Hoteliers Can’t Afford to Ignore Operational Communication Technology in 2019
Report shows increased attention is being paid to non-desk workers; Beekeeper engages employees, creates operational efficiencies and drives job retention
As hoteliers begin planning their 2019 budgets, they will be focusing in part on implementing technology that will help their deskless employees better communicate with management and each other. Eighty-two percent of hospitality companies plan to increase spending on deskless technology in 2019, according to a new deskless workforce report issued by Emergence Capital. "The Rise of the Deskless Workforce" shows that hotel companies will direct part of their spending to ensure they are connecting with employees in hopes of increasing productivity and keeping employees happy. With 98% of companies using mobile platforms such as phones and tablets to communicate with employees, according to the report, hoteliers lagging in engagement will risk losing employees to the competition or other industries.
"Technology is playing an important role in attracting and retaining employees," said Connie Rheams, Beekeeper VP of Hospitality. "According to Deloitte, 43% percent of Millennials envision leaving their jobs within two years and only 28 percent seek to stay beyond five years. Gen Z has even less loyalty, with 61 percent saying they would leave within two years if given the choice. With unemployment at an all-time low - 4% across all industries as of June 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics - employee retention needs to be top of mind. An additional dollar per hour or free daily lunch is proving to be enough of an incentive for hourly employees to leave one hotel and move to the next. The best way to retain non-desk hotel employees is by communicating with them directly, in their own language, and through the mobile platforms they are most comfortable using. When workers are connected, it makes them feel part of the hotel family, thereby making it difficult to take a job elsewhere due to relationships forged."
Workforce Communication Technology: A Must in 2019
The best way hoteliers can engage their deskless employees and get them to embrace a hotel's culture is to connect them digitally to the organization. Linking employees across locations and departments in real time via mobile or desktop devices will keep each person wanting to learn more about the company … their department … VIP guests who may be arriving that day or that week … a new hire … an incentive contest … or even a new corporate policy. Digitizing the workforce will help companies improve internal communication and streamline business processes. It's an ideal way to connect non-desk workers to company news, updates and protocols; share crisis communications messaging; onboard new hires; and motivate existing employees and share their achievements. In other words, it keeps employees connected to management and each other.
In the past year, Fortune 500 firms across the globe have adopted Beekeeper as their workforce communications platform. Named the Most Innovative Technology of 2018 by HTNG, the "People's Choice" by HFTP, and ranked No. 59 on the SaaS 1000, Beekeeper has been busily increasing its user base this year by more than 500% and is currently being used in more than 137 countries worldwide.
Companies are flocking to Beekeeper because it:
- Engages employees at a basic level and gives them a voice.
- Rewards employees for doing something good.
- Creates loyalty and drives job retention.
- Makes employees feel a part of something important.
Beekeeper is digitizing the non-desk workforce by connecting operational systems and communication channels within one secure, intuitive platform. The solution connects colleagues across locations and departments in real time via mobile or desktop devices and includes an intelligent analytics dashboard to help companies improve internal communication and streamline business processes. Secure, automated, and relevant information is readily distributed, searchable, and measurable in one central hub for an efficient digitized workflow.
Statistically Speaking: Employee Engagement Matters
- Companies with engaged employees outperform those without by 202% (Source: Gallup)
- Highly engaged business units achieve a 10% increase in customer ratings and a 20% increase in sales (Source: Gallup)
- 98% of human resources professionals and 92% of employees surveyed said empathetic employers drive retention (Source: Businessolver)
- 92% of employees say showing empathy is an important way to advance employee retention (Source: Businessolver)
- 80% of employees would work more hours and 60% would take a pay cut to work for a more empathetic employer (Source: Businessolver)
- 53% of HR professionals say employee engagement rises when onboarding is improved (Source: SilkRoad).
- 80% of the world's workforce are non-desk workers
- 84% of the workforce has a personal mobile device
- 75% of employees use their personal mobile devices to communicate with co-workers
About Beekeeper
Beekeeper is an award-winning operational communication platform that digitizes the non-desk workforce by connecting operational systems and communication channels within one secure, intuitive interface. Beekeeper connects colleagues across locations and departments in real time via mobile or desktop devices and includes an intelligent dashboard to help companies improve internal communication and streamline business processes.
The company is based in Zurich and San Francisco and supports users in more than 130 countries. Clients include Heathrow Airport, Seaboard Foods, and Marriott.
Barb Worcester
PRPRO
+1 440 930 5770