Hotel human resources and executive teams can make the best-laid plans for diversity initiatives, but they will never see success without truly inclusive hotel workplaces for their teams. This brings about two questions for hotel owners – “What does it mean to be inclusive?” and “Why should I care?”.
Inclusive workplaces consist of employees who have a collective sense of belonging within an organization. These environments welcome individual talents, promote professional development, and value unique perspectives. If you are wondering how this will benefit your hotel business, consider the following:
Employees Empowered to Innovate
Fostering an inclusive atmosphere is all about making employees feel valued and want to make valuable contributions to the team. Hotels tend to run on a well-established operational structure, meaning that leadership often dismisses new ideas as unnecessary. Instead of stifling innovation, inclusive hotel teams actively solicit feedback and ideas. Employees are empowered to think creatively about the problems they encounter in the day-to-day, leading to greater efficiencies.
Stabilizes staffing levels
When employees feel like their contributions are valued, they are more engaged in their work. More engaged teams are five times more likely to want to stay with a company. With a more positive employee experience, your hotel will become a more desirable place for candidates to apply. In an industry that constantly struggles with insufficient staff, finding any means of reducing turnover is significant.
Creates Authentic Hospitality
Despite the buzz about the latest hotel technology and automation, travelers still crave authentic interactions with hotel staff. When your team members thrive in an inclusive environment, they can feel more comfortable engaging with guests. Employees will feel more empowered to take the initiative to create unique and special experiences, as well as stay resilient when facing difficult situations.
Impacts the Bottom Line
While inclusion can seem like a frivolous “nice to have” aspect of a workplace, it can truly have bottom-line impacts for a hotel. When hotel leadership shows transparency in the company’s direction and strategies, employees will more actively align their own efforts to benefit the company. In fact, companies with inclusive teams are 35% more likely to financially outperform the competition.
It all starts with Hiring Strategic Hotel Leaders
To be a truly inclusive workplace and reap the benefits for your company, your hotel needs leadership at all levels who can inspire your employees. Work with our hotel recruiters to find operational, executive, and culinary management for your hotel. Contact our recruiting team to find out how.