Most hoteliers think of labor compliance as a necessary evil—a set of rules they must follow to avoid fines and lawsuits. But the reality is this: compliance isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about protecting profitability, improving workforce efficiency, and delivering a better guest experience.
Hotels, often an oasis of comfort and reliable service in any market, are currently under pressure to meet guest expectations even as labor shortages persist. For independent operators, the best way to stay competitive is to invest in the right technology and ensure teams are trained to use it effectively. By centralizing hotel operations under an all-in-one PMS, hoteliers can simplify workflows, enhance service quality, and make onboarding more intuitive.
Workplace culture can make or break a company. It’s the talent and individuals that contribute to a business who define its success from the beginning. According to Deloitte, 83% of executives and 84% of employees believe that having engaged and motivated employees is the most important part of a company’s success.
The theme for Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia 2025- taking place from 11-13 May at Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, is ‘Where Vision Shapes Opportunity’. In the lead up to the event next month, we asked several industry partners about the opportunities they see for the hospitaliy industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2025 and beyond.
The hospitality sector came together recently during the Digital Transformation Summit in Orlando, Florida, to explore—you guessed it—digital transformation in the hospitality industry.
Stress can lead to various physiological and mental strains, resulting in decreased work efficiency, increased absenteeism and voluntary turnover – which ultimately impact guest satisfaction and profitability. Thus, it is essential to maintain employees’ well-being and help them manage their stress. Some organizations even have the job position of chief wellness officer to manage staff’s mental health.
Pedagogical Peer Coaching (PPC) is a powerful tool for faculty development that offers educators a confidential and supportive space to refine their teaching practices. Through course observations, collaborative discussions and faculty-led learning communities, PPC is a source of continuous improvement without the pressure of formal evaluation or hierarchy. Thanks to fresh perspectives and targeted feedback, this collaborative peer coaching system should be seen as a major asset for steering effective teaching and learning experiences.
Training and development are an arm of a wider education umbrella and a key tool for gaining hospitality expertise and professional development progress. Training involves a combination of industry content, techniques and methods connected to operations and emphasizes learning for the advancement of the hospitality industry.
I once got a call for a taskforce mission at a resort in Mauritius. The kind of call where you just know it’s going to be an adventure. The HR Director said,
In the fullness of one’s self-expression is one’s self-discovery. Until a person ventures into the unlimited domain of the mind, and learns to freely express themselves, such a person can never truly be free to understand themselves. So then, life’s meaning can be summated by an unyielding pursuit of the unknown and the tender connection between mind and marrow.
Generation Z is making headlines as it replaces millennials as the youngest generation in the workforce and introduces its own perspectives and approaches to work life. According to the United States Department of Labor, Gen Z accounts for almost one-fifth (18%) of the labor force, surpassing baby boomers. That number is expected to grow as more individuals from this generation graduate from college and enter the workforce.
What does emotional intelligence (EI) mean in today’s highly digitalized landscape? With such a large chunk of our interactions mediated by technology, we need a new understanding of EI to make sense of today’s emotional nuances in the virtual world. The future of intelligent, human-centric leadership depends upon it.
“In a rapidly evolving landscape…” - This Chat-GPT siren seems to be the most frequently used phrase of the past year and immediately makes me question the content that follows. However, we can all reluctantly relate to the statement and the Communications function is no exception. While the AI wave has flooded our daily lives, changing how we work and what we communicate, other societal trends and consumer behaviors continue to prompt (pun intended) fundamental changes within corporate communications.
Here we are, in the first quarter of 2025. It has been a rough year, but we have almost made it through (just kidding). There have been debates that have been flashpoints in the first quarter of the year. One that continues to play out as we honor Women’s History Month is the topic of DEI.
It was a busy Saturday night at a luxury resort restaurant. Short-staffed and overwhelmed, the Assistant Restaurant Manager, Alex, rolled up his sleeves and started bussing tables, taking orders, and running drinks. Guests were happy, and the team appreciated Alex’s effort—but when tips were pooled at the end of the shift, a server hesitated: Can Alex really take part of the tips? Isn’t he management?
Societal changes, COVID-19, talent shortages and digitalization have created a perfect storm for the hospitality industry. The pressing question now is how to exit this storm and reinvent new value propositions for the industry and its stakeholders. Could hospitality be on the verge of developing a higher purpose simply based on its innate DNA?
The hospitality workforce is evolving at an unprecedented pace. AI, automation, rising labor costs, and shifting employee expectations are forcing hotels to rethink how they manage labor. At Unifocus, we’re not just watching these trends—we’re helping hotels adapt with workforce solutions that balance efficiency, cost control, and employee experience.
As higher education institutions strive to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world, their role extends far beyond traditional teaching. Universities and colleges are now pivotal in fostering competencies, preparing students for real-world challenges, raising awareness of global issues, and integrating with industry.
What Is Psychological Safety, Really? Harvard researcher Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as "a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking." But what does this mean in practice?
Innovative pedagogy provides a framework for thinking and processing information that drives successful, sustainable practice. By 2030, the United Nations requires that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. As the world becomes more sustainability-conscious, higher education plays a key role in delivering education for sustainable development. The purpose is to equip students with the skills, competencies and behaviors essential for raising awareness and promoting the development of a more sustainable future.