The never ending business of working in a hotel
When I decided to follow a career in hoteliering, I knew it was a 24 - hour business. Unlike most other industries, the doors stay open to visitors 7- days of the week, 365 - days of the year, and through holidays.
The world of hospitality presents a wide range of career possibilities. It encompasses a wide array of sectors, including accommodation, food and beverage, travel services, recreation, events, and tourism. From luxury resorts to eco-tourism expeditions, it touches nearly every aspect of global culture and commerce. Additionally, and going beyond the long-perceived belief that it was only about operating a hotel, bars, restaurants, and kitchens, it provides a comprehensive education that integrates business, sales and marketing management, leadership and HRM, technology, sustainability, and human interaction.
I recognised that the career I chose is a service-driven industry built on human connection, cultural understanding, and unforgettable moments. That it is more than preparing for a job - it’s preparing for meaningful experiences, professional growth and a lifestyle of global opportunities. However, I learnt at the very beginning, that success didn’t come without sacrifice and that one had to work harder and smarter than the others to climb up the ladder. The hotel industry demands more time, more energy, presence and emotional availability. That was the cost of entry.
And so, I worked diligently to move up the ladder - by putting in the hours and delivering results. Receiving my first business card was an unforgettable milestone. Handing someone my card was an empowering way to say, "This is who I am, and this is what I do”. To me, though, it went beyond that. It was a question which my business card could not answer: Does my staff respect me or do they just respect my title?
As a ‘rank and file’ employee, I had encountered managers who expected respect because of their title. They couldn’t understand why employees, who nodded and agreed with them or remained silent during meetings / briefings, then went and did something differently, after they had left. When a manager demands respect in his or her title alone, staff are quick to sense it. They provide answers the manager wants to hear, stay compliant and non-committal, and then, no sooner the manager leaves, openly express anger, disdain or frustration to their colleagues, Bottomline: Titles grant authority. Presence earns trust.
I had by then realised that nothing destroys respect faster than saying one thing and doing another. When I said “let’s us all get in by 6 am tomorrow, I made certain I was in by 5.45 am, latest. If I wanted an honest opinion, I modeled it myself. Every team watch everything the manager does and mirrors it back. I made sure my behaviour and approach as a manager was worth mirroring.
A forgotten request, poor communications between teams, contradictory information or even long delays in replies, all these situations frustrate guests who come to a hotel to relax. In a world where reputation now spreads faster than ever, consistency and reliability have become the ultimate competitive edge. One of the most common operational inefficiencies in hotels is departments work in silos - where front office, housekeeping, food and beverage and sales and marketing operate as separate information ecosystems. Guests experience the hotel as one seamless operation. When departments do not share information, guests face disconnects, feel the pain, and, if the guest has to repeat themselves, service has failed. A single department can’t carry the weight. Good customer service depends on coordination between teams.
Here’s what I’ve also learned: -
Finding out, early in my career, that staying current on industry knowledge is one of the most underrated competitive advantages in hospitality.
It is often not the major deadline or high-stakes project that leaves you drained. Instead, it is the steady stream of emails, constant notifications, and small interruptions throughout the work day that quietly sap your energy and focus.
In terms of personal growth, more often, it is the daily habits—procrastination, inconsistency, or self-doubt—that slowly hold a person back from making meaningful progress.
As a manager, there are moments that cannot be delegated away – such as Brand audits, corporate office visits, property inspections, core leadership, crisis management and final accountability.
A manager who is always on doesn’t reflect commitment. It reveals a leadership issue. Being ‘always on’ wasn’t my style. I learned to empower my supervisors and allowed them to own the operation when I was not there. Yes, leadership requires availability – up to a point, because if everything ran well only in my presence, then the system is defective.
When I’m home. I’m home. If work followed me home, it meant I wasn’t present anywhere. I get very limited time with my wife and son. That time to me was precious –especially as when at work, my wife had to bear the brunt of running the home, taking care of us and running her business.
Indeed, I am truly blessed to have her beside me all the way.
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Mystery Guest Auditor, Ex-Hotelier |
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