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Your employees are key to your hotel’s long-term, sustainable success. After all, they’re the ones who ensure the smooth running of your hotel and who act as your brand ambassadors. That’s why you want to ensure you have the best ones working for you and that you keep them on for the long run.
But between the dried up labour market and “The Great Resignation,” in which employees are quitting at record numbers, we know all too well it’s hard to find employees - let alone hire those who are perfect for your hotel.
In a recent American Hotel & Lodging Association survey, 91% of hotels said they’re struggling to fill open positions (AHLA, 2022)
In the same survey, 87% of respondents said they’re experiencing a staffing shortage, with 36% describing their shortages as severe (AHLA, 2022)
One in five workers have quit or plan to quit their jobs by the end of 2022 (PwC, 2022)
Know who’s on your team first. Investigate the make-up of your current team in order to identify gaps where you can hire more diverse talent. Your goal = to hire 50% People representing diverse backgrounds (which should be reflective of your community’s demographics).
Have a Purpose. Having a Purpose in place will not only help your hotel to stick out, but attract those People who identify with that Purpose and want to contribute to its success.
Define your ideal candidate. Create an Ideal Candidate Profile that outlines your ideal candidate’s Behaviour/Attitude/Values, Skills/Experience, Goals, Needs (what they look for in a job) and Offerings (what your hotel can give them in return).
Use inclusive language in your job ad. Craft a job ad that uses inclusive language in order to appeal to a broader audience. To help you with this, download The Sustainable Hotel Insights: Job Ads HERE.
Cast a wide net. Market your job listings on different channels in order to reach more diverse candidates: set up an employee referral programme, reach out to hospitality schools, contact job programmes, post in groups where diverse candidates congregate, post on (local) job boards, hire a headhunter and promote on your online channels.
Assess the fit. In addition to the standard interview questions, ask the candidates the following questions to see if they meet the Ideal Candidate Profile you created: “What are your goals for the role?”, “What are your values?”, “Our Purpose is X – how can you contribute to it?”, “What matters most to you in a job?”
Make an offer. Ensure your job offer includes benefits and offerings that meet those needs outlined by your candidate, which will motivate them to want to work for you long-term.
Download this FREE guide and discover the 6 elements of inclusive and attractive job ads.
Hotel Con Corazón (“Hotel with a Heart”) is a social impact hotel brand that invests its Profits (approximately 75%) in education and work. With two locations in the developing regions of Oaxaca, Mexico, and Granada, Nicaragua, guests who stay at Hotel Con Corazón support local communities to build a better future. Since 2008, the Profits of the hotels have enabled Hotel Con Corazón to support an average of 250 students per year through its education programmes.
Learn more about Hotel Con Corazón HERE.
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