The 7 Hidden Challenges Of Internal Communication For Hotels

A hotel is a unique type of workplace. Most staff members are on their feet, working irregular hours, and turnover is high. All this results in the biggest challenge for hotels: internal communication and ongoing staff training.

Sharing information with everyone, at any given time, seems impossible and is yet so crucial to the success of hotel operations. General managers find themselves between traditional methods or new technology for internal communication.

Here are the 7 hidden challenges with internal communication at hotels: 

1 – Never centralized

Most staff members are on the floor and with irregular days and hours, it is impossible to have everyone in one room. The traditional form of having a flyer in the cafeteria is not effective, as managers never know who actually read it. Hotel size is growing and there is a lot more information to go round.

2 – No access to computers

70% to 80% of hotel staff does not have technology access such as emails or intranet. That means that most information shared this way is not accessible to everyone. It is missed out on by most staff, especially in operations. Instead, staff members use free chat functions on their mobiles to communicate together.

3 – Security of data

The use of social media and free chat functions on mobile are solutions to this challenge. It does bring another challenge: security. These methods are not made for professional use and do not guarantee any legal or data security. It is an invisible danger that definitely does exist. This can result in serious consequences. 

4 – High turnover

High turnover is known to the hotel industry. Positions are seasonal or part-time and professionals tend to move to different locations. This means that on boarding training for new staff is a happening all the time. It is the exact same training, repeated every single time someone new comes in. And monthly sessions are not realistic with high turnover and staff required on the floor. 

5 – Ongoing staff training

Staff retention is a focus for many hotels due to this high turnover. Managers aim to resolve this, among other ways, through ongoing staff training. In particular training such as: cross-trainings, leadership trainings, and on-the-job trainings. Time is the enemy. It is impossible to block a whole set of hours for one group. Instead, managers need a way to train with the least amount of time and greatest retention of information.

6 – New expectations

The new generation, Y or millennials, expect to have access to technology at all times. Everyone is on his or her mobile phone these days to find information and to communicate. It is a integrated habit in their way of life, including work. It is natural for them to have access to a mobile phone and to use it at their professional work environment. A hotel that has access to such technology is a preferred employer among this generation.

7 – High costs

All the above mentioned challenges have one key thing in common and that is that it costs. It costs time, money, and effort to find the right balance for internal communication. High turnover, low retention rates, and increased training time; leads to increased costs. Internal communication is an issue that general managers cannot ignore without costly consequences.

You might recognize some of these challenges in your own hotel and might be looking for solutions. The mobile app of Qnnect solves communication challenges by reinforcing synergies and therefore improving guest satisfaction.