees that covers the entire hotel environment , from the front desk to kitchen to housekeeping and more , says Blaire Bhojwani , Hilton ’ s senior director of learning innovation . Two hundred employees , working in small groups , have tried the goggles as part of a pilot program .
“ People want small , bite-sized learning that is very relevant to them and their needs , and they want the training when it ’ s convenient for them – which is another reason why the VR training is proving so successful ,” Bhojwani says . The use of mobile applications to train new employees also is on the rise . Since May 2017 , Hotel Equities ’ properties have been using an interactive app that utilizes trivia games , Morris says . The mobile-ready platform can train front desk associates , F & B and back of house staff , housekeeping and maintenance personnel . Trivia games feature five questions at a time that last for just 43 seconds . Participants earn points for correct answers that can be traded in for gift cards , donations to charities , pizza parties and other prizes .
“ When you have a new hire , you don ’ t want to bombard them with too much information . Our employees can use ( the app ) three times when it is good for them ,” says Lacey Green , guest services manager at the 130-room Hotel Indigo in Athens , Georgia . Her hotel ’ s 60 employees have been using the since June 2017 .
SHADOWING Salt Hotels partnered younger and older new staffers together to shadow each other when it opened the 110-room Asbury Hotel in Asbury Park , New Jersey , in 2016 , says David Bowd , New York City-based founder and CEO of
Training has to be targeted from the getgo , especially for employees new to the hospitality industry . If not , there is the risk of scaring them off – often more quickly than managers can even imagine .
Most people leave a job in hospitality in the first 30 days because “ it has a chaotic pace , and people are freaked out by chaos ,” says Arte Nathan , president of Taos , New Mexicobased Strategic Development Worldwide , which provides leadership and effectiveness training to companies . Nathan also served as chief human resources officer at Golden Nugget and its successor companies , Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts .
“ You need to surround people with comfort and nurturing during the first week on the job so that they don ’ t get overwhelmed ,” he adds . Here are some of the hospitality veteran ’ s tips for successful training :
HAVE MEASUREABLE RESULTS . If you are training new staffers – anywhere from F & B to the front desk to housekeeping – you need to have a standard against which you can measure performance . Otherwise it ’ s hard to tell how much trainees are actually learning and retaining .
RUN A TRAINING PROGRAM LIKE A BUSINESS . This includes having a business plan , budget and ROI expectations . Such a plan should also be well-marketed and promoted within the company .
WEAVE TRAINING INTO THE CORPORATE CULTURE . Training must be part of how a company operates . If employee performance is reviewed each year , than so should training programs , to confirm that they are still meeting their goals . Training should be continuous , not just offered to new staffers . SURVEY YOUR EMPLOYEES . They can offer feedback on what should be changed when it comes to training and development initiatives . They also know what kind of additional skills they want to learn .
INNOVATE . Training methods are evolving , and that includes incorporating technology into training , such as offering programs online and through mobile devices .
24 hotelsmag . com March 2018