Employees Are Your Greatest Asset

Imagine for a moment you are the General Manager for a resort, a restaurant or any other hospitality business.  Then ask yourself what your most valuable asset is. If your answer is anything other than "my greatest asset is my well trained, engaged, guest focused employees who provide unparalelled service", then I would wager a great sum that your business is not performing as well financially or operationally as you would like.

One of the hospitality management philosophies that I consistently inculcate in young managers is that if you treat your employees well, they will treat your guests well. But I take that philosophy a step deeper. I encourage management to understand their employees, treat them with respect and develop a professional working relationship with each one. This rapport building philosphy builds trust with employees and provides a basis by which we can begin training employees to deliver exceptional service and continually improve service levels. 

The employee relationship building effort, then subsequent training and instilling a spirit of service into each employee is much more valuable to a hospitality business than a sparkling new hotel tower or fancy new dining room renovation. If you are a restaurant owner, you already know that even if you have a stunningly beautiful dining room, guests will not return if they receive shoddy service. Service trumps everything and excellent service begins with treating employees well, developing relationships and training.

The Four Seasons is literally a case study in developing interpersonal relationships. They have mastered the art of relating to both their guests and their employees. The philosophy of creating meaningful relationships has been interwoven into the company's culture from the top to the bottom.

Isadore Sharp, the founder of Four Seasons developed his "Golden Rule" early in his hotel's formative years to lay the foundation that guest service is not just about delivering a product.

Mr. Sharp explains his Golden Rule as simply, "The reason for our success is no secret. It comes down to one single principle that transcends time and geography, religion and culture. It’s the Golden Rule – the simple idea that if you treat people well, the way you would like to be treated, they will do the same."¹

If you read between the lines, his Golden Rule is really about treating others with dignity and respect whether the other person is a guest or an employee. Clearly, treating guests well results in great outcomes for the hospitality organization, but treating employees with the same dignity and respect impels them to treat guests in the same fashion.  If management instills a profound belief of service excellence within employees, then they will reflect that same level of service excellence to guests.

The Golden Rule and valuing employees also resonates with Kathleen Taylor, President and CEO of the Four Seasons. She makes it very clear that she believes employees are her greatest asset. She says,

"Our greatest asset, and the key to our success, is our people. We believe that each of us needs a sense of dignity, pride and satisfaction in what we do. Because satisfying our guests depends on the united efforts of many, we are most effective when we work together cooperatively, respecting each other’s contribution and importance."²

That fabulous $300 million dollar resort, multi-million dollar renovation project and all other company assets pale in comparison to the value of engaged, "guest first" focused  employees. The upscale amenities and unbelievable views from the top floor suite can never make up for a lack of passion, pride and sub-par service delivered by dispassionate employees who don't feel valued.

Take it from the Four Seasons. Employees are the greatest asset of any hospitality operation. Treat employees well and they will treat guests well.

What did you think about this Hospitality Gem? I would love to hear how you got along with this Gem so please leave a comment below or feel free to contact me at davidknight825 @ yahoo.com with your comments, queries or feedback!


1 - Isador Sharp bio at Four Seasons Website
2 - Kathleen Taylor bio at Four Seasons Website