There’s no time like the present to set yourself up for success, a sentiment that Hireology’s hotel customers intimately understand.
Experts predict that demand for hotel rooms will nearly return to 2019 levels in 2022. This is great news, as the same report noted that other critical sources of revenue for hotels – like meeting space rentals, food and beverage spending, and other ancillary services – will not return to pre-pandemic levels.
On top of this, we’re fast approaching summer and travel season. With COVID cases declining and mask mandates dropping, people are going to get out and travel more. Schools will be closed for summer break and parents will certainly be itching to get out of the house. For some, this will be the first time they’ve taken a vacation since the pandemic; for others, like digital nomads, traveling is a lifestyle. The world is as close to pre-pandemic society as it has been since COVID and people are ready to explore again.
In light of these findings, it is now more important than ever to make sure your hotel guests are having the best experience possible. An increase in room bookings means you need more staff to facilitate a great stay; from housekeeping, bartending and food service, to the front desk, there are a lot of pivotal positions that need filling.
Of course, this is easier said than done given the current labor shortage. Employment in the hospitality industry is still down by 1.8 million or 10.3% from February 2020. At Hireology, we work with hundreds of leading hotels, so we’ve compiled this list of strategies that our top customers are using to get ahead of seasonal hiring.
Get creative with applicant sourcing methods
Job boards alone just aren’t cutting it anymore when it comes to hiring top talent. Oftentimes, our customers tell us that they receive applications that aren’t qualified or even truly interested in the position. One way to get around this issue is to start an employee referral program. This type of hiring utilizes the already existing networks that your employees have; typically, this means that the referrals will share similar work ethics, attitudes, and values as your current workforce. Referral programs can be customized to meet your needs, so running seasonal initiatives or creating tiered rewards programs can be created for the best results.
Improve the candidate experience
One of the main burdens that the hospitality industry faces when hiring new employees is keeping them engaged in the hiring process. In fact, 84% of Hireology customers say they’ve had a candidate ghost an interview in the last 6 months. Candidates should always know where they stand in the interview process and feel motivated and excited to keep moving forward in the process.
One simple way to improve the candidate experience is to streamline your interview and hiring process so they don’t have to wait days or even weeks to hear back from you on next steps. Another way is to integrate text messaging into your hiring process; texts are a primary mode of communication now and only takes seconds to read and respond on their end. Not only can you use texting for scheduling purposes and assigning skills tests, but you can also use the service to remind candidates why your hotel is such a great place to work – especially in a follow-up text after an interview.
Onboarding before day one
Another way that Hireology’s hotel customers are getting ahead of seasonal hiring is by having new hires go through onboarding – or at least the most tedious parts of it – before their first day. Now, you can have your newest employees submit paperwork and other identity verifying information before they clock in for their first shift. Hireology lets you collect all of these documents in one place, along with all of your onboarding steps, like employee handbooks, signed contracts, and more.
Unify your technology
With so many applicant tracking systems in the market, there is the high probability that your company uses one company to recruit, possibly another to order background checks and screening, and yet another to manage your staff. Using one product for all three functions is a simple and straightforward move for many businesses, but it can seem daunting to find the right fit at first. Finding the right applicant tracking system (ATS) and HR management platform will save you time and money while eliminating room for human error.
Doing all of this can be tough with disparate systems. Hireology is an all-in-one recruiting, hiring, and employee management platform that empowers hotels to build their best teams. The company equips HR and business leaders with the hotel staffing solutions needed to manage the full employee lifecycle — from pre- to post-hire — in one seamless platform.
To see how you can get your business ahead of the seasonal hiring curve, schedule a demo today!
