Employee Engagement Strategy
Three principal dimensions of employee engagement involve work, peers, and customers. Engagement with work denotes the enthusiasm and commitment displayed by the employees in performing their direct tasks and is associated with greater productivity. This aspect is the most important for the initial phase since Melrose Hotels has a tight schedule, and three of six core values require a high level of productivity under severe time constraints. Engagement with other workers and management improves communication within the organization and establishes a clear direction, which will likely be an important concern for business recently acquired by another entity. Besides, a better understanding is required to mitigate possible reoccurrence of large-scale staff turnover. Engagement with customers is pivotal for reaching an excellent level of service and meeting a strategic objective of slow and steady growth set by the company. The effects of changes in hotels’ management, staffing the facilities with 70 percent of new employees, and working in a culturally unfamiliar environment can be mitigated by ensuring the commitment of locally hired workers who are familiar with the customers’ expectations.
Several initiatives can be suggested for implementation by the company based on the employee engagement drivers. First, workplace task completion can be streamlined by providing workers with superior tools. The easiest example is a network-based platform that logs tasks for each location and/or employee. The platform can utilize several tablet PCs mounted on the walls of the hotel and list pending tasks that can be picked up by workers. Such a system would eliminate confusion and provide necessary clarity and a systemic approach to services. Importantly, the tool would also be accessible to the customers, who would be able to rate the level of each service and leave feedback on the overall impression, which can be used to motivate employees (Robson et al. 2016).
Another driver requiring attention is people. The managers will work in an unfamiliar cultural and social environment, which is further complicated by the relatively poor knowledge of French. In such a setting, miscommunication is a real threat. Therefore, the first step would be a survey aimed at determining the areas of motivation and disengagement as understood by the employees who are familiar with the previous state of events. The survey would also be useful for the identification of reasons for the high turnover rate observed during the acquisition. Once the information is obtained, the second phase would require the organization of workshops and training sessions that would integrate the values of the company (Heartfield 2016). In this way, it would be possible to focus managerial effort at the weak areas while at the same time communicating a clear vision required for holistic improvement denoted in one of the core values.
The third intervention is based on the quality of life drivers. Since the phase of the hotel’s functioning is expected to be challenging, a high level of stress is expected among the employees. This can be especially evident for those who chose to stay after the acquisition instead of following the majority. Thus, a health and wellness program must be established that would provide the workers with opportunities to attend clubs and engage in active rest known to reduce stress. The program must be synchronized with the schedules and may include coaching services.
Employee Engagement Methods and Benefits
Reference List
Heartfield, S 2016, Best ways to improve employee satisfaction and engagement.
Robson, K, Plangger, K, Kietzmann, J H, McCarthy, I, & Pitt, L 2016, ‘Game on: Engaging customers and employees through gamification’, Business Horizons, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 29-36.
Shaefer, J 2015, The real ROI for employee wellness programs.