Redeapp CEO Jonathan Erwin has seen first-hand the communication trends that are most impactful in today’s hospitality industry. His recent article featured in Hospitality Technology highlights 5 key factors to consider as you look for communication solutions to equip your organization for the future.
“When it comes to choosing a communications strategy and solution, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. As your organization thinks about facilitating communications with your employees, here are the factors to consider:
- Digital-first
You need to be where employees already are, within the habits they already have. According to Pew Research, the vast majority of Americans own some kind of cell phone, and digital natives (Millennials and Gen X) make up the majority of the labor force, including the hospitality workforce. With the continuing generational shift in employment, even more, employees will begin to rely on mobile devices for information (rather than traditional methods of receiving information like word of mouth, bulletin boards, or phone trees). Soon, the industry’s entire workforce will be composed of employees who have grown up in the digital age, leading employers to rethink how they evolve and best leverage this technology platform.
- Privacy and compliance
Privacy has emerged as a top priority (if not the top priority) in today’s digital landscape. So much so, that companies and industries at large, and even states and countries, are putting laws and regulations in place for data protection. Hotels and casinos must manage employee, customer/player, and organizational data while juggling state, country, and gaming-specific regulations. These companies must do their due diligence to protect data & manage security and compliance for all parties interacting with their businesses.
- Structure
Structure plays a significant role in efficiency and productivity. You want to reach the right people with the right information on the right platforms. Broad open channels like email, newsfeeds like Workplace from Facebook, or social media style communication like Slack can work well for desk-based workers since they’re built for easier collaboration, sharing of documents, and other functions important to that specific workforce. But loosely structured communications channels can also be distracting, disruptive, and irrelevant. In fact, Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, who studies digital distraction, says it can take around 23 minutes to return to the task at hand after being interrupted – which, for hotels, casinos, and other companies that rely on the productivity of their workforce for success, can be devastating to their bottom line.
Read the full article and find out the last 2 factors to consider at Hospitality Technology.
