Conflicts or disputes happen in any industry and workplace. Anytime employees of an organization collaborate with each other towards a common goal, issues are bound to arise over time and must be handled appropriately. In the hotel and extended stay industry, those common goals include guest satisfaction and efficient operations.
Conflict resolution isn’t an exact science, and will look different depending on the situation and the individuals involved. However, strong organizational leaders in the hospitality industry need to know and understand the basic steps in resolving conflict and be able to implement those in situations on their team. Failure to adequately solve issues gives them the chance to escalate over time and cause even bigger problems for the team or organization down the road..
Provide the Opportunity to Communicate
No issue is one-sided, and many of them actually arise because of poor communication. Do, it is important with any conflict that everyone involved is given the opportunity to share their thoughts, concerns, and questions openly without fear of retaliation or judgment. More importantly, allow (and encourage) them to share the reasoning behind those thoughts. Doing so often brings about important information to finding the appropriate solution to the problem. It also may influence the opinions of those in the group if new considerations are brought to their attention they hadn’t previously considered.
When it comes to leadership, consider this an opportunity to listen first. Don’t start the conversation with the leader’s perspective. Instead, gather the facts, consider the rationale behind each employee’s opinion, and consider any external information that may be relevant to the situation. Whether these conversations happen 1-1 or in a group setting depends on the specific instance, but offering team members the choice of either option is a good rule to follow.
Explore Potential Solutions
Upon hearing all sides of the story and considering the issue from a managerial perspective, leaders can then begin to explore options for resolution. Prior to bringing any of these to the team, it is important to weigh the impact each might have on all involved parties as well as the feasibility for the organization. Solutions based on promises that can’t be kept are not sustainable. In fact, that can have a much more negative impact on team morale than had simply an alternative solution been selected
Leadership ultimately has the authority to select a solution, but collectively discussing multiple options with the entire team provides a chance for open conversation and for a sense of ownership among team members that their opinion has an impact on the ultimate decision. Teams that foster that ownership among their members are the most effective and successful. Employees want to feel seen and heard and know that their opinion in the matter makes a difference.
Implement the Best Solution, but Don’t Forget Proper Follow-up
The need for leadership through a workplace conflict in the hospitality industry doesn’t end once a path forward is decided. Even if a team unanimously agrees on a solution, that doesn’t guarantee its success in actually solving the problem. Follow up is critical in conflict resolution. Leaders need to engage with those involved on an ongoing basis, to both see that the issue is truly resolved as well as catch any potential new issues before they have time to escalate.
Even teams without much conflict thrive on open communication. Leaders should create a cadence of communication with their team and its members to ensure all employees are kept informed, updated, and heard when it comes to questions and concerns. In addition to regularly scheduled meetings, team leaders need to remain prompt when it comes to company or team updates and getting those out to staff. The industry is full of contributors that learn and absorb information differently.
For many hospitality workers, English is their second language. Even for native speakers, some employees absorb information better when it is written down so they have something tangible to refer back upon. Others prefer spoken conversations so they have the opportunity to ask questions in real time. To ensure comprehension and full understanding of important information, deliver that in a number of formats to serve all learners. While discussing an important issue in a meeting is great, follow it up with a written report of the important takeaways for team members to use for further review to ensure they understand.
Leadership Opportunities Within the Hospitality Industry
For those with strong communication skills, experience solving problems and workplace issues, and previous hospitality experience, leading a team within the industry might be a great next career move. Going from an individual contributor to a leadership role does take some adjustment. Leading others towards efficiency and effectiveness involves a different skill set than being successful as an individual requires. Conflict resolution skills, along with the ability to motivate others are crucial for success when leading any team in hospitality – be that within hospitality, front office, or maintenance functions of an organization.
Finding leadership roles in the industry has gotten easier with the increased reliance on technology for publicizing opportunities. In fact, we keep an updated database of all opportunities within our organization, which includes over 50 locations across the United States. Finding a role that requires strong communication and conflict-resolution skills and the ability to motivate others has never been easier (and faster) – see what is out there today!