Hotel Labor Trends and Data for 2025 Success

Taylor Jones shares the latest hotel labor data, overtime insights, and staffing strategies to help hoteliers plan for 2025.

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Episode Summary

In this episode of The Check-In by Actabl, host Olivia Messina speaks with Taylor Jones, Director of Product for Labor at Actabl, about key strategies for managing labor in the hospitality industry. With a focus on workforce challenges, Taylor dives into wage data, overtime, and staffing strategies to help hoteliers plan for 2025.

Taylor highlights shifts in wage trends, noting that while hourly roles have seen moderate increases, management positions are experiencing larger wage jumps as the industry recovers from turnover. She explains how these trends affect budgeting and staffing, especially as new hires gain experience and take on senior roles.

She also shares insights from the Hospitality Show in San Antonio, where José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, delivered a powerful message on the importance of starting with people. Inspired by his belief, Taylor encourages hoteliers to apply a “people-first” approach not only with guests but also with staff to create a workplace where team members feel valued and engaged.

Managing overtime is another core topic, as Taylor explains how strategic overtime use can boost productivity during busy periods, while excessive overtime might signal deeper staffing issues. She encourages operators to track overtime data closely and use it as a case for hiring, ultimately optimizing labor costs while avoiding employee burnout.

To wrap up, Taylor offers advice for hoteliers setting labor goals and budgets, emphasizing the importance of aligning targets with team resources. By supporting managers and using data to guide decisions, hoteliers can set their teams up for success in the year ahead.