Employees are major beneficiaries when hotels adopt holistic principles, according to an international survey conducted this month. ‘Our survey shows that staff members become more enthusiastic and committed workers when the hotel offers…
Employees are major beneficiaries when hotels adopt holistic principles, according to an international survey conducted this month. ‘Our survey shows that staff members become more enthusiastic and committed workers when the hotel offers a truly holistic approach,’ Ms Anne Biging, managing director of Healing Hotels of the World, said at ATE 2007 today.
The leading hotel and spa specialist recently conducted a survey of member hotels in Europe and Asia Pacific.
‘Members of Healing Hotels of the World must meet strict criteria going well beyond spa treatments,’ Ms Biging said, ‘and we know this pays off for guests. Whether it is related to cuisine, meditation or yoga, health or lifestyle consultancy, our hotels offer high quality holistic health and healing services. The survey indicates that being holistic is also beneficial to the hotel’s bottom line. Even more pleasing—because we believe in the nourishment of the individual—was the fact that hoteliers reported deeper commitment from their employees when the whole philosophy of the hotel revolved around wellness and healing,’ she said.
Some of the results from member hotels relating to staff included:
- Being holistic encouraged staff to live and work in healthier and more environmentally-conscious ways
- Retention of key staff improved
- Staff members were more focused on what was important.
The hotels surveyed tended to have special classes for employees, such as yoga, pilates or hydrotherapy; healthy staff meals available; and training in handling guests in ways to turn negative energy into positive energy.
‘Relearning on the part of management was also involved,’ Ms Biging added.
‘Some hotels said in order for staff to transmit the sense of wellbeing to guests, employees had to be treated similarly by management and this could mean extra patience and acceptance of different productivity levels was needed. These hotels obviously put extra effort into looking after staff in order to get the whole group working as a team and being living examples of the holistic healthy concept they promote. As one hotel reported, ‘we put extra effort into training staff because when the staff is happy, the guests are happy and return joy to the staff. The result is an outstanding atmosphere,’ she said.
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