Careers in Hospitality

SEPTEMBER 2019 | FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM

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CAREERS IN HOSPITALITY Robert Irvine

The host of “Restaurant: Impossible” talks about tech’s impact on the industry

How to build your company’s culture and expand your portfolio Why an education in hospitality can boost your career

Enhance Your Guest Experience From End to Mobile and Smart Kiosk Check-In, Easy Payments With Digital Wallet, Real-Time Guest Messaging

The Highs and Lows of What a Tech Revolution Means for the Hospitality Industry With consumer needs rapidly changing in the hotel and restaurant industries, technology, personalization, and guest engagement are becoming more important than ever. or those enjoying careers in the hospitality field, the digital age disruption hasn’t delivered a fatal blow.

“While AirBnB and OYO have arguably impacted hotel profits, hotels and their physical assets appear resilient,” explained Greg Abbott, senior vice president of travel and hospitality at DataArt. “Or, perhaps consumers are simply more willing to tolerate the slow pace of change, advocating that hotels are indeed adapting to technology with keyless entry and mobile check-in.”

Still, the time has come for widespread technology innovation. The key to making the transformation is converging the hotel’s central reservation system (CRS) and property management system (PMS), which improves how hotels process their bookings and manage stays. Taking that leap won’t be easy or cheap.

Staying connected Travelers want a hotel experience that is at least as technologically advanced as what they have at home.

“Customers expect to easily ‘screen-cast’ their personal entertainment/content from their devices onto the TV screen, experience great Wi-Fi, and control their room temperature from their phone,” Abbott said.

“Some hotel chains are offering advanced functionality via their proprietary mobile applications.”

With voice-controlled systems, hotels will be able to differentiate their in-room services with a skills platform, such as Amazon’s Alexa for Hospitality, to offer room-service order processing; light, shade, and temperature control; music; and local services search.

“Once the hub is connected to the hotel’s loyalty program, activation of personal features within

pre-selected rooms will become a standard at premium and luxury hotels,” Abbott said.

Taking charge Abbott says the current evolution of chat and guest messaging could become the most useful tech solution since keyless entry and mobile check-in.

“Hoteliers were at first quite fearful of embracing chat,” he said. “They didn’t want to further burden their already strained-capacity guest operations team. Over the past year, the fear is evaporating, as hoteliers witness how chat and messaging can automate redundant and tedious tasks, freeing up their teams to focus on delivering exceptional service.”

Hotel owners should consider what they control and manage, and where their key data resides before implementing tech solutions. How the tech partner inte-

grates with other third-party tech suppliers is also a consideration.

Also, as central operational systems move to the Cloud, the role of IT within the hotel team shifts.

“Wider members of the team will need to have tech-chops,” Abbot said. “Revenue managers will move from Excel sheets to Cloud-based solutions.”

A promising future While the challenges may seem overwhelming, there’s reason to be hopeful.

“There are a few well-funded larger players who see the advantages that a converged CRS and PMS can unlock for hotel assets,” Abbott said. “These are exciting times for hoteliers, as they select the right platforms upon which they can redesign and renew their competitive advantage with their guests.” n Cindy Riley

Publisher Alexandra Scelzo Business Developer Abraham Freedberg Managing Director Luciana Olson Lead Designer Tiffany Pryor Designer Keziah Makoundou Lead Editor Mina Fanous Copy Editor Dustin Brennan Director of Sales Shannon Ruggiero Director of Business Development Jourdan Snyder Director of Product Faye Godfrey Content Strategist Vanessa Rodriguez Cover Photo Ian Spanier All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.

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SPONSORED BY DISH NETWORK In modern hotels, the television has evolved into much more than a passive entertainment system — and guests expect to have control.

Hotels are essential to the travel experience — as evidenced by the rapid growth of the industry (from $116 billion in 2009 to $185 billion in 2017).

But the needs of guests are evolving rapidly, driven by the ecology of digital tools that are competing with traditional hotel services like ridesharing, food delivery apps, and now, entertainment.

Where once hotels could offer a superior experience to what peo-

ple had in their homes, today’s guest very likely has a better entertainment experience in their residence. “There was a point where it was cool to come to hotels and the hotels had better technology than you had at home,” notes Michael Blake, CEO of Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG). “That’s not the case anymore.”

More importantly, guests can literally bring that entertainment experience with them.

“Everybody these days has content sources that they carry with them on their mobile devices,” says Alistair Chatwin, vice president of DISH Business. “You’ve got to be able to let people watch the content they want to watch on that guest room TV.”

All access With so many consumer technology options, hotels are challenged in deciding which to integrate for their guests.

“Comfort and amenities are two different things,” notes Anthony Melchiorri, host of “Hotel Impossible” on the Travel Channel. “Amenities are less important than comfort. For example, it’s a necessity for me to have an outlet next to my bed so that I can charge my phone. If I have a welcome bottle of champagne when I walk in, but I don’t have an outlet next to my bed, that’s what I’m going to remember. The difference between comfort and amenities really needs to be understood and appreciated.”

A great entertainment

PHOTO: AARON SMITH

In Hotel Rooms, One Size Doesn’t Fit All

experience is an essential part of creating a comfortable and memorable guest experience. DISH’s EVOLVE platform was created to do exactly that, seamlessly offer guests control over their entertainment experience, featuring an easy-to-use, interactive, channel guide combined with integrated access to Netflix, a seamless casting experience with Chromecast, and access to the Google Play store.

“Allowing guests to watch their favorite content on the hotel TV — rather than being forced to use a smaller screen — is the better experience,” says Chatwin. “EVOLVE was conceived with this idea of converging ‘bring your own content’ or OTT services and available linear content. There is

a button for Netflix right on the remote and applications are pre-positioned in the guide, so if you’ve got a Sling account, you easily can watch Sling TV.” This means guests have the ultimate in flexibility.

“Beyond that, the Google Play Store gives you access to not only renting or buying video content, but close to 1,400 applications designed for the TV experience.”

Emphasizing convenience and security, “You can rent a movie in the room, and finish the experience at home,” says Chatwin. “And when you check out, all that data is removed.”

The bottom line The change in guest entertainment needs and expectations spans the range of hotels. “Brands like Marriott have rolled out proprietary concepts of OTT with linear TV. This is a good experience for their guests but not everyone has the means of developing their own platform. One of the reasons we developed EVOLVE was to make a great entertainment experience accessible for guests of any property.”

In the end, it’s the guest that matters. “We aren’t trying to replicate a residential experience.

But we can make it easy for guests to watch the content that they’ve got at home on the hotel TV,” says Chatwin. n Jeff Somers MEDIAPLANET • 3

Asking the Experts About the State of Hospitality Technology has changed the landscape of the hospitality industry but it still is, more than ever, a business model defined by quality service. We asked our panel of experts about the direction the industry is heading and how hospitality experts can stay ahead of the curve.

Robert Irvine Host, “Restaurant: Impossible” From your perspective, how has technology improved operational efficiency and guest satisfaction?

Robert Irvine: If you’re using the right tools, the difference is night and day. Technology has made both sides of the experience — for employees and guests — exponentially better. In my restaurants, we use a software called COMPEAT that not only manages shift scheduling, it manages inventory.

Because every time a server goes back to the computer and enters an order, the software is deducting the exact amount of breadcrumbs, oil, flour, etc., from our inventory, and letting us know when we need to reorder things.

On the consumer-facing side of things, we use HUMM Systems, which puts a tablet into the hands of diners so they can instantly leave feedback on their experience. It allows them to do this anonymously and without the hassle of filling out a survey at some later date, which they probably won’t do. We’ve found that we can identify top performers and areas for improvement instantaneously.

Not only that, if a customer did have a lousy experience, that opportunity to express themselves makes them less likely to take their gripes public to Yelp, Twitter, Facebook, Google Reviews, etc. When I was starting out in this industry, if you had told me either of these tools would be available, I would have 4 • FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM

Robert Post CEO, Knowland thought it was a fantasy, but it’s not. These things are here now and work amazingly well.

Robert Post: Interestingly, technology has broadened our reach while at the same time flooded us with data vs. information, often leading to analysis paralysis. In the group sales space, inbound RFPs are listing multiple cities more and more frequently. While some of this might be related to internal protocols requiring multiple bids, it could also be a meeting planner stacking the deck to make the market they prefer look especially attractive.

Nicole Dehler: The industry’s focus on mobility, connectivity, and personalization has created processes that are less cumbersome for both guests and back-of-the-house operations. Mobile technology allows travelers to customize every touchpoint of the guest journey while simultaneously connecting them to a technological ecosystem that uses customer data to personalize preferences.

What is the best way that businesses in the industry can keep up with advancements in technology?

ND: Through two mantras: “look, listen, and learn,” and “value your strategic partnerships.”

It’s crucial to grow and nurture your personal network of industry peers, and to learn as much as you can from their shared expertise.

Nicole Dehler VP of Product Management, StayNTouch Subscribing to industry-related publications and newsletters, and regularly following hospitality news outlets are also great ways to keep your finger on the pulse of what new technologies and best practices are trending.

In your opinion, what is the main challenge the hospitality industry faces in the coming years?

RI: Disruption is the new normal and the only constant you can count on in any business right now. Stay agile. Stay lean. Be ready to react to new tastes, new market forces, new consumer expectations. No one is a fortune-teller. There’s no way for me to warn anyone of what’s to come, but if you stay plugged into how your business is operating and what your customers are telling you, and stay ready to react, then you’re going to do just fine. And that, of course, has always been the case.

RP: Over-dependence on inbound RFPs as a “strategy” for selling group is a recipe for under-performance, and that is what we are seeing in the market today. This is underscored by sales leaders remarking on how the wind-down of the historic growth cycle is creating downward pressure on their group business. They are left with sales teams that have subpar proactive prospecting skills and struggle to make up the difference. n

Great dining isn’t just about food, it’s about the whole experience. Chef Robert Irvine says integrating technology is essential to seamless restaurant service.

Technology is transforming the dining experience, from the kitchen to customer service. By using available technologies, restaurants can increase efficiency and personalize the customer experience, meeting guest needs before they even realize they have them.

Chef Robert Irvine, who hosts Food Network’s “Restaurant: Impossible,” thinks tech-savvy restaurants are the most likely to succeed in the changing landscape.

“Being technologically proficient will keep you in touch with your customers and suppliers, help you better manage your inventory and how many tables you can turn in an evening, and even help manage power and water usage, appliance efficiency, and security management,” Irvine said.

The key to tech The best technological foundation, Irvine said, is “a fast, reliable secure network with great connectivity and support. It might not be sexy but without it, nothing — and I mean nothing — works as well as it could.”

Along with robust Wi-Fi, Irvine recommended two other essential technologies.

“A system to manage employees and inventory — everything the customer doesn’t see — and something to interface with your customers to make sure they’re satisfied,” he said.

The internet has changed the way people evaluate where they’re going to eat, with aggregated customer reviews playing a major role in informing new customers.

“The minute anyone writes something online,” Irvine said, “they potentially have a global audience, so it’s incumbent on hospitality businesses to try to get a handle on that feedback.”

Being deliberate Hospitality technology will continue to improve, so getting ahead of the curve is vital. However, you shouldn’t rush upgrading your restaurant’s software.

“I see a lot of business leaders try to crashcourse their whole company in a few days or a week, but sometimes a month is needed,” Irvine said.

The key to great hospitality is a seamless experience, Irvine says, which is something technology is poised to facilitate.

“The product isn’t a meal, it’s the entire experience,” he said. “The ambiance, the service, the food, the entire package.”

As such, technology is essential for competitive service.

“Technology isn’t really a choice anymore,” Irvine said. “It’s a central piece to the evolution of the hospitality industry. When you think of it that way, how can anyone afford not to focus on it?” n Ross Elliott MEDIAPLANET • 5

PHOTO: IAN SPANIER

How Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine Thinks Tech Will A�fect the Restaurant Industry

These Celebrity Chefs Are Dishing out Career Advice Food Network stars Anne Burrell and Geoffrey Zakarian are sharing their tips for success in the growing hospitality industry.

As a restaurateur, television personality, author and consultant, executive chef Geoffrey Zakarian has worked with numerous hotels and restaurants throughout the years. For him, the possibilities in his chosen field are endless.

“Hospitality knows no limits.

I love welcoming people into my home and my world. People are usually coming in open and ready to explore or relax, so we get them at their best.”

Finding inspiration Colleges and universities across the industry offer hospitality programs and certificates that have

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paved the way for famous chefs and world-renowned hoteliers.

Dining at three-star restaurants overseas was actually the turning point in Zakarian’s career path, which led him to the Culinary Institute of America.

“It all began in France,” he said.

“I fell in love with the culture and hospitality of food, and the role that chefs played. It was like a food Hollywood.”

Zakarian started his career in New York City during the restaurant boom. He’s amazed by the industry’s evolution.

“It’s remarkable. I’ve been in New York City for 40 years,” he said. “The last 30 years have been a rocket ship of great restaurants, new concepts, and tremendous adaptation to new customer culinary needs.”

Chasing a dream Like Zakarian, celebrated chef Anne Burrell is committed to pleasing others. From an early age, she seemed destined for a career in hospitality.

“Even when I was a little kid, I loved helping set the table on holidays,” explained the indefatigable star of “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef” and co-host of “Worst Cooks in America.” “I’ve always just loved the idea of entertaining people, providing for people, and making them feel happy. It spreads joy.”

Understanding the dos and don’ts Burrell, a former instructor at the Culinary Institute of Education and best-selling cookbook author, says that success takes hard work and a willingness to

always show up with a positive attitude.

“Ask questions, but keep your eyes open. Learn as much as possible and always leave the cell phone in your locker.

Burrell also enjoys mentoring her reality show boot camp recruits.

“I love to see them really embrace the hard work and just get immersed in it,” she said.

As for taking her own leap into the culinary world, Burrell has no regrets. “I just really found what my passion was and have truly never looked back.” n Cindy Riley PHOTO ON THE LEFT: POINT ROYAL AT THE DIPLOMAT BEACH RESORT PHOTO ON THE RIGHT: KEN GOODMAN

Carl P. Borchgrevink Director, School of Hospitality Business, Broad College, Michigan State University

Nicolas Graf Associate Dean, NYU School of Professional Studies, Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality

Chris Nassetta President and CEO, Hilton

Why a Degree in Hospitality Can Take You a Long Way We asked our expert panel about how young people can get involved in the hospitality industry, and what companies need to do to prepare for the future.

How can getting a degree prepare students for advancing their career in hospitality?

Carl P. Borchgrevink: The primary reason is that a degree program will provide students with a skillset/toolkit that will give them a broader understanding of hospitality business, and enhanced analytical skills.

Nicolas Graf: A degree prepares students for life in general and has a very strong curriculum that is shared across the university at NYU. It gives them

a broader perspective of the world, history, and different cultures.

What is one piece of advice you would give to young professionals starting a career in hospitality?

CB: Remember that hospitality business, unlike many other businesses, is a customer-contact intensive and labor-intensive business in which the customer is actively engaged at the time of production/ delivery of a service.

NG: They need to be optimistic about their career

and opportunities that come their way. The first job they have may be harder than they would want, but opportunities are everywhere and they can come very quickly.

than by working on the front lines.

Chris Nassetta: Our industry offers a broad array of opportunities for those who have a passion and want to pursue their dreams; from finance to operations to marketing, there’s something for everyone. For those who are just getting started, I feel strongly that there is no better way to learn the ins and outs of a business

CN: We’re truly living in a Golden Age of travel — expanding middle classes, a demand for experiences, and unprecedented technological advances mean more people than ever are traveling. The flip side of that huge business opportunity is ensuring our industry is keeping people at the heart of what we do. n

In your opinion, what is the main challenge the hospitality industry faces in the coming years?

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How the Right Education Can Boost Your Hospitality Career As a part of the international travel and tourism industry, hospitality is currently one of the fastest growing industries on a global scale.

In 2017, the value of bookings was close to $1.6 trillion. The U.S. travel/tourism and hospitality market generated $353 billion in 2017 and nearly $370 billion in 2018.

Hospitality is still a people-first industry in the sense that it serves guests in restaurants, hotels, car rentals, airlines, etc. However, the tools that hospitality professionals are using to maintain and develop the best possible service have changed significantly.

Today, technology and data help maintain the human touch and customer-centric approach upon which the industry was built.

In order to secure the growth and development of this transversal, dynamic, and international industry, an educated and highly skilled workforce is a necessity.

Long gone are the days when you could start as a bellboy and work your way up to general manager. The global hospitality industry has evolved by only relying on professionals’ practical experience, making it a knowledge-based industry when it comes to innovation and development.

Skills are required Today, hospitality industry recruiters are looking for future employees with transversal skills 8 • FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM

Long gone are the days when you could start as a bellboy and work your way up to general manager. such as problem-solving, tolerance, confidence, and curiosity.

Candidates with international experience will have the opportunity to take on greater professional responsibility.

When educating future professionals, universities, schools, and other hospitality educational institutions are delivering programs and training courses that prepare students to face the future challenges of the industry.

Forget about dusty books and long, boring classes taught by uninspiring professors.

Today’s education gives you the right skill set for the industry,

which includes complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, and the ability to coordinate with others.

These are basic skills you will need to operate within an industry that constantly develops and expects you to do the same.

At any educational institution, you will be able to find interesting courses and programs that focus on providing you with the latest knowledge within the hospitality industry, and make sure you have the right skill set for the work you’re seeking.

Hospitality educational innovation and development today is focused mainly on the following areas: Technology Innovative technology plays a vital role in the development of the international hospitality industry. Universities with hospitality technology programs will focus on artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and the Internet of Things, and how you can use these technologies to improve guest services. Programs will also focus on how these technologies can create opportunities to develop new value propositions and business models within the hospitality industry.

Niche services With new technologies in play, new business areas and markets have emerged within the hospi-

tality industry, which have created new niche areas. This is why universities and colleges have developed programs and courses that meet the demand for specialized labor.

For example, some programs will focus exclusively on luxury hospitality. With a higher demand for luxury products and services worldwide, you will learn more about how to balance heritage with innovation, bridging online and offline luxury experiences while maintaining personalized human interaction to build client loyalty.

Internationalization Educational institutions are strongly focused on internationalization through study trips, internships, and exchange programs abroad. Many institutions today will work with “Internationalization at Home,” which creates an international environment on campus.

Many universities have made international online classrooms that link you with fellow students across the globe. By developing international curriculum, these institutions can help you develop global mindsets and skills.

Education is a necessity to continue growing and developing the international hospitality industry. n Anders Justenlund, Director of Marketing, International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (ICHRIE) MEDIAPLANET

HOW FAR WILL YOUR CAREER TAKE YOU? Are you ready for an exciting career that will open a world of opportunities?

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With hands-on learning, a prestigious faculty, industry partnerships, and a supportive learning environment, our top-ranked degree programs will pave the way to a rewarding career with high income potential.

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How Business Owners Can Easily Reduce Their Energy Consumption Tourism provides job opportunities and spreads prosperity. Without good management, responsible planning, and innovation, it presents challenges and threats to the environment and communities.

Tourism is one of the key socioeconomic sectors of our times.

In 2018, international tourist arrivals grew by 6 percent, reaching 1.4 billion.

Globalization of goods and services, more leisure time, the technological and transport revolutions, and rising middle classes have positioned tourism as one of the world’s leading growth engines.

Tourism, as the third-largest traded sector, represents 10 percent of global GDP, 7 percent of total world exports, and 30 percent of total exports in services, while providing 1 out of 10 jobs worldwide.

Conscientious growth The United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a universal plan of action for people, planet, and prosperity that sets 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The SDGs detail how the three dimensions of sustainable development — economic, social, and environmental — are managed in an integrated and balanced manner.

As economies expand and the world population continues to grow, energy demand is increasing worldwide. Currently, 80 percent of the world’s energy supply comes from fossil fuels, which emit greenhouse gases, causing climate change and other negative environmental impacts.

It is now internationally recognised that the world must dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing its use of fossil fuels. The hospitality sector can contribute by becoming more energy efficient and increasing its use of renewable energy technologies.

Positive changes you make for your business will not only

have an economic impact by reducing operational and maintenance costs, but they will also reduce your carbon footprint, show your brand to be environmentally conscious, and boost your visibility in new market segments. These initiatives offer the sector an innovative business model that will benefit both companies and destinations.

For more tips on easy ways to reduce your business’ energy consumption, read the full article online at futureofbusinessandtech.com/campaign/ careers-in-hospitality. n Zoritsa Urosevic, Director, Institutional Relations and Partnerships Department, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); Cláudia Lisboa, Project Manager, Hotel Energy Solutions Initiative, UNWTO

How Hotel Sustainability Is Making Travel More Eco-Friendly SPONSORED

People are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of shortterm hotel stays, and the hospitality industry is changing as a result.

World travelers are increasingly aware of their carbon footprint, with 68 percent seeking out eco-friendly hotels while traveling. This can be challenging; the single-use focus of traditional hotels has a harsh environmental impact, but eco-conscious travelers can choose hotels that pursue sustainability by using

energy-efficient appliances, installing low-flow bathroom fixtures, and reducing plastic waste.

“Single-use products are very prevalent in hotels,” says Roys Laux, senior vice president of Gilchrist & Soames, the personal care manufacturing division of hotel supplier Guest Worldwide.

“Because guests stay only a couple of nights, smaller sizes have always made sense. But they may generate more waste.”

Scrapping single-use Gilchrist & Soames is helping hotels solve this problem in a variety of ways, including the introduction of shampoo bars instead of individual plastic bottles, and Not Soap Radio

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soap dispensers offered in Tru

by Hilton properties.

“Our brand vision was shared with Gilchrist & Soames to help us identify new, innovative, and more sustainable amenities solutions,” says Talene Staab, global head of Tru by Hilton.

“The bottles used within this system have a much longer life than other dispensers and can easily be recycled.”

Sustainable solutions Gilchrist & Soames’ pursuit of sustainability goes beyond single-use. “All the boxes that the products are shipped in are recycled and recyclable,” says Laux. “We also use biodegradable bottles, tubes and a portfolio of eco-friendly dispenser solutions

including hygienic closed systems and refillable alternatives.”

The products are also sourced and manufactured sustainably.

“We use natural ingredients and retain meaningful certifications,” notes Laux. “[In] using responsibly-sourced palm oil, we know where it’s coming from, that the people harvesting those ingredients are treated well, and the resources are being replenished.”

For Laux, sustainability and business are common causes.

“The hospitality industry has an opportunity to take a leadership role and adopt more sustainable practices and products,” she says, “because it’s right for their business, and it’s right for global sustainability.” n Jeff Somers MEDIAPLANET

Why Building Culture Is the Best Investment a Company Can Make Fortune magazine recently ranked Hilton the best company to work for in the United States, making it the first hospitality company to achieve that honor. Chris Nassetta, Hilton’s president and CEO, talks about the work he’s done to build the hotel chain’s culture and the effect it’s had on business.

As CEO of the best company to work for in the United States, how do you create an environment that employees want to work in?

Culture is something I obsess over — I am always thinking about how our team members feel about their experiences with us and what that means for our business. It was a tremendous honor to be named No. 1 on Fortune’s list of the Best Companies to Work For in the U.S. — and to be the first hospitality company to achieve that ranking in the list’s 21-year history.

Building this culture over the last decade or so was a challenge, and the ranking was an incredible validation of the hard work our entire Hilton family contributed to bring our culture to life. For us, exceptional workplace culture means each of our team members feels Hilton is a place where they can be at their best every day, and where they have access to tools and experiences that can help them reach their full potential.

That means having a “True North” or a higher purpose that our teams can rally around, and being intensely focused

on keeping that purpose at the heart of everything we do. We don’t just say that we are deeply committed to filling the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality — we make every decision through that lens.

Why is it important for businesses in the hospitality industry to focus on improving the employee experience?

How team members feel at work will always show up in what they deliver to guests — that’s true in every industry, but it’s especially important in hospitality. Above anything else, our business is one of people serving people, and we know that when we take care of our team members, they are even more inspired to create exceptional experiences for our guests, owners, partners, and communities.

What advice would you give to companies struggling to gain and retain the right employees because of culture?

It’s an old saying, but it’s true, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” The best business strategy will never be achieved if the culture isn’t there.

When I joined Hilton 12 years ago, I saw a big opportunity to reinvest in the company’s culture and the results have been inspiring. By focusing on truly serving and investing in our team members, we were able to instill pride, excitement, and passion like we had never seen before.

Over the years, I’ve met many team members who have dedicated decades to hospitality and to Hilton, and even some who have been part of our Hilton family for generations. Our team members show up to work every day committed to do their absolute best and, as a leader, you couldn’t ask for anything more.

What are some ways companies can focus on investing in their employees?

The first step is a real commitment to listening, gathering, analyzing, and responding to employees’ feedback. Our hotel and corporate teams are committed to ongoing, realtime feedback — from job performance to what our leaders could be doing better, and team members’ point of view on our benefits and programs.

Then the most important next step is to genuinely act on what we hear; it’s what our team members are looking for when they share their opinions with us, and it’s how we ensure we remain a great place to work for all.

In addition to the informal ways we continuously collect and act on our team members’ feedback, every year we ask our team members around the world to complete an anonymous survey about the culture we have created — what benefits or programs are working for them, how they feel at work, what kinds of initiatives they’d like us to introduce, and more.

We take our team members’ feedback to heart and have actually introduced new benefits, refined our existing programs, and created solutions and resources in direct response to their feedback. We’re dedicated to offering our team members what they’ve told us they need to bring their authentic selves to work each day.

There can be a direct correlation between company culture and business success. What was the most positive impact you noticed when building up your culture?

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that our global portfolio has grown tremendously over the years as we’ve invested in our culture. People want to do business with companies that prioritize their employees’ growth, wellbeing, and professional development, and support their personal goals.

We’ve certainly seen that play out in our own business; investing in our culture drives higher engagement and reduces employee turnover, which has been key to our global growth.

Our owners and partners appreciate that our strong culture is what drives our business results, and they want to be part of that virtuous circle. n MEDIAPLANET • 11

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