The success of your hotel, just like many other businesses, is partially reliant on the staff you hire to help you run the building and how empowered they feel in the position you have given them. From the custodial staff to the managers, it is essential for each hired person to fulfill the duties of their role. Each person knows what descriptions of their job, but do you motivate them to work hard and go above and beyond in their positions? How do you make each employee happy to come to work and proud to say they work for your hotel?

It is our belief that every empowered employee is backed by amazing management. If people feel appreciated and valued at their jobs, they will come ready to work as a team for the betterment of the hotel. There are a variety of ways to make employees feel appreciated and empowered at work. No, it does not involve you throwing them a pizza party in the breakroom or giving them vouchers for free stays in the hotel. This list of three essential tips includes real ways to empower employees to improve business while also showing your appreciation:

Recognize the Hard Workers

One of the biggest mistakes hotel management can make is to reward and recognize the wrong people. Unfortunately, in many cases, the hardest workers often go unrecognized and underappreciated for their efforts to meet the description of their job while also going beyond their personal duties to help others. It is easy for management to oversee the quiet and diligent workers for the extroverted and more boisterous staff members.

Sure, Tommy does his job most of the time and is fun to hang out with. However, does his abilities to be outgoing and discuss any sports team really give him merit for a promotion over the workers who may be busting their backs more than he is? Probably not. In fact, only recognizing the wrong people and failing to appreciate the right people can be one of the most detrimental things you do in your mission to empower employees.

Don’t Implement Group Punishments

Did you ever have a teacher in elementary or high school that would punish the whole class for the bad behavior of one kid? I think we all did. It is most likely that you remember disliking the teacher for this bad classroom management tactic instead of the kid who had the original bad behavior. This scenario can be applied to hotel management as well! Avoid implementing degrading rules and treating your staff like children for the behavior of one or two employees.

If Sarah and Brian have been running late to work every single day, that does not mean the entire staff needs a point system to calculate how late and absent each can be before they get fired. No, good hotel management would sit both Sarah and Brian down to talk to them as adults about their tardiness. Empower employees by treating them like reasonable adults, and your employees as a whole will be a lot happier than if you allowed management to implement petty rules.

Always Have Their Back

The customer isn’t always right. We all know this. In addition, having grumpy or unreasonable guests from time-to-time is an inevitable reality for every hotel. It is important that hotel management is aware of how to handle the delicate situations with unreasonable guests without diminishing the spirits of their staff members. In the end, even if the unreasonable guest comes out on top, it is vital that management empowers employees by letting them know that they are supported.

In addition, it is helpful if hotel management and all other employees are trained on how to have a kind but united front for guests. This way, even when things go south with grumpy guests, staff members are empowered to handle the situation and do not leave the scenario secretly afraid that they are in trouble. Employees are more likely to handle situations with grace if they are taught the expectations and gently supported when tough situations do arise.

Remember, empowered employees will quickly form families of hardworking staff that are happy to do whatever it takes for the betterment of the business. Giving your staff members a reason to look forward to coming to work is the best way to improve your business, reduce staff turnover, and ensure the success of your hotel. Guests can sense when employees within the hotel are content in their job, and this positive atmosphere will encourage repeat business!