An organization is not only defined by its success but also by the level of commitment, support and enthusiasm that a company’s employee brings to the table each day. In the hotel industry, the General Manager (GM) who is the cornerstone of the property nurtures these employees. They play a vital role in both honoring guest expectations while being perceived by the team as leaders. Overall, a manager plays a focal point and serves as a bridge between the guests, management, and the team. Without a manager, all these central cores become chaotic and immobile. As all employees differ, it is a manager’s job to cultivate motivation in the team because motivated employees will work harder and dedicate themselves to the manager and the hotel’s mission. Happy workers are more productive and likely to stay with the company than look elsewhere for another job.
Here are 10 intrinsic and extrinsic ideas that Hotel General Managers can implement to motivate their team to get the best out of their employees.
- Culture and Team Ethos
Culture and ethos begin at the top and filter down. It often reflects in the hierarchy’s philosophy where every employee is equal and of value and contributes his or her skills to the objectives of the hotel. As every employee brings along unique set of values, it becomes crucial for the manager to extend warmth and support enabling them to put forth their knowledge and perspectives to carry out tasks in the most efficient manner. This additionally helps to inculcate a sense of value and responsibility in the minds of the team members. Furthermore, a manager should be open to listening to their employees, which leads to assistance in curating a favorable work culture, and ethos that defines the team.
- Modern Environment
The work environment is one of the critical motivation strategies. A smart modern technique fosters more success, productivity, and returns as compared to the old rigid environment. A manager can resort to set up a room of games such as – video games, pool tables, and table tennis for employees to burn the work heat and soothe their minds to relax. Additionally, a calmness session, small-scale celebrations, appreciation speeches and more such initiatives from the manager frequently results into reduced long-term sick leaves, boosts creativity while surging the revenues.
- Individual Feedback, Communication and Objectives
This ideology can go a long way as one-to-one communication serves the purpose and creates harmony between the manager and the employee. Feedback provides people an opportunity to look at themselves in an unforeseen manner elevating the discomfort while taking up risks to try out various tasks. It moreover helps them to volunteer for more challenges, which acts as an insightful tool in their complete behavioral framework. Individual feedback, communication, and objective setting also serves better, creates transparency, and fosters personal attention.
- Be a Respectful, Empathetic, Honest, and Supportive Manager
This is non-negotiable at all costs. A respectful, empathetic, honest, and supportive manager will show the employees that they care. The employees will feel secure and know their manager will have the employees back and in return, employees will go to extreme lengths to work towards the organization’s growth over individual agendas.
- Lead the way
A manager is a reflection of the team and should be the one who paves the way in times of crisis and grooms the team to follow suit. This will build confidence in the employees to take charge in the manager’s absence without hampering the commitment to services. Managers may share their gathered learnings from their life experiences and impart that confidence in the team members to accept challenges for the better results. They should be able to possess the mutual feeling in scenarios where the results fail to meet desired expectations.
- Team Bonding
No man is said to succeed alone and hence it is important to hold and keep the team together. A manager can organize team challenges every week to create healthy competition and build unity. Moreover, a manager can organize an after-lunch or dinner get-together or some trip to make sure everyone gels together.
- Positivity
A manager can create a positivity collage weekly board and encourage employees to write something positive and then, read it aloud during team briefs. This will inspire the team to keep going and moving ahead.
- Employee Rewards and Recognition
Another way to recognize good work is through rewards and recognition, for example, extra vacation days, vouchers, or travel. Furthermore, in the hotel industry, a one-time meal can be offered as a complimentary reward to invite a spouse/kid or parents. As a gesture of goodwill, the manager can service the table. This gives the employees the added motivation to work to attain the rewards.
- Work-Life Balance
A manager that understands this and allows fair vacations, leaves, and time off for personal issues will motivate the team at the best. When the right work-life balance is achieved, employees can concentrate on their work and manage their lives outside work, as well.
- Personalized Handwritten Notes
In this ever-growing world of digitalization, handwritten notes make the dearest gestures. A manager’s handwritten note goes a long way to display how they value not only their employees but their family members as well. As hotel industry is a 24×7 operational one, a simple note written either to the employees appreciating their incessant efforts or to their family members or spouses when their dear member has to stay back at the hotel for services. This token will serve as a great form of appreciation and even the family will feel valued, as the extra hours or overtime holds merit.
