Cornell University

 

Hotel Industry's Key Concerns Surveyed By Cornell's Center For Hospitality Research

Human Resources Issues Top List of -
"What Keeps Industry Managers Up at Night"

In a survey of hotel managers from over 25 countries, The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration has found that 57 percent of respondents are most troubled by human-resources issues. Topping the list of concerns is attracting talented people to the industry, followed by how to retain, motivate, train and develop them. The results of the entire study are published in the April 2001 issue of the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly and are also available on the Center's web site, www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/chr.

"From our 'Key Industry Concerns' survey, we found that managers attribute difficulties in attracting talent to the industry's notoriously poor wages, long working hours, and seasonality," said Cathy Enz, executive director of Cornell's Center for Hospitality Research. "The study also indicated that some managers have accepted the ongoing high turnover rate and have adjusted their operating systems to deal with it accordingly." 

Following human-resources issues, other top areas of concern for managers were: 

* Understanding the customer (11 percent),
* Effectively using capital (9 percent),
* Aligning stakeholders' interests (8 percent),
* Using information technology (6 percent), and
* Valuing brands (6 percent).
 
U.S. vs. European Key Concerns

To determine whether respondents' concerns varied by geography, the Center examined the key issues separately for managers in the United States and in Europe. While human resources topped both lists, U.S. managers' concerns about human-resources issues focused on raising compensation, employee morale, and labor shortages due to low unemployment rates.  For European managers, the focus was on the lack of strong employees' skills and the need for more training.

Secondary concerns for U.S. managers were understanding the customer and building customer relationships. Dealing with conflicting stakeholder issues were high on the European's list as well as power conflicts and strained relationships between corporate and property operations. 

"These survey results have provided us with insight into today's issues and how managers are handling them," said Enz. "Our findings will enable the Center to prioritize its research efforts and offer potential solutions to the industry's top concerns."

The Center for Hospitality Research strives to be the leading source for high quality, useable, and important research on and for the hospitality industry. It offers a unique meeting place where researchers can combine their expertise to solve complex and challenging problems facing the industry. Further information about the Center is available on its web site at www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/chr

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Company Information

Published for over 40 years, the Cornell HRA Quarterly remains the foremost journal of ideas and research for the hospitality industry. Selected articles and an index for the journal is accessible through the Center's web site.

The Cornell School of Hotel Administration's mission is to "create and disseminate knowledge about hospitality management to the global hospitality industry." Founded in 1922, the School of Hotel Administration was the nation's first collegiate course of study in hospitality management. It is now recognized as the leading institution of higher education for hospitality industry management. The Hotel School offers management -level instruction in a wide variety of hospitality disciplines-bolstered by a physical plant that includes the industry's largest hospitality-research library, a high-tech wine cellar, and the world's largest teaching hotel - the 150-room Statler Hotel.

CONTACT:
Mara Begley or
Chuck Mardiks
KWE Associates
Tel: 212/255-7403
Begley@kwepr.com
Mardiks@kwepr.com

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