Dear Human Resources Director, this is a direct message from a millennial student in Hotel Institute Montreux, talking about: the mix and match between Gen Z (student and workers born after 1996), and Hospitality Industry”. As, I’m born in the 94th, living and studying with too many individuals from the generation Z, I have the right to talk about them and to defend them in front of the previous generations. Moreover, I will spot the light on the crucial role of Hotel Institute Montreux toward this issue knowing that the university is a place to prepare students to enter the work place by leading and influencing them. Therefore, Hotel institute Montreux is implementing new strategies to develop the best relationships between “Gen Z students” and “hotel industry”.
The fact is, that all managers and hotels know that after few years, it will be no options, but to recruit staff from Gen Z. By 2020, 20 % of the work forces will be constituted from the high-tech generation and nobody is trying to deal with this future generation as much as Hotel Institute Montreux.
Who is Generation Z?
Gen Z is born in the digital age. We cannot deny the effects of technology on this rising generation, for a simple reason that for example, if you put a group of Gen Z in a place with no WIFI they will be lost and won’t know what to do. Moreover, the most popular word for them is “Google it “, they always rely on google to get help and to have answers for any question. Also, instead of going to the gym or to do any kind of sports, Gen Z prefer to sit in the lobby or in their rooms drinking coffee, watching Netflix or chatting with friends on WhatsApp and WeChat or updating a photo on Instagram.
So, what can we expect from such a lazy generation specially in the hotel industry, where the most important thing is to communicate using eye contact with guests?
What can we expect from a generation that rely on google more than itself? Would this generation Z be effective and efficient in the hotel industry, able to serve guests while it is hard for it to serve itself? Most managers will confirm that Gen Z will be the worst generation ever, but, Hotel institute Montreux with all its effort is proving them wrong. So, let me tell you about what Gen Z is capable of.
How Generation Z think?
Students come from all over the world to this school, to learn hospitality management while doing a big sacrifice which is to live in a place far away from their home for at least 3 years. This means something. It means that this generation Z is serious about its future and career-path, and that, gives them credits.
Second, Hotel institute Montreux is a high standard hotel school so, it is a necessity for boys to shave, wear suits and for girls to be formal at all time during the days excluding weekends and vacations. Here another challenge for Gen Z that gives them another credit. Then, what about doing service in the main restaurant at Hotel institute Montreux? It needs to wake up very early in the morning and be on time and if not, you will have to do “extra service” on weekends. It seems similar to real hotel industry life. Hotel institute Montreux gives Gen Z the opportunity to achieve things beyond their limits.
Thus, Managers should trust this new upcoming generation and provide them with good work conditions such as Hotel Institute Montreux understood this issue.
What strategies to implement
Hotel institute Montreux provides Gen Z students with a place like home where you can benefit from a free WIFI, accommodation and housekeeping services, casual and fine dining restaurants serving healthy food for the students (trying hard to please all the different tastes for food). Moreover, students have free access to the gym near the university because Hotel Institute Montreux cares about the health of its students. Therefore, the school has developed sport teams (basketball, football, volleyball) with a one goal to let the students be a part of a team and as Billie Jean King said:” Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life”. And for me it teaches me how to become a successful manager in the hotel industry. Furthermore, Hotel institute Montreux’s academic programs focus on building business leadership skills for students which train them to deal with problems within the business field such as diversity. Hotel institute Montreux keeps always on improving courses to match with the present generation needs, such as the digital marketing course.
To sum up, dear Human Resources Directors, you should know the ways to benefit from this new generation. Look always at the full part of the cup. Invest in Gen Z. Compromise with it, so both sides will be satisfied looking forward to a better and evolving future for the hotel industry, by mixing the old generation’s expertise with the Gen Z’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. Thus, never hesitate to recruit a student from Hotel Institute Montreux for job or internship position. They will give a new touch to your teams, a new way of thinking and better ways to deal with your new customers (specially customers from Gen Z) which is our first purpose in hotel industry.
Author: Mr Hadi El Chemaly, Hospitality Master Student at Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM), from Lebanon.