If you plan to fire your hotel employees, read this first.
Sadly, the current global situation caused by COVID#19 has led large hotel chains to lay off their employees, regardless of their length of service. From one day to the next, hundreds of layoffs have followed, one after another, as a desperate recourse by managers to ease the crisis in the tourism sector. Similarly, it is worrying that this is happening to a greater extent in Mexico, a country where contracts are far from protecting workers.
In times of crisis, layoffs are directly related to the catastrophic event, in this case, the pandemic. And because in the field of tourism not everything can be managed remotely but requires the presence of its staff, the problem is exacerbated.
Again, this is a difficult decision that large-scale hotel chains have had to grapple with, so in the case of small hotels and boutiques there are still measures that can be put in place to avoid employee layoffs and emerge victorious.
Layoffs, therefore, should be the last resort to which to turn.
Direct, constant and clear communication. Currently, there is not a single person who does not know what is happening on the planet, so secrecy within the company is inadmissible. At this point, most hotels, large and small, have closed their doors, so a good idea to find optimal solutions as well as responsible measures is to carry out a daily status with your employees to comment on the evolution of the problem and rule out that someone has symptoms. This can be done via video call or Hangouts.
Create a network of trust and support for each of the employees equally, it will add value to the hotel and will make everyone feel identified with the company, as it is aware of them.
Contemplate all the possibilities. From best to worst, consider the possible scenarios with the idea in mind that avoiding layoffs will be the best strategy for your business. These options can range from the most obvious to the least obvious - every idea and side plan counts! The actions can be: negotiating with employees who can perform their tasks the modality of remote work, changing part-time shifts and adjusting salaries (in case the measure is temporary, ensuring that previous salaries will be restored after the crisis) . It is convenient for both the employee and your company to reach a provisional agreement.
A good tip is balance the reduction of wages and ensure that this is lower in employees who, due to age or economic condition, are more vulnerable. In these cases, a reduction from 5% to 10% may occur.
Lean on other technologies. Today, there are endless tools and technologies that can help make work more bearable and organized; Being connected in real time supervising what your employees do, also managing their projects and tasks is very easy and simple. Seeking reinforcement on these platforms (Podio, Slack, among others) will ensure that communication or progress is not lost during the crisis.
Early vacations. You read that correctly, in order to avoid a layoff at all costs, the company can negotiate with its employees to change the agreed period of vacation and adjust the rest days to the current quarantine. In this way, when you return to work and normal rhythm, you will have all your trusted staff until everything goes smoothly, it will also represent less expense. It is very likely that not all your employees agree to this agreement, there will be those who will want to take their vacations in the established time, so you will have to present different options until you reach a middle point.
Keep calm. This advice may seem obvious and not very helpful, but you are wrong! As murky as the months to come in 2020 may look, economic aid from the government and investors could be on the way. The sector is everyone's responsibility, and together it can stand up. The near future will be a good time to start considering partnerships with other companies and hotel chains.
A leader is obligated to make smart decisions and responsibility to keep your company afloat. They say that crises serve to show what we are made of and stand up stronger than before. And those who know how to handle turbulence and reduce the negative impact on their economy in a clear way and, above all, compassionate and empathetic, they will sooner rather than later reap the fruits of their effort.
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