The hospitality industry is one of the most competitive in terms of talent. With the rise of remote work, employers now have access to a much larger and more diverse pool of talent than ever before. This offers many advantages for companies in the hospitality sector, including increased innovation, global reach, cost savings, and improved staff morale.
Improved Diversity and Retention Rates
Remote workers can bring specialized skills or knowledge to the table that may not be available locally. This allows businesses to find top-tier talent without geographic restrictions and stay ahead of the competition by delivering superior products or services. Remote work also provides employers with more opportunities to be agile and responsive in the marketplace. Telecommunication tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack and RemotePC, can keep your team connected and accessible, no matter where they are.
Remote work also has benefits for staff morale and productivity. Work-from-home employees tend to be more engaged and productive, often due to greater flexibility and improved work/life balance. This is especially beneficial for the hospitality industry, which traditionally requires long hours and can suffer from high turnover rates due to burnout.
Think about it this way, if your employee is working more efficiently at home in a more relaxed and comfortable environment, they can work from wherever they want. Whether it’s on the couch or at their kids baseball game, that employee is much more likely to continue working for your company. Work/life balance is extremely important in today’s job market. If you can provide that to a large portion of your staff, the financial gains of retained employees will pay off ten-fold in the future.
Cost Savings
By embracing remote work, hospitality companies can reduce operational costs significantly. Because remote work eliminates costly overhead expenses like office space rental, utilities and travel costs, it can lead to significant savings on operational costs over time and will enable companies to build stronger teams that can deliver superior products or services in an increasingly competitive environment.
Some specific ways remote work saves money:
1. Rent & Utilities – If your team works from home, the need for office space and supplies won’t be nearly as high, saving money on rent and utilities.
2. Relocation Costs – Many companies will pay for a new/existing employee to relocate, however if the employee can work remotely, there wouldn’t be a need for relocation.
3. Cleaning Services – The smaller your team is onsite, the more likely your cleaning services bill will be lower. Less offices to clean, less money spent.
4. Food Costs – Some businesses provide things like water coolers/delivery, cafeterias, coffee services or even provide refreshments during meetings. By working remotely, you can eliminate all these costs as well as the cost of paper goods.
5. Office Equipment – With more employees at home, your initial setup costs may set you back, however, over time, there won’t be a need for office furniture, computer equipment or office supplies.
6. Tax Costs – Payroll, sales and property taxes all determine a company’s tax burden. Accommodating remote workers could ease that burden.
What kind of positions can go remote in the hospitality industry?
A few examples of some hospitality positions that can go remote are Sales Executives, Travel/Concierge Agents, Tour Coordinators, Account Managers, Event Managers & Coordinators, Financial Controllers and Accounting positions, Reservation Agents, Support & Administration positions, Customer Service Agents, Account Supervisors, Area Sales Managers, Digital Marketing Managers, Revenue Managers and many more. Basically, any position that is based around being able to use technology to accurately and efficiently get the job done, can be remote jobs. Of course, positions such as Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, Front Office Managers, Bar Managers, etc., require face-to-face interactions and would not be able to translate into remote positions.
The Future of Remote Work in the Hospitality Industry
The hospitality industry is embracing the benefits of remote work. This allows employers to tap into new pools of untapped talent. It also unlocks significant advantages for themselves, such as improved diversity and retention rates. Most importantly, remote work tends to increase engagement levels among employees. Working remotely allows employers access to a global pool of potential employees. This can lead to improved diversity within the industry and increased productivity overall. The cost savings that come with remote work can also be considerable, making it an attractive option for many businesses in the hospitality sector.
