Many would argue that the culture matters most to younger employees . But Dodds contends it matters to everyone . “ All wish to be given opportunities to grow and shine , and all seek fair treatment , fair reward and flexibility . They want to be engaged in the workplace and feel they make a difference .”
At Hong Kong-based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts , taking care of employees is one aspect of the company ’ s “ relationship hospitality ,” which encompasses associates , guests and the community . “ We ’ re only at our best when our entire team feels supported and safe , and so we are committed to taking every step possible to ensure that they do ,” says Rosewood President Radha Arora .
During 2020 , many hospitality employers stepped up communications and looked to their teams for survival ideas ; that openness and spirit of collaboration have carried over to the present in some cases and brought associates closer together . At Aparium , for instance , working groups across the company collaborated to wrestle challenges within their departments . Members of a food and beverage group hatched a strategy to turn unused guestrooms into pop-up private dining rooms to satisfy guests looking for a safe restaurant experience during the pandemic .
EFFICIENCY MATTERS , TOO The lean look of many hotels has tested many organizations ’ commitment to providing flexible hours and easing stress on the staff . Technology has stepped in to ease the burden . Software like ShiftGig , which allows outside gig workers to bid on open shifts , has helped
Aimbridge manage through the labor shortage ; the company also has an in-house system that allows staff at nearby properties to pick up hours where there is a need . Aimbridge has also introduced a daily pay option for employees who prefer immediate compensation , another by-product of the gig economy .
Cross training also has gained favor as an obvious solution . With occupancies hovering around 50 %, “ we have looked at all our processes and taken out anything we thought unnecessary ,” without affecting the guest experience , Rockey says . Cross training has helped during busy times , and as business picks up , “ we are constantly evaluating positions to determine whether we need to hire again .”
When staffing up the Westin Tempe , Hunt skirted one especially thorny issue — housekeeping — by bringing in outside contractors to handle that department , as well as valet services . “ We work with a great partner , which has lots of team members , recruiting sites and boots on the ground ,” she says . “ On day one , they were able to bring me 41 employees and manage the process .” The arrangement has worked out well , she adds .
If there is a silver lining to the pandemic , it could be the right sizing of many operations teams . “ With slimmer organizational structures and reporting lines redrawn , companies are now better positioned to weather the pandemic ’ s fallout as we head into the prolonged pandemic-induced ‘ COVID year two ,’” Busch says . “ There is no ‘ post-pandemic ,’ only a new order of us learning to live with it , the survival of the fittest .”
PARTLY FROM A MORALE STANDPOINT AND PARTLY OUT OF NECESSITY , THEY [ GMS ] HAVE GOTTEN MORE INVOLVED IN DAY-TO- DAY OPERATIONS . I THINK IT HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF KEEPING MORALE UP , SEEING THE GM WASN ’ T JUST SITTING AT A DESK .
– KEVIN ROCKEY
November / December 2021 hotelsmag . com 41