Hotel Labor Management: The Secret to Happier Teams and Better Guest Experiences

Before Drew Potter joined Actabl, he was a general manager doing what thousands of hoteliers do every day. He held the entire operation together through sheer force of will. That meant managing schedules, responding to last-minute call-outs from staff, attending budget meetings, meeting guest expectations, and covering shifts when the team was short. It was exhausting work that left little time for the part of the job he actually loved: leading people and creating great guest experiences.

“I remember sleeping in my office,” Drew said. “I’d work my normal shift, then the evening person would call out. I’d cover until I could find someone. Then night audit would fall through, and I’d end up taking that too. I’d sleep for a couple of hours, get up, and do it again.”

He said it with a smile, but it wasn’t sustainable.

The old way: reactive and overextended

Managing labor the traditional way meant long hours building schedules in spreadsheets. Drew had to cross-reference events, availability, and forecasted demand by hand. It was time-consuming, error-prone, and nearly impossible to get right. Even when the schedule worked on paper, real life would change it. Someone would forget to mention a day off. A last-minute group would show up. A team member would call in sick.

And when that happened, Drew was the one who filled the gap.

“All I wanted was to give my team a fair, balanced schedule and deliver a great guest experience,” he said. “But it felt like I was always on my heels, reacting.”

The change: smarter labor planning

Everything changed when his property implemented Hotel Effectiveness, the labor management software from Actabl.

“It saved me hours every week,” Drew said. “That’s not an exaggeration. It was hours I used to spend building and rebuilding schedules, trying to avoid going over budget, and scrambling to cover shifts.”

Hotel Effectiveness gave him visibility he’d never had before. He could align staffing levels with actual demand. He could forecast based on events and booking patterns. He could spot where overtime was creeping in and adjust before it became a problem.

The result: a better working environment and a better guest experience

The change to smarter labor planning wasn’t just better for Drew. It was better for his team, as well.

“Before, associates were getting schedules that didn’t always work for them, or they were asked to stay late with no warning. With Hotel Effectiveness, the schedules made more sense. They had consistency. They had visibility. They weren’t burned out. That changed everything.”

And the benefits extended to guests as well. When staffing aligned with demand, guests didn’t have to wait as long at check-in. The valet line moved faster. Requests were handled more promptly. The experience was not only more efficient but also more enjoyable.

“Happy employees take better care of guests. It’s that simple,” Drew said. “When my team was overworked or stressed, they weren’t at their best. When they felt supported, they showed up with energy and enthusiasm. And guests noticed.”

The takeaway: labor management is about people, not just profit

Today, Drew helps hotel leaders think differently about labor. It’s not just a cost to control, it’s a team to support. He reminds them that the right technology isn’t only about saving money. It’s about giving managers back their time and giving teams the stability they need to succeed.

“Hospitality is about people. That doesn’t change,” he said. “But the way we manage labor can. When you have the right tools, everyone benefits. The manager. The team. The guest. The business.”

If you’re still managing labor manually, there’s a better way forward.

See how hotel labor management software from Actabl helps hoteliers reclaim time, support their teams, and improve the guest experience. Request your walkthrough here now.