How to deal with the current constraints of personnel in the hotel industry? How to recruit and ensure the loyalty of your employees nowadays?

There is no denying that the hotel market is "scarce", with the pandemic upsetting an already fragile balance and increasing the labour shortage. It is increasingly difficult to fill all positions, and many graduates leave the profession as soon as they gain experience. The tables have turned: candidates are now demanding better conditions and recruiters have been forced to rethink what they have to offer them.   

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This is what an independent hotelier had to say during our webinar on the topic: 

I feel helpless about it and it is not for lack of trying several solutions (such as a 3 or 4 day week, a time-off schedule made by the employees themselves...). The problem for me is also the lack of motivation (seasonal contracts) and both mine and my permanent team's weariness.

Part II. Welcoming your employees

How to welcome a new employee?

It is very important to invest time and thought in the training of the recruit, and to support them with guidance and in-house training. Not only does this training train the recruit for their future position, but it also contributes to a sense of team cohesion and creates a foundation for sharing knowledge and company values. 

Just as welcoming customers is an important issue in the hotel industry, welcoming employees need to be well planned. The first day and the first contact are crucial and must reflect the company's ethos and culture.   

Employee training requires special attention, as it determines whether or not employees will stay with the instiution. It requires a comprehensive approach, with support before, during and after training. A new employee who is not comfortable in their new environment will not stay if they are not supported. 

How to welcome your apprentices? 

More and more establishments are applying for a training permit to be able to take on apprentices. Beyond the legal obligations, some establishments see training for this permit as an opportunity to prepare themselves for how to welcome apprentices, how to train them throughout their apprenticeship, how to help them develop...

Many apprentices make the choice to join the profession very early in their training, so it is important that they do not lose this desire and motivation. The purpose of an apprenticeship is to give an insight into the work with a view to launching a career and developing a passion, whether it be in the training establishment or a different one. 

For this reason, the successful completion of the student's degree must be as much an objective for the tutor and the institution, as the student's performance at work. 

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Feedback from Holiday Inn Express Paris CDG

by Arnaud Vermerie, General Manager Holiday Inn Express Paris CDG Airport and President of the AICR

We currently have three employees who were formerly apprentices and who have since moved on to different careers and positions. We encourage consistency over two years, by showing their desire to learn and evolve. Once the person is consistent, if a position opens up internally, they will be promoted, in which case they will benefit from the network to find a position in another establishment. If the recruit has proven themselves and has been consistent, it is in the company's best interests to help them with a letter of recommendation to encourage the exchange of recruits and to encourage the loyalty of the best employees throughout the sector.

Unfortunately, there have been some instances where prospective new recruits have had to cancel because their former employer made them a counter-proposal. But by then it is too late, this offer should have been made before the employee wanted to leave, as they are already in a negative frame of mind. 

The AICR receives a lot of requests from people who are recruiting, but not from people who are looking to hire a promising candidate on the basis of their development prospects. 

We are fortunate, even for hotels that do not benefit from a group network,  to be able to join networks that allow us to develop and acquire good practices. This has enabled me to tackle the post-covid period with an almost complete team thanks to a genuine program. 

What about self-teaching?

Self-teaching is an excellent way to help on a daily basis, as the new employee can receive good training without the employer having to take as much time to train them. For certain tools, procedures or techniques, self-teaching may be sufficient, but it does not replace the need to have the employer physically present to accompany the recruit. It is important to create a personal rapport between team members .

For more information on this subject, watch our webinar on the employee experience:

Webinar speakers: 

• Séverin Ferrand, Associate Director , UPSCALE HR Consulting
• Charline Ouarraki, Project Manager Pedagogical Coordinator ASFOREST
• Arnaud Vermerie, General Manager Holiday Inn Express Paris CDG Airport President AICR
• Bruno Lanvin, Head of Customer Training and Education LoungeUp, Volunteer WorldSkills

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