Training challenges

It can be difficult for new employees to understand how different departments of a hotel depend on one another. For instance, a housekeeper in training not only needs to learn tasks involved in cleaning a room; he or she needs to learn how the housekeeping department and its work relate to other aspects of hotel operation, and how performance can impact that.

Another issue is the language barrier faced by some trainees, says Nancy Curtin Morris. If training is effective and actually helps improve employees’ life skills – such as teaching them the local language of the hotel – they will be more connected to the property, feel cared for and want to stay longer on the job.

Training should take into account different generations of employees – from  millennials just out of school to older workers who may be making a career switch to hospitality. It can be challenging to balance different approaches to training younger and older workers. “Younger staffers, in particular, need to be inspired with fun activities and experiential learning,” says Richard Hatter, general manager of the 262-room Hotel Icon in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The property offers scavenger hunts onsite and in the surrounding area during orientation. Older employees are invited to share their work histories and stories with younger trainees.

Digital experiences

While widespread use of technology in training is still a few years away, online learning tools are being utilized. But it needs to be done in short increments to avoid “e-learning fatigue” and for the information to sink in. 

Some of these innovations that will be a future component of training will include virtual classrooms. Hilton has begun using VR goggles to offer a business immersion experience for trainees that covers the entire hotel environment, from the front desk to kitchen to housekeeping and more. Two hundred employees, working in small groups, have tried the goggles as part of a pilot program.

The use of mobile applications to train new employees also is on the rise. Since May 2017, Hotel Equities’ properties have been using an interactive app that utilizes trivia games, Morris says. The mobile-ready platform can train front desk associates, F&B and back of house staff, housekeeping and maintenance personnel. Trivia games feature five questions at a time that last for just 43 seconds. Participants earn points for correct answers that can be traded in for gift cards, donations to charities, pizza parties and other prizes.