Employee turnover continues to plague the hospitality industry. In many cases, star employees acquire skills in hotels before transferring to other industries, costing operators valuable time spent training workers. It remains a struggle despite the hotel industry routinely paying above the average national minimum wage, and allowing for near limitless potential for growth. In the majority of cases, workers choose to leave their positions because they feel undervalued, or they encounter resistance from management. There are many ways to reward standout team members and elevate workers who struggle, beyond monetary incentives. Are you doing enough to recognize your property's team members? READ MORE

One of the biggest stories in hospitality in recent years is the ongoing-and worsening-labor shortage. Hotel owners and operators have been forced to navigate an increasingly costly and competitive labor landscape, and HR managers in particular have been forced to look for creative new solutions to address personnel challenges. And at a time when the labor market is growing tighter, owner expectations are rising. Consequently, hotel management professionals responsible for hiring are also raising the bar. The costs and consequences of a bad hire have become so significant, that the HR team quite literally can't afford to get it wrong. READ MORE

What do artificial intelligence and delicious craft beer have in common? On the surface, not much, but look a little deeper and you'll discover these are part of two trends that will impact hotels in 2020. Emerging technologies and food and beverage programs are transforming the guest experience, and hoteliers should take note. In the new year, we'll also see increased sustainability efforts (goodbye, plastic), more niche loyalty programs and brand-affiliated hotels, and properties catering to the bleisure traveler. This article covers five trends that will shape the hotel industry in 2020. READ MORE

Does your Employer Brand communicate why talented employees would want to work for you in a way that is interesting, persuasive, believable, and memorable? Does it really differentiate you from your competitors in the talent war? If you are NOT using stories in your employer branding, the answer to both questions is and emphatic "No." Claims like "we're a great place to work," "you get to make a difference when you work here," and "come join the A Team" are meaningless and unconvincing. Anybody can claim that, including your competitors. What can differentiate you from them? Stories. Stories make your Employer Brand come to life and demonstrate the truth of your claims. Learn how to use stories to make your Employer Brand more interesting, believable, and memorable, and to separate yourself from the Employer Sea of Sameness. READ MORE

It's no secret that employees are the heart of any hotel or casino to deliver quality operations and a high-level of customer service. With the low rate of unemployment across the United States, now it is more important than ever for companies to take a strategic approach to engage and retain quality employees. This article provides information about four approaches for hospitality leaders to consider for their teams – including using behavioral sciences, developing ways to monitor the employee experience, predicting turnover through data science, and approaching your employee marketing the same way your approach customer marketing. READ MORE

As recreational marijuana usage has become legal or decriminalized in a number of states and medical use has been accepted in even more, it has become important for business owners to understand marijuana's position in the workplace. In particular, hotel owners should understand its impact on safety and productivity. In this article, John Welty, president of SUITELIFE® Underwriting Managers, will discuss new changes to cannabis laws and what they mean for hotel owners and management. He will discuss employer rights when implementing a drug-free policy in the workplace and offer best practices to include in employee training and handbooks. READ MORE

There is a great deal of focus in the wellness world on physical fitness, but very little on mental fitness. The latest research shows that it is possible to grow and strengthen our brains to prevent cognitive decline. These are exciting scientific developments not just for those at risk for cognitive impairment disorders, but also those interested in increasing their mental potential. Corporate groups, in particular, are seeking programs to increase productivity and boost the cognitive performance of their top talent. Just as with strength training to grow muscles, cognitive fitness programs can increase the size and power of the brain. This is an area of opportunity for expanding your wellness offerings and attracting new business. READ MORE

Hotel executives can improve organizational processes through employee engagement that will enhance organizational learning and personal development. These leaders can effectively engage employees in organizational decision making process because it takes a task-based approach by translating the management of knowledge into various organizational processes. This task-based approach develops a firm-specific approach by which organizational knowledge provides a significant contribution to business objectives through the context-dependent way it is managed. This can help hotels identify their inefficiencies in each process, and subsequently recover them on an instantaneous basis which enables hotel managers to prevent further operational risk. READ MORE

Tru by Hilton disrupted the midscale hospitality segment by taking a deep approach to gathering insights and leveraging owner feedback to build the brand from the ground up. Combined with consumer research, this approach unleashed new ways of thinking and resulted in a complete reimagining of every aspect of what a midscale brand can deliver to both developers and consumers. With the fastest brand launch in the industry, a REVPAR index premium, 100-plus open properties and 320 hotels in the pipeline, Tru's success has proven how innovative thinking can lead to true differentiation. READ MORE

Select service hotels are one of today's most popular and successful hotel asset classes, attractive to investors, developers and property and asset managers, as well as guests. For more than a decade, they have accounted for more than 60 percent of planned builds in the hotel development pipeline. This strength is reflected in favorable construction windows, labor costs, flexibility in offerings of food and beverage services and other amenities, and gross operating profits. This article discusses factors for success in select service today and some of its development challenges and opportunities. READ MORE

The past tenderly reveals itself in the present, whether through a curved archway, heritage tree on site, or local relic long buried. To create hospitality environments that embody the local history, charm and character of place, we try not to reference history too heavy handedly or focus so much on the story we want to tell that we lose sight of the site and its heritage. There aren't objective facts about a site or landscape; it's the sensations that drive us. This article explores how to channel historical character in hotel design guided by the site itself and its surroundings. READ MORE

With unemployment rate at its lowest in the last few decades, it is critical for employers to create environments that are engaging and improve talent retention within an organization. Employees either leave organizations for opportunities to grow or separate from environments that do not contribute to their development and overall well-being. In this article I share how organizations can leverage leadership to not only help develop and retain existing talent but also attract high potential professionals that are looking for an opportunity to learn and grow. READ MORE

We all know what happens when we wait too long to address an existing or impending crisis, and history offers endless examples. It took many years for Noah to build his ark, but when the flooding began those who had spent all that time ridiculing him perished for lack of preparation. Several died after failing to evacuate from Mt. St. Helens, despite being warned well in advance that an eruption was imminent. The stories go on and on, yet – classically – many of us wait until the last minute or, worse, until the problem is upon us. And then we panic. It's been a mathematical reality for some time that a labor shortage was inevitable. This article warns that the shortage is now upon us, but also offers suggestions for doing something to avoid panic. READ MORE

Question: What is your most effective recruiting method? Job posting? Campus recruiting? Your website? Employee referrals? Social media? It depends on the talent you're targeting, of course. But you may be relying too much on a limited handful of talent sourcing and recruiting strategies. Have you ever wondered whether you are considering all the methods available to you? In this article, the author presents a comprehensive list of ten methods that are guaranteed to expand your thinking. Developing relationships with local resume writers? Hosting an open house? Arranging chats with web-surfing job seekers? These and any of 60 other "guerilla tactics" may be the ticket to finding and keeping talent you need to stay successful. READ MORE

When faced with labor shortages and staffing challenges, take a good look at your leadership-management team and onboarding and development plans, as well as your culture. Employees stay in positions when they feel valued, feel competent, are happy in their environment, and have clearly defined roles and expectations. With how negatively turnover impacts your bottom line, it is increasingly important to make sure you are training and developing the right people. When leaders commit to their people and their culture, they are more likely to retain the type of employees that will best perform in their organization. READ MORE