Briefing: Disengaged employees need some inspiration

According to research by Gallup, only 13% of employees Worldwide are engaged in their work. Similarly worrying statistics have shown up across several studies in recent years. Boston Research Group, for example, found that 27% of corporate bosses and only 4% of employees believe their firms are inspiring places to work. People are vital in hospitality at all levels. Studies suggest that, when it comes to motivating teams, it can be the basics that make the difference, such as positive contact with management and a pleasant working environment.

In this briefing experts share their insights on employee engagement and motivation:

The 2013 study ‘State of the Global Workplace’ by Gallup suggests that it is important to ensure employees have good working lives. This is because “engaged employees are more likely to be ‘thriving’ – i.e., to rate their overall lives highly on a zero-to-10 scale.”

There may be many different ways of dealing with this issue across different companies and hotel brands. One element of Misha Pinkhasov’s (featured) ‘shared value’ approach to business, is to always considering things on an individual level. The approach suggests that companies as a whole need meaning so that individual employees are inspired.

Engagement, or lack thereof, also reflects in a company’s profits. Gallup estimates that employee disengagement costs Germany €112 Bn to €138 Bn per year ($151 Bn to $186 Bn) and the U.K. between £52 Bn and £70 Bn ($83 Bn to $112 Bn) per year.

A report by Towers Watson suggests that good leadership can make all the difference. It says: “in companies where both leaders and managers are perceived by employees as effective, 72% of employees are highly engaged.” This report, Global Workforce Study 2014, also states that whereas some employees may be engaged on a basic level, they are lacking the ‘enablement’ (tools and resources) and ‘energy’ (from a good work environment) to perform at their best. They say that that this ‘unsupported’ worker accounts for 19% of the global workforce.

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Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Guest data and great staff combine for the ultimate personalised experience

Data has been a hot conversation topic for a long time now. Personal information holds the secrets to your guests’ desires and is more available than ever. If data helps companies to ‘understand’ their customer, then the customer should reap the benefits. Once the guest arrives at a hotel there is no substitute for intuition. But staff must be equipped to use data on the fly to personalise service.

In this briefing four experts discuss how personalisation is the key to a great hotel experience. Comment from:

  • Frank Croston, Partner, Hamilton Hotel Partners on using consumer data to personalise promotions

  • Anton Bawab, Regional President, Viceroy Hotel Group on intuitive staff offering a more personalised service

  • Michael Levie, Chief Executive Officer, citizenM on valuing service with a smile

  • Stephan Balzer, Chief Executive Officer, Red Onion GmbH on more personalised stays being possible if hotels utilise data

 

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Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Industry disruptors – Innovative hospitality business models

Hospitality is changing. Consumers have more and more options to choose from and increasingly original ways to purchase them. Innovative companies are creating new business models to maximise income from hospitality products. Consumers are even selling amongst themselves in the so-called “sharing economy”.

According to experts, disruptive plays and business model innovation are now more important than traditional strategies based around competition and internal efficiency. Accessibility via digital platforms means disruptors can build large market share within just a few years. Therefore every company must look at their assets and how they might innovate, even if primarily to defend their market.

Discussing these new hospitality business models are:

  • Frank Croston, Partner, Hamilton Hotel Partners on how consumers win in the competition with new wave hospitality

  • Preben Vestdam, Managing Director, HotelSwaps on a bartering programme based on hotel rooms

  • Stephen Balzer, Chief Executive Officer, Red Onion GmbH on what the sharing economy means for consumers

  • Sean Worker, Chief Executive Officer, BridgeStreet Global Hospitality on a company re-branding that responded to customer demand for transparency

 

If you’ve been sent to this page and you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do see here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: understanding the role of the owner

Appreciating who takes responsibility for risk in a hotel is something which has been scrutinised deeply in light of the recent recession. All those involved in deal making need to understand the risks in a new development or project in order for it to be successful.

Historically, maybe there has been too much risk with the owner and many big brands are now taking this into consideration when pursuing a new development.

In this week’s briefing we hear from:

  • Robert Shepherd, of InterContinental Hotel Group on sharing the owner responsibility.
  • Frank Croston, Partner of Hamilton Hotel Partners on whether there is too much risk with the owner
  • Peter Norman, of Hyatt International on the location and the owner being pivotal in deal-making
  • And Mark Wynne-Smith, Global CEO of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels on the elements of a successful hotel
 


If you’ve been sent to this page but you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do so here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interviews from industry conferences such as the most recent IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: deal making for hotel ownership

Europe’s financial predicament for the past couple of years seems to be correcting itself. But what does this mean for owners of hotels, and more importantly potential owners of hotels?

What are the components of a new development that will ensure financing? And what type of owner is emerging following the financial crisis of 2008? The hospitality industry always provides an opportunity to do a deal due to its global ubiquitous nature. Tourism isn’t a dying industry.

In this week’s briefing we hear from key experts on the changing nature of hotel owners and where the new opportunities lie. Including comment from:

  • Frank Croston, Owner at Hamilton Hotel Partners on the revolving door of ownership being seen.
  • Timothy Lloyd-Hughes of Deutsche Bank on which projects get the funding needed.
  • Clive Hillier, CEO of Vision Hospitality Asset Management, on where he believes the opportunities lie.
  • And Nick van Marken, of Deloitte on the need for cash in deal-making, now more than ever.
 


If you’ve been sent to this page but you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do so here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interviews from industry conferences such as the most recent IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: global market conditions for deal-activity

Confidence in the hospitality deal-making market seems to be picking up. The volume of deals has lagged in the past few years, but has hospitality finally turned a corner? Many believe the industry is now slowly picking up again. The relief for all is paramount.

What markets will see the quickest growth in activity? Have we seen the worst of a flat market? What are the market conditions required for deal-activity? These questions are all answered in this week’s briefing, including comment from:

  • Frank Croston, Partner at Hamilton Hotel Partners, on what markets he sees picking up first.
  • Peter Malone, Managing Director of Madison Mayfair, on deal-activity finally being seen in the marketplace.
  • Clive Hillier, CEO of Vision Hospitality Asset Management, on the market that is no longer falling.
  • And James Chappell, Global Marketing Director at Horwath HTL, on the continued need for confidence in the hospitality market.
 


If you’ve been sent to this page but you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do so here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interviews from industry conferences such as the most recent IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

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