Employee engagement should be at the heart of any organization, but it should especially be embedded within a hotel’s cultural DNA. No matter the size of your property or staff, taking care of your team’s well being is essential to helping them better service your guests. A strong level of engagement between executives and staff is the common thread among three major hotel brands repeatedly ranked in Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. SkyTouch Technology shares some of these exemplary employee engagement best practices below to help hotels employ similar strategies within their own organizations:
Intercontinental Hotels Group. This heavy hospitality hitter demonstrates its support for employees by investing in their professional development and financial health. In 2010, their total direct expenditure on company-wide learning and performance was approximately $10 million! In addition, IHG issues a survey twice annually to all employees to gauge their input and satisfaction. Employee engagement reportedly climbed 17% since implementation of the survey program and 94% of employees claim they are proud to work for the hotel brand – note, in comparison, the industry average is 73%.
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. This luxury hotel brand doesn’t limit the VIP treatment to guests alone. Rather than adhering to a corporate culture checklist, it values the individual goals and preferences of its employees. After six months of service, employees have the option to shift into a new internal position. After a year of service, they are eligible to request transfer to another Four Seasons location of their preference. This unique perk translates into increased retention and morale. The hotel brand also fosters a sense of communication, community, and well-being across every level of the organization with executives routinely visiting its various properties to engage and connect with employees.
Kimpton Hotels. This notable boutique brand is all about empowering employees at every level to stay true to themselves. They routinely honor individual employees through their “Kimpton Moments” program, which recognizes unique and “unscripted” examples of guest service and care by employees. At the end of the year, an employee is awarded $10,000 for the “Ultimate Kimpton Moment.” Kimpton also conducts its annual Housekeeping Olympics to recognize the important role their housekeeping staff plays in the company’s continued success. They also employ an open-door sense of connectedness in order to effectively address employee input and ensure ongoing positive morale. The company president even uses Twitter to directly interact with employees.
While the above best practices are indeed, exemplary, you don’t have to be a big, established brand to make your employees feel engaged and valued. Take small steps to communicate and interact with employees at every level of your operation and they will feel motivated and empowered to better serve guests.
