Ed Mace is an hotelier who thinks big. He’s an entrepreneur at heart. A Cornell University School graduate and former president of Vail Resorts Lodging, RockResorts International and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Mace has strong street cred. He understands employee motivation—and apathy.
“A lack of motivation and apathy are cousins,” Mace said, taking a momentary break from his duties as CEO and managing partner of Ascent Resort Partners where the firm is overseeing development and operation of the Club at Spanish Peaks near Big Sky, Montana.
Mace has led many motivated people—and others too. “Some individuals who no longer enjoy what they are doing continue to work in service jobs,” he said. Their apathy surfaces in “their lack of concern for guests and, just as importantly, colleagues … (It) will show up over time in the operating performance of a hotel.”
David Mansbach, CCP, partner, North America at HVS Executive Search pulls no punches about apathy, saying it is part of the reason for a changing of the guard at hotel companies during the post-recession era. “A lot of people are very, very unhappy. Morale is extremely low. Companies have taken the approach that, ‘You should be lucky you have a job; forget about bonuses.’ Employees have long memories.”
Mansbach added “the lack of loyalty and commitment from the employer” is, ironically, making it easier to convince successful managers to look elsewhere.
Cathy Enz, Lewis G. Schaeneman, Jr. Professor of Innovation & Dynamic Management at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, echoed Mansbach: “Indifference comes from being treated with indifference by managers. Employees tend to reflect the emotions that they experience from their supervisors.”
John Berndt, General Manager of the Bali Nirwana Pan Pacific Resort and also a Cornell hotel school graduate, has devoted 35 years to the hotel industry at companies such as Ritz-Carlton and Harrah’s. Berndt’s take on apathy? “Many times it is as simple as the lack of any one of the essential ingredients—leadership, incentive, motivation and direction, confidence from skill or experiencing success—or a lack of interest from the leader or organization.” Berndt also blames “unrealistic or inappropriate goals direction or support.”
Cathy Enz suggests that apathy emanates from “the ongoing disregard for employees that causes them to shut down emotionally and hence convey the absence of interest.”
What’s the cure?
Enz offered a simple prescription: “(When) supervisors have clear vision and passion, then employees get excited as well.”
Mace agreed. “At the organizational or team level, apathy can be overcome by positive and effective leadership. The team must understand and share their common goals and enjoy celebrating their successes.”
Mace, who has used this strategy in some union properties, offers that, “in certain situations, we found peers who were natural leaders and then motivated them, mainly through recognition, to appeal to the ‘professionalism’ of their fellow colleagues.”
Mansbach said industry leaders know they need to reexamine what and where they cut: “Through downsizing, a lot of companies are seeing that they’ve ‘hit the muscle’ with all the staff cutting and are seeing that, ‘Wow, we really need this type of person’—they’re thinking strategically about the core competencies they’re looking for.”
Mansbach also sees an unintended consequence from the recession, one that lines up with the goals of those just coming into the hotel business. As a result of all the staff-cutting, Mansbach discovered that “people who were left in a junior role, particularly in the mid-cap companies, have had a more direct line of sight with senior leadership, which ties in neatly with what the new generation of young people coming in are looking for.”
Are there hotels that do a good job of combating apathy? Says Enz: “Yes, many hotels that have GMs who articulate a clear vision, care deeply about their people, tie performance to rewards in concrete ways, and model through their actions respect and dignity toward work will get loyal, energized and committed employees in return.”
Mansbach also sees emerging bright spots. “I’ll tell you, the current best practice in hotels is ‘resetting;’ they’re refocusing their attention on how we attract and retain the best.”
An optimistic Mace is ready to get back to his Big Sky project. His parting shot is a quote from Henry Ford, one that Mace feels is “the best antidote” for apathy:
You can do anything if you have enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars.
Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas.
Enthusiasts are fighters. They have fortitude. They have staying qualities.
Enthusiasm is at the bottom of all progress. With it, there is accomplishment. Without it, there are only alibis.
Chuck Conine leads Hospitality HR Solutions, an industry human resources consulting group. He is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources.
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