As we get closer to the holiday season and as traveling continues to tick up, chances are, you’re looking to make hires as fast as possible to ensure you’re able to meet the needs of your guests. But like many industries, you’re having a difficult time attracting talent.
Hiring talent is no longer as simple as posting your open roles on job boards. You need to make it clear that you understand what job seekers want and need and that you’re working to create an environment that will help them grow their careers—especially when it comes to young talent.
Hireology surveyed nearly 5,000 recent applicants to better understand their desires and expectations in their job search and beyond. The data we gathered showed that 30% of respondents had an above-average feeling about working in the hotel and hospitality industry, while other industries, like the technology and IT industry, saw a 52% approval rating. So in order to compete for talent, you may need to rethink some aspects of what you offer to applicants.
At Hireology, we specialize in helping hotels staff up in order to provide top-notch guest experiences. Based on what we’ve seen work, here’s what we recommend you do to remain competitive in today’s hiring market.
1. Be flexible
The pandemic has proven that remote work is more than possible for many industries, and businesses that don’t have the means to allow for full-time remote or hybrid work—like the hospitality industry—need to provide flexibility in other areas.
That means providing other incentives that promote flexibility, like paid time off, paid sick leave, and mental health days. You can also create more autonomy within the company so that employees still have flexibility within their day-to-day.
If you don’t already offer these benefits, consider doing so to appeal to talent and show your employees and applicants that you take their needs seriously.
2. Build out your tech stack
Being open to change and willing to update processes and procedures through technological investment will keep your hotel growing and thriving, and keep applications coming in.
Additionally, reliance on technology has helped keep many hotels operating during a time of great uncertainty by keeping guests and staff safe and easing peace of mind. Hotels rely heavily on face-to-face interaction, and when that became a safety concern, technology helped redefine the guest experience. Technology can assist your other operational areas in a similar way.
Look to your team for opportunities to add technology. Ask for feedback on processes and identify where a manual process can be improved by tech. From hiring employees to tracking guests, there’s likely a technology that can help you, so do some research to find industry-trusted and easy-to-use technology that integrates with your other software.
3. Invest in your culture and employer brand
Your culture is what you make it, so without investing time and effort into building an equitable and welcoming culture, it will be difficult to attract and retain talent. Begin by outlining what your hotel stands for and reinforce that message in your daily operations. Create core values, stand by policies that promote inclusion, like anti-harassment and zero-tolerance policies, and implement inclusive recruitment practices. These steps will help show your current and future employees that you value their wellbeing and are striving to create a culture of acceptance for all.
Additionally, how you’re perceived by your customers and current employees is a huge driver for applicants, too. Seventy percent of job seekers we surveyed for the 2021 State of Hiring report said that they use company review sites like Glassdoor during their job search to evaluate companies. Negative reviews can sway an applicant’s decision on whether to apply to your role, so make sure your hotel’s review page has mostly positive reviews, and address any issues that employees or customers have spoken out about.
4. Offer growth opportunities
Job seekers want to work for an organization that values their professional progress. An average of 79% of respondents said the mention of career progression is important to them when deciding to apply for a new role. So create growth opportunities like on-the-job training, an internal promotion plan, and think about offering an extended education stipend to your staff. This will let them know that you prioritize their future and want them to stick around for the long haul.
Then, share out these changes on your career site so that applicants know that you offer these perks. Use employee testimonials from those that have taken advantage of your offerings too.
5. Up the ante
There’s no way around it—money keeps you competitive. It’s not the sole driver for job applicants, but it is the number one thing applicants look for when deciding whether to apply for a role. So, if you’re offering a base compensation well below your competitors, you’re at a huge disadvantage. Do an industry audit and figure out a competitive offering for your pay scale. You don’t need to be at the top of the range, but you should be in line with other hotels, at least in your area.
Keeping up with your hotel operations is already a monumental task and finding great talent shouldn’t be an added stressor for you. Hireology can help you attract and hire your best team. If you’d like to see how our all-in-one hiring platform can transform your pre- and post-hire processes, reach out to schedule a demo.
And if you’re looking for more information on applicant sentiments, read our 2021 State of Hiring report.
