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As we start to see a post-pandemic world on the horizon, the need for talent has never been greater. Staffing challenges in sales, marketing, and revenue optimization are being felt across all hotel companies at the unit and corporate levels, due to the circumstances brought on by the pandemic. The industry was shut down. Employees were laid off or sent home to work remotely. Many decided to retire or leave the profession entirely. And while progress has been made on many fronts over the past two years, there’s still a lot to be done to attract, develop, and engage the best hospitality professionals in this new and ever-evolving time.
To address this, the HSMAI Foundation is focusing on the need to strengthen the pipeline to ensure the industry has the top talent it needs — but that won’t be without its challenges. Throughout this month, HSMAI hosted multiple executive roundtable discussions with members who hold leadership positions within their organizations, roles such as chief marketing officer, chief loyalty officer, chief revenue officer and others. When these leaders were polled about the challenges they saw facing commercial talent in the industry, the top three included:
- Compensation and benefits
- Poaching from other industries
- Lack of career path, growth options or pipeline into hospitality
When considering the new talent and work landscape of their corporate teams, these leaders also ranked the following themes as priorities for 2022:
- Doing more with less
- Mental health and well-being of team members
- Work-from-home options and policies
- Technology implications
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
We discuss these themes and more in a new Foundation report that will be released next week titled, “The State of Hotel Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization Talent: 2020-2021.” The report dives into 10 talent-related trends we have identified as key considerations for attracting new talent, developing emerging talent, and engaging existing talent.
The first of 10 trends we discuss in the report revolves around the increasing importance of defining (and refining) corporate culture and values. Trust and commitment are essential across the industry, and restoring them will be a key factor in propelling us toward recovery and ensuring our teams are not only motivated but find true satisfaction in their work.
To move forward, we must look at the entire workforce ecosystem and reassess what it takes to find people who will take our businesses to the next level, as well as how we foster an environment of belonging, well-being, and understanding. The insights featured in this report will offer food for thought for every leader in our profession as we continue to navigate how we cultivate the talent pipeline.
The HSMAI Foundation’s State of Hotel Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization Talent: 2020-2021 special report is now available. To learn more about the HSMAI Foundation and its mission, visit the Foundation website.