According to a Front Desk Feedback survey from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Hireology, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of surveyed hotels were reporting staffing shortages as of February. Of the different divisions in hotels, the most significant shortage was in housekeeping at 38 percent—but hoteliers are finding solutions to bring that number down.
Attracting Talent
“Our most effective recruiting tool has consistently been word of mouth from our own team members,” said Joe Masi, executive vice president of operations at Remington Hospitality. “When associates genuinely enjoy where they work, they become our best ambassadors.” Beyond team referrals, Masi said the Remington partners with churches, community centers and rehabilitation programs to find new talent.
Rich Larkin, regional VP of operations for Meyer Jabara Hotels, said that the third-party operator has focused on offering flexible hours when hiring housekeeping team members. “If someone comes in and says they want to work the afternoon or can only work a specific number of hours or specific days, we are flexible,” he said. “This allows us to accommodate single parents who can’t hire childcare or people who would like a secondary income. We try to be very flexible.”
Perks and Benefits
Once a housekeeping team is in place, retaining the workers becomes a new challenge. To that end, management companies and independent owners have implemented perks and benefits to keep team members coming back each day. According to the AHLA Front Desk Feedback survey, the most frequently reported strategy was offering higher wages (47 percent). Approximately a fifth of the surveyed hotels (20 percent) offered flexible working hours, while 13 percent offered hotel discounts.
“Same-day pay has certainly gained some popularity, though only a small percentage of associates use it regularly,” Masi said. Instead, he noted the popularity of Remington’s REM Stay program, which gives associates access to steep discounts across the company’s hotels. “Having both options—financial flexibility through same-day pay and the ability to experience our hotels firsthand—has proven to be a powerful combination,” Masi added.
Meyer Jabara, meanwhile, lets team members withdraw a portion of their paycheck before payday. “We have a large portion of our staff that takes advantage of this perk,” Larkin said. And similarly to the REM Stay program, workers at Meyer Jabara-run hotels can bring their friends and families to use the hotel’s amenities, including the pools. Team members also get discounts in hotel kitchens. “They pay no more than $5 for meals,” Larkin said. “With how busy our employees are, packing a lunch or leaving the hotel is one less thing they have to worry about, and we offer them a good meal at a fraction of what they can get elsewhere. We also offer them unlimited soda.”
It is important, of course, to communicate regularly with team members and learn what will keep them committed to the job. “What feels like a meaningful perk to one associate may not resonate with another,” Masi said, noting that the Remington team uses associate surveys “to understand what benefits matter most to them.”
Larkin agreed, cautioning that some perks may not meet employee needs. “We used to do a holiday party with catered dinner [and] prizes,” he recalled. And while he describes the party as “very nice,” the team noted that attendance was not what they expected. “Instead of just continuing with the same tradition, we went to the employees and asked what they really wanted. We gave them options of continuing the holiday party, a grocery gift card or some time off. Almost every one of them picked the gift card. We learned the importance of understanding the needs of the employees and their lifestyle and trying to focus our efforts on their needs.”
Tech Solutions
New products and technology are making the work of hotel housekeepers easier, which can also help keep them connected with their properties. Hostar International’s ProHost system, for example, aims to streamline the distribution of linens and other supplies from a central point to each guestroom. Totes of different sizes help housekeeping teams organize supplies by room type or service level, which Andy McCabe, the company’s SVP of sales & global accounts, said can help reduce overstocking, back-and-forth trips and wasted time. “Internally, the totes are configured to make grabbing the right item effortless, helping attendants work faster with fewer errors,” McCabe said. “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.”
McCabe also highlighted the company’s self-propelled carts, which can help reduce strain on the back, shoulders and wrists. “This means the physical toll of the job is much lower, which is critical in retaining experienced staff who might otherwise leave due to repetitive strain or fatigue.”
Richard Bradbury, vice president, product at hospitality operations platform Quore, said that technology has become a “powerful driver of retention” in hotels, especially when it can provide teams with a sense of empowerment and consistency. “Housekeepers begin the day with a clear, up-to-date list of assignments, and supervisors have the real-time insight to proactively support staff and reallocate work if unexpected changes occur,” Bradbury said. “That level of transparency builds trust. Housekeepers feel seen, supported and less stressed in the flow of their day.”
This article was originally published in the September edition of Hotel Management magazine. Subscribe here.