With the recent growth in demand for extended stay accommodations, more and more lodging companies have added extended stay locations to their portfolios. Extended stay facilities function somewhat differently than traditional hotels, meaning they require different leadership to be successful. The Westmont Hospitality Group (WHG) stands above the rest when it comes to providing a fulfilling and rewarding worker experience. In fact, we strive to stay the employer of choice for hospitality professionals. We’ve been successful in doing so for decades because of a few simple reasons.
Proven Success within the Extended Stay Industry
Unlike other hotel organizations just now diving into the extended stay side of the industry, WHG has been a leader within the space for many years. Prioritizing guest satisfaction, offering extensive amenities, and providing cost-effective, high-quality lodging have each contributed to the success of the organization’s extended stay division.
On the employer side of things, why does it matter if a company is established within the industry? That experience means an extensive operational infrastructure and system of support for employees that allows them to be successful in their roles. This doesn’t mean that hotels (and their employees) new to the extended stay sector can’t be successful. There are simply learning curves when expanding offerings that might add to employee frustration or lack of support
Employee Satisfaction as a Driver of Guest Satisfaction
Guest satisfaction is of utmost importance at WHG, but we understand that employee satisfaction is a crucial step in achieving this. For that reason, we invest in team members and create a working environment where they can thrive and grow.
Employees vary in terms of what makes them excited to come to work. However, some of the top drivers of employee satisfaction consistently include the following:
- Positive Company Culture
- Opportunities for Growth
- Encouraged Work-life Balance
When it comes to organizational culture, communication is key. That means clear and accessible channels to effectively communicate within teams and across organizational functions – as well as with management. Staff need their voices to be heard. When advocating for additional support from leadership, it’s important the management team provides the tools, resources, and coaching needed to help them succeed.
Success from an employee standpoint often means advancing within the organization or industry. Providing growth opportunities is crucial for employers to retain solid talent among their teams. Effective managers offer opportunities for employees to grow into greater responsibilities and positions over time, be that cross-training in other departments, taking on supervisory responsibilities, or obtaining a position on the management team. Employees aren’t all interested in managerial positions, but it’s important for their ongoing job satisfaction that they are given chances to grow and encouraged to take advantage of those opportunities.
Work-life balance has become a buzzphrase in recent years, but the concept isn’t novel. Finding a solid balance between work responsibilities and all other aspects of life outside the workplace is key for long-term job satisfaction as well as individual mental health. It’s important for employers to recognize this and encourage employees to find that balance. That requires commitment from the employer as well. Offering flexibility with scheduling and adequately staffing teams to avoid staff burnout are great ways to support a balanced employee experience.
Effective and Ongoing Training and Job Development
Whether a new hire is an industry veteran or this is their first hotel job, the training they receive during the onboarding period greatly impacts their chances of succeeding in the role and growing as a professional. It’s critical that employees become familiar with industry best practices as well as the rules, procedures, and expectations unique to that employer. While throwing a new hire directly into shift work may seem logical to a hotel struggling with understaffed teams, it’s important for the long-term success of that employee to prioritize training first.
Professional learning doesn’t stop after onboarding concludes. Within any industry, there are always changing best practices or more effective or efficient ways of operating. So, our hotels must invest in ongoing training opportunities for their teams. That may mean simple refresher courses on company processes or even cross-training employees in other roles. It’s proven time and again that new learning increases engagement among staff. As our employees support the growth of the organization daily, we aim to support their professional growth as well.
Finding Roles within the Westmont Hospitality Group
We pride ourselves on not only providing a positive employee experience but on creating a positive experience during the hiring process as well. We’ve assembled a comprehensive jobs database of hotel job opportunities in our extended stay locations nationwide. Job descriptions are clear and concise, making it simple to find opportunities that fit your experience and career goals. To streamline the application process, a resume is all that is required.
We’ve developed training programs specifically for those new to the hotel industry, so interested candidates without prior experience are encouraged to apply for our many entry-level positions. This industry, in particular, is one that tends to promote from within. The Westmont Hospitality Group is no exception, and we highly value employee candidates looking to grow with our organization. We continue to invest in our employee’s growth and remain an employer of choice in the industry because of that. An important step in your career might just be a few clicks away!