Building hotels where people want to work

Happy teams create happy guests, and happy guests create great hotels. This is the simple truth every hotel owner and general manager knows, and it’s also the secret to reducing one of the most significant costs in the hospitality industry: employee attrition. When an employee leaves, the hotel not only incurs the cost of recruiting and training a replacement, but also suffers a loss of culture and consistency that guests will notice long before it shows up in financial reports.

The key to solving this isn’t to simply hire faster, but to build a workplace so exceptional that employees don’t want to leave. It’s a long-term strategy focused on cultivating loyalty by truly caring for your people.

Leadership is about care, not control

A hotel’s true competitive advantage isn’t its prime location or luxurious decor; it’s the loyalty of the people who run it. Leadership should be centered on taking care of those in your charge, creating an environment where employees feel secure, valued, and cared for, not just at work, but in life.

Simon Sinek once shared a story called “What Noah Taught Me About Leadership”. His message was simple: leadership is not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of those in your charge.

Policies and benefits aren’t just items on an HR checklist, they are powerful signals. Each one tells your team what kind of leader you are and what kind of hotel you run.

1. Secure the basics

Financial security is the bedrock of employee loyalty. Without it, no other initiative will have a lasting impact.

• Competitive pay: Regularly benchmark salaries against the local market to ensure employees feel they are being paid fairly.
• Emergency support: Offering collateral-free, interest-free loans with salary deductions turns your hotel into a safety net during a crisis.
• Comprehensive insurance: Extending medical insurance to cover spouses and parents is a powerful way to show you care about an employee’s family. Families that feel protected will encourage the employee to stay.
• Special allowances: Small gestures like marriage allowances and festival bonuses are minimal in cost but generate significant goodwill.

When employees know the hotel will catch them if they fall, they stop looking for other jobs.

2. Invest in well-being and dignity

The hospitality industry is demanding, and a hotel’s commitment to its employees’ well-being shows a deep respect for their contributions.

• Quality accommodation: If your hotel provides staff housing, ensure it’s clean, hygienic, and well-maintained. This is not a luxury; it’s a reflection of dignity. Employees who live in respectable environments feel a sense of pride that carries into their work.
• Proper staff dining: A nutritious and diverse staff dining experience does more than feed employees. It builds a sense of inclusion.
• Health support: Consider partnering with local clinics for annual check-ups or including mental health support, as prevention costs less than treatment for both the employee and the employer.

3. Foster recognition and growth

Once financial security is established, recognition becomes the fuel for loyalty. The lack of recognition is a top reason employees leave.

• Visible appreciation: Simple acts like an “Employee of the Month” program, birthday celebrations, and public appreciation at townhalls create an emotional connection.
• Loyalty leave: Reward tenure with additional paid time off after a year of service. This simple gesture communicates that long-term service is valued.
• Clear career paths: Provide training, mentorship programs, and clear promotion pathways. When employees see a future at your hotel, they are far less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.

4. Build a community that includes families

Employees don’t exist in isolation; their families and communities influence their loyalty. Hotels that embrace this reality gain a significant edge.

• Annual family stay program: A simple but game-changing practice is to invite each employee and their family to stay at the hotel as guests once a year. This creates immense pride, turning employees into ambassadors and their families into advocates.
• Team outings: An annual trip or outing outside the hotel builds community and strengthens bonds that help teams navigate peak work pressures.
• Cultural celebrations: Recognizing the cultural diversity of your team by celebrating festivals makes everyone feel included.

5. Empower staff with inclusion and a voice

Trust is built through fairness and a sense of security. Employees need to feel that their voices are heard and that their workplace is inclusive.

• Balanced diversity: Aim for a healthy male-to-female ratio in every department, as diverse teams can better connect with a diverse range of guests.
• Grievance forum: Provide a safe, transparent space where employees can raise concerns without fear. This could be a grievance committee or an open-door policy, as long as issues are heard and addressed.

The Long-Term Payoff

Each of these steps is a brick in a wall of trust that competitors can’t easily replicate. By investing in your team, you create a workplace that employees don’t want to leave, which in turn reduces attrition, lowers recruitment costs, and provides a consistent, high-quality experience for guests.

This approach transforms a hotel from a simple workplace into a thriving community. For general managers and owners, this is not just an expense, it’s a growth strategy that secures talent, reduces costs, and builds a powerful reputation as an employer of choice.