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INDUSTRY REPORTMillennials as Guestsand Employees:Who they are andwhat they wantJUNE 2018
Millennials As Employees and GuestsIndustry Report - June 2018A quick Google search says it all - Millennialsdid not only ruin the napkin industry, butalso lack manners, have too little sex andeven killed the McDonald’s Wrap; They arepresumably accountable for everything goingwrong in this world.Did you know?Whatever struggles your industry might find itself in (beit fashion, beer, cars, gyms, casinos or marmalade), theblame is probably being placed on them - the Millennials.Is this also true for the hotel industry? Who are theseMillennials and what do they really want from your hotel apart from avocado toast for breakfast?Thinking outside the boxThe truth is, they are not what the media might have ledyou to believe. As employees, they are highly motivatedand, in fact, hard-working; they are just workingdifferently.While representatives of older generations like to holdon to familiar structures and working methods because“that’s the way it’s always been done,” Millennials arethinking outside the box.Paul Breslin, Managing Director of Horwath HTL Atlantaand 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry, considersMillennials to be the most diligent employees: “They arevery hard-working and definitely not lazy, but you needto give them a platform, not a job.”www.horwathhtl.com35% of the American workforce are MillennialsSource: Pew Research Center, April 2018Born to be a GM?Research conducted by Ernst & Young outlines theunique skills Millennials can bring into the workplace.The study showed that the Millennial generation outpacedGeneration X and Baby Boomers in their ability to beinclusive leaders, making Millennials highly suitable formanagement and other leadership positions. In order forMillennials to unfold their full potential, it is important tocreate an environment that allows them to make mistakesand encourages them to go beyond their comfort zone.The Millennials’ ability to multi-task and handle stress isespecially valuable in the fast-paced hospitality industry.Entailing ever-shifting tasks, responsibilities and priorities,the hotel industry is highly attractive for Millennialswho are characterized by their openness to changingenvironments and new ideas.In fact, Millennials are highly valuable employees whoappreciate flexibility and the opportunity to participate inwhat is happening in their workplace.2
Millennials As Employees and GuestsIndustry Report - June 2018In his book ‘State of the American Workplace’, Jim Clifton,CEO and Chairman of Gallup, emphasizes the importanceof understanding that Millennials want to work fora company whose mission and culture reflects andreinforces their values. “Most workers, many of whom areMillennials, approach a role and a company with a highlydefined set of expectations. They want their work to havemeaning and purpose.” he says. This statement does notonly apply to Millennials as employees, but also as guestsin a hotel.Did you know?“Fully understanding your guests can be achieved thesame way as understanding your employees – It’s allabout figuring out the dynamics of their needs.” Breslinadds.Residence Inn, for example, started hosting eventsmultiple times a week, including visits from food trucksand chefs from local restaurants. Unique offers like thesedraw in Millennials wanting to experience the local culturein the most authentic way possible.Meeting their needsDid you know?Millennials already make up more than one third of theworld’s total number of hotel guests and are predicted toreach over 50 percent in the next few years. Knowing whatthey are looking for when they travel is all the more crucialfor Hoteliers. Accordingly, Millennials are considered oneof the most important segments for tourism due to theirsize and characteristics. Therefore, plenty of research hasbeen conducted aiming to identify ways hotels can adaptto the unique desires and needs of Millennials.Hotels of various brands are already making movesaway from traditional design and amenities towardsmore modern ways to appeal to the younger, tech-savvygeneration.www.horwathhtl.com25% of millennial travelers like travelling aloneSource: Future Of U.S. Millennial Travel by ResonanceAirbnb is the preferred type ofaccommoda on for 23% of MillennialsSource: Future Of U.S. Millennial Travel by Resonance3
Millennials As Employees and GuestsIndustry Report - June 2018Instagram MomentsPaul Breslin has been consulting hotel developers fordecades and understands the crucial role social mediaplays in hotel design decisions. Modern platformslike Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram have becomeindispensable in our daily lives and have therefore beenan integral part of design decisions for the Westin Resortdevelopment in Foxhall, Georgia.However, efforts of hotel brands to target the Millennialmarket do not end with just events or extravagant design- Radisson RED, for instance, launched an app that allowsguests to check in, check out, access their room details,order food at the on-site restaurant and place requests tothe hotel staff - all from their phone!By revamping its room service, Hyatt Centric killed twobirds with one stone: Firstly, the food delivery comes in apaper bag that guests can take with them while exploringthe city. Secondly, the use of environmentally-friendlypackaging appeals to the Millennial generation which isknown to be highly eco-conscious.Years ago, when Harrison Merrill, Owner of FoxhallResort, was referring to adding a fancy element to thehotel, he would talk about Kodak-Moments. Since Kodakhas become obsolete and has long been substituted bymodern memory-saving tools like Instagram, Harrison isnow talking about Instagram Moments instead.Resistance is futileMillennials are definitely transforming the hospitalityindustry - both as employees and as guests. However,hoteliers can use this development to their advantage,provided that they fully understand their needs anddesires and adapt outdated practices accordingly.Resistance is futile, because Millennials are here to stay!Social media - a beneficial addiction?Hoteliers criticizing the Millennial’s alleged addiction tosocial media have obviously still not yet discovered theadvantages of Millennials’ affinity for modern technology.Hotels employing Millennials, for example, can use theirexpertise in social media to improve communication withvisitors, which enormously helps to build a brand andreputation.Sources:Adding a piece of cool art or a fancy mirror in yourlobby does not only visually please guests, but alsohas the potential to be shared by them on social mediaand subsequently pop up on the timeline of hundredsor thousands of followers - forget about the reach ofconventional marketing 7/06/29/244c0646-5852-11e7-a204-ad706461fa4f story.html?utm term avelers.html?page allDid you know?71% of Millennial travelers enjoyHealth & Fitness ac vi es while on vaca onSource: Future Of U.S. Millennial Travel by Resonancewww.horwathhtl.com4
AUTHORS:Paul BreslinManaging DirectorHorwath HTL Atlantapbreslin@horwathhtl.comPaul Breslin, Managing Director of the Atlanta officeof Horwath HTL, is a 35-year veteran of the hospitalityindustry. His background within the industry is allencompassing, with extensive experience in hoteloperations, development and asset management withmajor branded hotels as well as independent and smallerluxury hotels. He has provided hospitality consultingservices to many Fortune 500 companies, including TheCoca-Cola Company, BB&T Corp., Marriott International,and Hilton Worldwide Holdings.Paul is a member of the International Society of HospitalityConsultants and the Hotel Asset Managers Association.He is a Certified Hotel Administrator by the EducationalInstitute of AHLA. He is a founding member and immediatepast president of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance, andcurrently serves on its Board. Paul also serves on theGovernmental Affairs Committee of the Georgia Hotels& Lodging Association.Kerstin ChybaInternHorwath HTL AtlantaKerstin is currently pursuing her Bachelor degree in‘Export-Oriented Management’ at the IMC University ofApplied Sciences Krems in Austria. She speaks German,English and French.Before starting her Internship in the Horwath HTL Atlanta,Kerstin spent an exchange semester at the IPAG BusinessSchool in Nice, France. Besides her studies, she has alreadybeen able to gain valuable experience in consulting.Kerstin has worked for a business and tax consultancyfor several months, which helped her to broaden herknowledge and gather initial experience in the industry.Due to her affinity with the consulting industry, Kerstinwants to continue her career in consulting after her studiesand eventually become a consultant herself.As a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Paul is theExecutive‐in- Residence in Lodging for the J. Mack RobinsonCollege of Business, Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality atGeorgia State University.www.horwathhtl.com5
AFRICAEUROPELATIN AMERICAIvory CoastAndorraArgentinaRwandaAustriaDominican RepublicSouth AfricaCroatiaCyprusMIDDLE EASTASIA PACIFICFranceUAE & OmanAustraliaGermanyChinaHungaryNORTH AMERICAHong andsMiamiJapanNorwayMontrealMalaysiaPolandNew YorkNew ndSpainTorontoSwitzerlandTurkeyUnited Kingdomwww.horwathhtl.com
As a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Paul is the Executive-in-Residence in Lodging for the J. Mack Robinson College of Busines
