Well-being has been an important workplace topic but has taken on a new dimension in the post-COVID work environment. The hospitality industry has traditionally been the go-to place for guests to take a break from their daily routines or, more directly, to regain their wellness. The key question is, are employees well-placed to offer the best service consistently to accord guests the recharge they crave when they walk through the door?

Well-being in the hospitality industry was the subject of our recent online masterclass, co-presented by Dr Valentina Clergue and Daryn Hudson. 

Valentina is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at EHL Hospitality Business School. Among her other roles and accomplishments, Valentina is currently working on research projects on increasing guest well-being in the hotel sector. 

Daryn is a distinguished General Manager with over 30 years of experience in hospitality leadership, including 20 years with Marriott International. He is currently the GM at Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort in Thailand.

The masterclass will help you understand what wellness entails, the current state of employee well-being, and how employee well-being is critical to your hotel guests' satisfaction and overall business outcomes. It will also help you understand how organisational culture is a critical pillar for promoting employee wellness.

This article summarises key takeaways from the webinar (available in English only), which you can watch below.

Definition and Dimensions of Well-Being

Well-being has attracted tremendous attention in recent times, both in academia and industry. Interestingly, both spheres have found it challenging to provide an all-encompassing definition of well-being, often using other terms, such as wellness and satisfaction, interchangeably. An often-cited definition of well-being is how people feel, function on a personal and social level, and evaluate their lives.

Valentina proposes that we can best understand well-being by considering two standpoints: affect (hedonia) and cognitive (eudaimonia). Hedonic well-being entails creating positive emotions for people through reducing negative experiences, while eudaimonic well-being focuses on creating environments for people to achieve their full potential. 

Improving hedonic and eudaimonic well-being has immense benefits for hotel employees, guests, and employers. Employee well-being boosts productivity, learning, and creativity. Satisfied employees play a huge role in fulfilling guests’ well-being, resulting in positive customer reviews and attachment towards the business. For employers, they are likely to see reduced healthcare costs, higher retention rates, happier guests, and better business outcomes.

The State of Well-being

According to Statista, mental health has moved to the top of the charts among crucial health issues facing countries globally, overtaking traditional health issues such as cancer, diabetes, and smoking. In the U.S., for instance, 57% of employees reported experiencing mild to very high burnout. Despite this state of affairs, only 25% of employees felt employers were doing something about their well-being.

So, what’s behind this ballooning employee disenchantment? In a 2023 study, McKinsey identifies the following as the major drivers of employee disengagement:

• Inadequate compensation
• Lack of meaningful work
• Lack of workplace flexibility
• Lack of career advancement opportunities
• Unsupportive work environment
• Unsafe workplaces

McKinsey reports that fixing the above six concerns can save up to $56M annually. Wellness, then, is not just another costly employee program, but is an actual investment and a win-win value proposition for hotel employers, employees, and guests. In fact, companies that are excelling in well-being are also performing better on the stock market.

→🥳 Is burnout taking a toll on your employees? Find out 3 ways you can prevent burnout in your workplace!

How the Hotel Sector Can Improve Employee Well-being

Wellness and well-being are at the heart and soul of the travel and leisure industry. Motivated employees are invaluable in making guests’ journeys memorable. The happier they are, the more they are likely to offer exceptional customer service. The reverse also applies–stressed and disengaged employees lead to poor performance, low job satisfaction, dismal guest experiences, and high employee turnover. 

So, how can the travel and leisure sector improve employees' well-being? 

First, the travel and leisure sector can work on organisational-level interventions such as fostering a positive and supportive culture that allows employees to express themselves. This also means allowing mistakes along the way, which encourages employees to experiment and innovate. Hospitality leaders can actively address customer incivility to reduce employee stress.

The lack of flexibility in hospitality jobs has become a major friction point, particularly in the post-COVID era. Hotels and restaurants can find ways to create friendlier schedules to retain existing employees and attract new talent. The current generation entering the workforce will require a lot more effort to win their hearts and minds. Work flexibility and career growth opportunities can help the tourism industry stay at the top of the mind of this young talent.

For the existing workforce, providing work-family support, such as flexible rosters for working parents, parental leave, and childcare support, can help. Research has indicated that giving flexible schedules can have positive effects on mothers, including lower depressive symptoms, higher job satisfaction, and increased loyalty to the organization. Daryn shares a handy tip for individualised scheduling, since some employees prefer night shifts over day shifts, while others can work over a holiday. Understanding that not everyone is the same is essential to improving employees’ well-being.

Making the workplace environment safe and supportive can also improve the well-being of hospitality and tourism footsoldiers. Allowing employee space and time to connect with colleagues and designating break time and meditation spaces are some examples of work environment interventions. Some of these interventions do not even require a budget. They are low-lying fruits for a small hotel/restaurant or a big multinational resort.

Other organisational well-being interventions can include:

• Communicating a clear company vision
• Intellectual stimulation and meaning
• Job autonomy and manageable workload
• Short-stay holidays for employees
• Company-sponsored well-being programs

😄→ Looking to develop a well-being program for your hotel business? Learn more about cultivating a well-being strategy for your travel and leisure business!

The Role of Leadership in Promoting Well-Being

Company leaders have a vital role to play in promoting well-being. Organisational interventions can be more effective if a transformational leadership backs them up. Leaders need to walk the talk and actively promote an organisational culture that supports employee well-being. For instance, Marriott has thrived thanks to a culture developed by founder Bill Marriott and cultivated by leadership over the years.

Here are practical well-being tips shared by Daryn from his experience at Marriott:

• Listening: A well-being committee to listen to what is affecting employees' welfare.
• Diversity and inclusion: Understanding the nuances and diversity of the local community where the hotel is operating.
• Sense of pride: Promoting a sense of pride and belonging among employees in their work environment. 
• Mentorship and coaching: Experts to help employees with personal issues such as finances or stress management, or trainers to prepare employers for higher roles.
• Adaptable leadership: Leadership that understands employees’ generational differences, such as preferred benefits or life priorities.
• Technology: Leveraging technology such as apps to understand and tailor guest experiences.

Marriott's well-being initiatives have helped them maintain an impressive 4% turnover rate, in contrast to the industry average of 15-18%.

Identifying Priority Wellness Initiatives

When designing wellness programs, Daryn advises, it's essential to take a holistic picture of the whole organisation. Doing this helps align the programs with the organisation's key priorities. At Marriott, for instance, wellness programs align with prevailing priorities such as promoting women leadership, diversity and inclusion. The U.S-based hotel chain also allows managers to tailor wellness programs to the local environment of countries they operate. Identifying and measuring the pressing need and being authentic can help companies develop impactful wellness programs.

Supporting Employees Outside Work

Employees' private lives can have a negative impact on productivity, and supporting them to get through tough moments is essential. However, this has to be balanced with the need to respect employees’ privacy. Valentina advises companies to wait for struggling employees to come forward rather than pushing them into opening up. It’s also important for employers to provide a channel these employees can use to share what they are undergoing. When they come forward, Daryn states, the company should provide the required support to help them get through the moment.

Technology in Promoting Well-Being

Technology is a critical workplace tool that can be positively managed to promote well-being. For instance, technology can take up mundane tasks and free up employees’ time to allow them to catch a break or socialise with colleagues. Daryn provides a practical example where employees can use a chat feature as a springboard to share their feelings with top management, upon which further action can be taken, such as meeting the employee in person. In summary, technology should not replace or inhibit human connections, but promote them.

→🥳  Looking to have a leg up in hospitality hiring? Learn how mentorship and networking can get you ahead of the queue during hospitality recruitment!