Human Resources Opinion Articles

December 5, 2023

The power of praise – Give your staff more recognition!

Praise may well be one of the most underestimated managerial tools. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many people wish they would receive more positive feedback, praise, encouragement and recognition from their significant others. And many adults deplore not having received enough pats on the back and positive encouragement from their parents in childhood and adolescence. The consequences of this lack of recognition for relationships and psychological well-being in adult life can be very negative.

By Steffen Raub and Sébastien Fernandez

Opinion Article

December 4, 2023

Meeting industry demands: Aligning curriculum with hospitality trends

The hospitality industry is always changing and schools need to keep up with the latest trends to provide students with the best education possible. In this blog post, we'll be talking about the significance of adaptive curricula and providing some helpful tips for schools to stay relevant and attract more students. We'll also be discussing some of the exciting new trends in the hospitality industry and education, and how schools can align their curricula with these trends to provide students with the skills they need to succeed in this fast-paced sector. So, let's dive in and explore how hospitality schools approach the challenge of preparing students for the hospitality jobs of the future!

By Ashley Musseau, Learning Content Designer, EHL

Opinion Article

November 28, 2023

Labor shortage in the cruise industry - How to attract the millenials

In the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic, labor shortage and talent management challenges have been propelled to the top of the agenda in many industries. However, the cruise industry has been particularly hard hit. While more than 1.8 million people were employed in the cruise industry in 2019, by 2022 that number had dropped by almost 40%. When business picked up faster than expected, filling open positions became the number one priority. However, of the nearly 600,000 cruise line employees laid off in 2021, nearly 40 percent have not returned to work in the industry.

By Steffen Raub, Full Professor Human Resources/Organisational Behaviour, EHL

Opinion Article

November 27, 2023

How cognitive distortions affect employee performance

Our brains are a remarkable tool that we rely on for guidance and understanding. Trusting in our own cognitive abilities is essential, as it allows us to navigate through life's challenges, recognize potential threats, and seek meaningful connections. It is through our brain's intricate wiring that we can detect danger, attract potential partners, and solve the problems that come our way.

By Ana McFee, Business Development Senior Manager, EHL

Opinion Article

November 27, 2023

More Than Just Interns

Mention internship and the industry is likely to echo that they all know about it: namely, students on short stints to learn on-the-job for an allowance. What may be overlooked is the significance of fulfilling students' psychological needs during internships. This article reports a study that examined the current situation of how students' psychological needs are being met or otherwise. Recommendations are included to help hospitality organizations better manage internships towards improving the retention of future talents.

By Lee-Keng Ng, Associate Professor, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)

Opinion Article

November 21, 2023

Managing a Diverse Workforce in the Hospitality Industry: Strategies for Inclusive Leadership

The service industry, a broad sector ranging from hospitality and tourism to health and retail, is one of the most diverse sectors globally. In such a landscape, leading a multicultural, multi-generational, and multi-gendered workforce is both an opportunity and a challenge. Properly harnessed, diversity can foster innovation, enhance customer service, and drive business growth. However, achieving these benefits demands more than acknowledging diversity—it requires a dedicated approach to inclusive leadership.

By Prince Sanders, Hospitality Managing Director, Prince A. Sanders

Opinion Article

November 21, 2023

How to Improve Hotel Productivity (Without Burning Out Staff)

The hotel, food services, and hospitality industry had the highest burnout rate globally in 2019. Roughly 80% of employees in this sector reported feeling overwhelmed by their workload. Now, combine this with the increased stress of the last three years, rising demand for services, and a lack of staff. Sounds like burnout in the making, right?

By Lauren Hall, Founder & CEO, iVvy

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Opinion Article

November 17, 2023

Transforming Vocational Education with AI and VR

Recently, I had the privilege of speaking at a conference in Nanjing, China, where I delved into the revolutionary impact of the integration of Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) and Virtual Reality (VR) in education and training. This pioneering approach promises to redefine how we learn and prepare for various careers, especially in the vocational sector. In this blog, I share some reflections and hypotheses that could chart the course for the future of vocational education:

By Jens-Henning Peters

Opinion Article

November 10, 2023

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Defined

The terms diversity, equity, and inclusion are intertwined. As workplaces, communities, and society work to build justice, fairness, and equality into their environments, these three words represent opportunities to embrace new ways of inviting people in, capitalizing on their unique perspectives, and encouraging productive collaboration.

By Gissell Moronta, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Atrium Hospitality

Opinion Article

November 3, 2023

Successful employee training: Tips for employers and managers

The success of any organization or business depends on the quality of its workforce. Especially if its activity revolves around direct service to customers. Effective training strategies can make all the difference in the success of an organization. Good training allows an employee to develop their skills quickly and efficiently, providing them with the knowledge needed to perform their job to the highest standard. Employers need to create effective training plans that target the specific job skills and knowledge needs of their employees, while giving employees the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally.

By Anne-Céline Depierraz, Consultant, EHL

Opinion Article

November 1, 2023

5 tips for hospitality leaders to do less and do it better

“Do more with less” has been the prevailing theme of the last three-ish years, driven first by the need to economize during the immediate business slowdown caused by the pandemic and then by staffing shortages as the hospitality industry began to recover. Unfortunately, the “less” we had was not adequate to cover the “more” we were expected to do. No matter how clever we tried to be, things slipped through the cracks, and burnout was real (and ongoing).

By Kelly McGuire, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), KASA, HSMAI (USA)

Opinion Article

October 30, 2023

Career Fair: An efficient tool for recruiting new talent for hospitality industry

Hotelschool The Hague’s Career fair was successfully held on campus in The Hague. This was the perfect chance for students to source for top placement opportunities and/or their next professional opportunity! From hotels and hospitality companies like Marriott, Rosewood, Accor, Belmond and KLM to corporates such as ABN AMRO, Crisp, Rituals, and RAI Amsterdam, 50 Industry partners joined the big event.

By Nina de Graaf, Hotelschool The Hague content editor, Hotelschool The Hague

Opinion Article

October 27, 2023

Top Education Trends to watch in 2024

As technology advances and the Fourth Industrial Revolution takes hold, society and the professional world are undergoing rapid transformations. These changes are significantly impacting the field of education, giving rise to a multitude of emerging trends that educators must closely monitor in 2024. To effectively engage their students, learning facilitators must stay up-to-date with the latest developments, innovative teaching techniques, and key factors that influence learning in the classroom. By understanding these trends, they can create more dynamic and impactful learning environments.

By Eric Debétaz

Opinion Article

October 27, 2023

The Role of Servant Leadership in the Service Industry

In the fast-paced and dynamic service industry, leadership plays a crucial role in shaping organizational culture and driving success. Among various leadership styles, servant leadership stands out for its emphasis on empathy, collaboration, and a focus on the well-being of employees and customers alike.

By Prince Sanders, Hospitality Managing Director, Prince A. Sanders

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Opinion Article

October 26, 2023

Quality education: Training solutions for hospitality education

In the world of hospitality education, instructors take center stage. They're the game-changers that fuel hospitality schools and companies to thrive in the face of industry's ever-evolving demand. Having instructors who are also good teachers is essential to satisfy the needs of upcoming generations of students and professionals in training: Instructors are the ones who not only know their stuff but can also ignite a passion in the next wave of students and budding professionals.

By Warren Weill, VET Content and Learning Experience Coordinator, EHL

Opinion Article

October 26, 2023

Healthcare Industry: Employee happiness is key to patient happiness

Human interaction is more important than ever as society recovers from COVID-induced social changes and welcomes the arrival of ubiquitous artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT. Human experience based on interactions is not only critical to the traditional hospitality industries but also other industries, such as healthcare and retail. As part of the Hospitality Vibes interview series, I interviewed Claudio Garbellini, Deputy General Director of SOL Group, Italy’s leading home care provider. The aim: to understand a leading expert's perspective on human interactions and their impact.

By Dr. Meng-Mei Maggie Chen, Author of Hospitality Vibes and Associate Professor, EHL

Opinion Article

October 23, 2023

Breaking the Glass Ceiling – Women in the Hospitality Industry

Efforts to promote gender equality have become a global priority, with organizations like the United Nations embedding this goal within their Sustainable Development Goals. Notably, an increasing number of women are pursuing higher education in countries like the US, the UK, and India, and are entering the workforce as the corporate sector is offering a more flexible work environment. As a result, women have made significant strides in multiple sectors, including the dynamic world of hospitality.Recent research conducted by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveals that women accounted for 54% of the total employment in the global travel and tourism (T&T) industry. With their inherently higher levels of emotional intelligence, the hospitality sector is a perfect ground for women to succeed.

By Mandeep Lamba, Dipti Mohan, and Dhwani Gupta

India

Opinion Article

October 20, 2023

How geometry can help shape hiring

When faced with the question of which shape has the largest area, our intuitive responses may vary. Some argue for the shape on the left, while others insist on the shape on the right. However, the true answer lies in meticulously measuring each tiny shape and adding up their respective areas. Similarly, in the hiring process, hiring managers cannot rely solely on intuition to identify the best candidate during an interview. To make successful hiring decisions, they must recognize that analyzing and evaluating every single characteristic that matters for predicting success is crucial, just as measuring each tiny shape accurately determines the true area.

By Sébastien Fernandez, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, EHL

Opinion Article

October 19, 2023

EHL’s Master in Global Hospitality Business: Q&A from 3 continents

As this ground-breaking program enters its seventh year running, we’ve invited three of its distinguished directors to share their insights into the inner workings of the curriculum. Here, we have the answers from Dr. Ki-Joon Back from the University of Houston, Nicole Hinrichs from the EHL Hospitality Business School, and Catherine Cheung from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

By Veronika Mercier, Marketing Content & Communications Manager, EHL

Opinion Article

October 18, 2023

10 essential content marketing tips for education institutions

In the modern era of education, where information is at our fingertips and communication is instant, content marketing has become an essential tool for educational institutions to connect with their audience. Content marketing isn't just about creating and distributing content; it's about crafting a narrative that resonates with your target audience, building trust, and fostering meaningful engagement. In the realm of education, where institutions seek to attract students, engage parents, and establish themselves as thought leaders, effective content marketing strategies are more crucial than ever. In this blog post, we'll delve into key content marketing tips tailored for the education sector.

By Ana McFee, Business Development Senior Manager, EHL