The Bosses Who Shaped Us
Terence Ronson reflects on formative early-career experiences at a Hilton International property, recalling the leadership styles and personal moments that shaped his hospitality values.
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‘Living Hospitality:’ When Compassion, Training, and Courage Changed a Life
Newport Hospitality Group shares how compassion, training, and courage combined to make a meaningful difference in an employee's life.
By Portsia Smith, General Manager, Newport Hospitality Group
Who Serves, Who Leads: Hospitality's Persistent Gender Divide
Women hold 52-70% of hospitality jobs globally but only 5-7% of CEO positions, with structural bias, not talent gaps, identified as the key barrier to advancement.
By Taran Patel, Head of Research, Les Roches
The Rival You Didn't Mean to Invent
A reflective piece on how internal promotion competition quietly erodes trust and collaboration among colleagues, and how professionals can hold ambition and collegiality at the same time.
By Mike Hohnen, Trusted Advisor￨Coach￨Trainer￨Keynote Speaker, Plays Well With Others
Employees who feel overqualified view more work tasks as unreasonable
Penn State research finds hospitality employees who feel overqualified are more likely to view tasks as unfair, increasing turnover intent, but respectful managers reduced these perceptions by 28%.
Culture Isn’t a Program; It’s a Way of Leading
Meyer Jabara Hotels attributes its 24% turnover rate (vs. an industry average of 78-84%) to an intentional leadership culture built on empowerment, shared ownership, and technology-enabled connection.
By Terri Tucker, Consultant and thought leader, Meyer Jabara
Why Hospitality Outperforms: Culture as a Performance System
The article argues that hospitality outperforms other industries not through better strategy but by operationalizing culture via six disciplines: visible leadership, daily routines, clear standards, empowerment, real-time feedback, and team systems.
By Michael J Taylor, Regional General Manager, Pyramid Global Hospitality
Culture First – The Most Important Investment We Make
HSMAI Europe President Ingunn Hofseth reflects on lessons from mentor Mike Leven, arguing that culture and people-first leadership are the foundation of lasting business success.
By Ingunn Hofseth, President & CEO, HSMAI Europe
Pride Beyond June: Building Hospitality Where Everyone Feels Welcome
Area Sales Manager Aricia Oliveira of Pier House Resort and La Concha Key West argues that LGBTQ+ inclusion and authentic leadership must be year-round practices, not seasonal campaigns.
Big Dreams, Meaningful Impact: Meet Hilton’s 2026 Thrive Winners
Hilton named 30 global team members as recipients of its 2026 Thrive Sabbatical and Thrive Reset programs, offering up to one month of paid leave and grants of up to $5,000 for personal growth, caregiving, or community impact.
The Truth About Hotel Industry Culture
A data-backed examination of hotel industry workforce culture covering upward mobility, poverty wages, physical injury rates, high turnover, trafficking exposure, and the post-pandemic labor shift.
By Nasir Zahir
When Humans Act Like Robots: Michael Levie on citizenM and the Reverse Uncanny Valley
citizenM co-founder Michael Levie argues hospitality's real problem is humans behaving like robots, and that automation should free staff for genuine human moments, not replace them.
What You Inherited When You Took The Job
A reflective piece arguing that leaders unknowingly inherit and enforce unwritten cultural rules, drawing on Kets de Vries, Schein, and Perel to explore how organizational patterns outlast the people who created them.
By Mike Hohnen, Trusted Advisor￨Coach￨Trainer￨Keynote Speaker, Plays Well With Others
Why a 'Generation Translator' Would Backfire: Ilona Guérin on the Next Generation of Hoteliers
EHL student and Young Hospitality Summit president Ilona Guérin argues Gen Z hoteliers are driven and passionate, but warns formalising "generation translator" roles would widen, not bridge, the gap.
'We're Not Less Committed': EHL Student Billy Turnbull on What the Industry Gets Wrong About His Generation
EHL student Billy Turnbull argues Gen Z hotel workers aren't uncommitted, but that outdated behind-the-scenes tech and grueling shift cultures are the real drivers of early attrition.
When "I Don't Care" Starts Recruiting
A hospitality operator argues that tolerating disengaged employees is the fastest way to erode standards, warning that indifference spreads and drives away high performers.
By Franck Desplechin, CEO Founder | F&B Expert, Cheffranck.com
Hilton Unveils New Workplace Research Showing That Even as AI Is Reshaping Work, the Real Advantage Is Human
Hilton's 2026 Trends Report, drawing on Ipsos and Morning Consult surveys of 2,000+ U.S. workers, finds human-centered leadership, mentorship, and purpose outrank perks and technology as drivers of engagement and retention.
Accor Advances Industry-Leading Inclusion Initiatives Across Its Australian Hotel Network
Accor has enrolled 32 Australian hotels in Welcome With Pride's LGBTIQ+ inclusion training program, targeting 50 by end of 2026, with staff reporting double-digit gains in confidence and engagement.
From Making the Rich Richer to Making Meals: Christine Merckelbagh on Dignity and Work
Label Gamelle, founded in Paris in 2020, employs homeless people and refugees as its first job in France, turning surplus food into 2,500+ meals daily while achieving 80% housing and employment outcomes within 18 months.
Closing Costs
A hospitality professional recounts a 1992 financial crisis during a corporate relocation to Canmore, needing $4,500 in unexpected closing costs with no resources and one day to spare.
By David Lund, The Hotel Financial Coach, David Lund