Empowering Hotel Staff to Embrace New Technology

Rolling out new technology in a hotel setting can be a daunting task. While the promise of improved efficiency, enhanced guest satisfaction, and increased staff productivity is enticing, the path to achieving these benefits often brings a unique set of challenges. General and assistant general managers are pivotal in navigating these obstacles and ensuring a smooth transition.

Properly adopting and utilizing hotel technology can greatly enhance the employee experience and positively influence retention. From varying levels of technical literacy among staff to overcoming the fear of making mistakes – securing employee buy-in and providing ongoing support is crucial to achieving successful outcomes and mitigating turnover. Here, we’ll discuss several ways hotel leaders can empower their staff to embrace new technology.

The Reality of New Technology

As adopting new technology can be exciting and intimidating, approaching the rollout with a realistic mindset is crucial. Staff members often have varying levels of technical literacy, which can create anxiety and resistance. Beyond learning new systems, breaking old habits and overcoming the fear of making mistakes are significant challenges, plus the comfort of familiar routines makes change even harder.

Choosing the Right Tools

When evaluating new technology, prioritizing staff adoption from the outset is crucial. Be proactive by involving your staff in the process as much as possible! Surveys are an effective way to encourage buy-in and give your staff a sense of ownership in the decision-making process. Ask them what they like or dislike about the current tools and what features would make their life easier.

During the evaluation process, look for tools that offer features that facilitate easy adoption, ensuring that usability is not an obstacle. Be mindful of user-friendly interfaces, accessibility features, and common challenges, such as language barriers. For instance, if an interface isn’t available in a majority of your staff’s native language, errors and inefficiencies may arise.

Alice and Transcendent by Actabl allow users to select their preferred language within the platform or application. Alice translates into 15 languages, and Transcendent translates into 28 languages. This ensures that when sending and receiving tickets, all users will see them in their selected language, including notes on tickets, minimizing room for error.

Another layer of accessibility with Alice is its extensive use of iconography. The housekeeping module, in particular, was designed with non-English-speaking housekeepers in mind. Instead of relying heavily on text in the mobile view, it uses icons, which enhances usability and improves adoption.

Where to Start

You’ve purchased a new technology, and it’s time to get staff onboard!

Investing in comprehensive training programs is crucial for successfully adopting new technology. According to the Association for Talent Development, companies that offer comprehensive training programs achieve a 218% higher income per employee than those that don't.

Some companies you partner with may offer staff training during the implementation process. Even if they provide training, you should still create a plan for ongoing support. This plan should include realistic timelines and milestones to ensure a structured and manageable rollout. It’s essential not to rush the implementation process to minimize pushback and maximize staff buy-in.

Here at Actabl dedicated implementation teams work to enable your staff with expertly configured solutions and educate them on best practices. We provide structured support and resources throughout the transition, ensuring teams feel confident and prepared. Sessions are recorded for future use and reference, and we provide a library of resources for user support and FAQ’s.

Training and Support

Creating a positive learning environment is essential for the successful adoption of new technology. As this process may be intimidating to staff, encourage an atmosphere where all questions are welcome, and mistakes are viewed as opportunities to fine-tune processes. To alleviate anxiety and foster a culture of continuous improvement, roll out ongoing comprehensive training.

What does this look like in action?

• Comprehensive Training Sessions: Regular, in-depth training sessions with hands-on workshops that allow staff to practice real-life scenarios. These sessions should cover all aspects of the new technology, ensuring that staff members feel confident in their abilities to use it effectively.
• Online Interactive Modules: Look for partners that provide online modules that allow staff to learn at their own pace. These modules can be revisited as needed, offering a flexible learning option that accommodates different schedules and learning styles.
• Daily Standups: Incorporate discussions about tech updates into daily standups. This practice keeps everyone informed about the latest developments and provides a regular opportunity for staff to ask questions and share feedback.
• Webinars and Resources: Offer webinars and other educational resources to encourage a culture of continuous learning. These resources can help staff stay up-to-date with the latest features and best practices and can be revisited when needed.

Addressing Resistance to Change

Overcoming resistance to change is not an if but a when especially when there has been one way of operating for a significant amount of time. Here are some strategies to keep in your back pocket to foster a positive attitude when rolling out new technologies:

Gamification: Use gamification techniques to make learning new technology fun and engaging. This can include challenges, leaderboards, and rewards for milestones achieved. A small reward such as lunch, gift cards, or recognition goes a long way!

Some platforms may have gamification built into them to encourage engagement. Transcendent by Actabl’s Associate Engagement (coming later this year) uses gamification to motivate maintenance staff, leading to improved morale, efficiency, and successful outcomes.

Address Pain Points: While it’s important to celebrate successes, it’s equally crucial to address any points of resistance, especially during a time when staff retention is critical. A recent survey revealed that 76% of hotels report staffing shortages. Adopting and effectively using technology can play a major role in the happiness and lifecycle of employees at a company. Consider sending anonymous surveys or hosting lunch-and-learn sessions with small groups to gather honest feedback and identify resistance points. When approaching non-adoptors, be empathetic and express curiosity to understand and resolve their challenges.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Celebrating Successes

Did it stick? Effective monitoring and evaluation are essential for the successful adoption of new technology. Start by defining clear success metrics, such as system usage rates and time saved, and schedule regular check-ins to review progress. Use data and feedback mechanisms to gather insights and make continuous improvements.

Celebrating successes is equally important to maintaining morale and momentum. It may sound simple, but the public recognition of individuals and teams can make a significant impact. Offering incentives such as extra days off, gift cards, or simply acknowledging team members and highlighting success stories creates a more motivating environment and keeps the momentum going!

Empowering hotel staff to embrace new technology requires a thoughtful approach that includes choosing the right tools, providing comprehensive training and support, addressing resistance to change, and continuously monitoring and celebrating successes. By following these strategies, general managers and assistant general managers can ensure a smooth transition and reap the benefits of employee retention, improved efficiency, guest satisfaction, and staff productivity.