This article was originally published in the September 2023 issue of Hotel Management.

As the twin guardians of a hotel’s most valuable asset — its people — the Human Resources (HR) department ensures the recruitment, retention, and well-being of a skilled workforce, while the Training department empowers employees with the knowledge and skills to deliver outstanding experiences. Instead of working in separate silos, however, a collaboration of HR and Training can yield remarkable synergies that elevate both employee performance and guest satisfaction.

But how can you encourage this teamwork? Here are three ways to achieve that goal: 

1. Communication – A successful alliance begins with establishing open lines of communication. If the directors overseeing these departments promote the idea of sharing information, it helps individuals feel more comfortable talking about their needs and challenges. These efforts can take the form of:

  • Implementing regular meetings with representatives from both departments to review current work projects.
  • Utilizing collective communication platforms to facilitate real-time communication.
  • Setting up the office so the HR professionals and trainers sit in the same area, which allows for spontaneous conversations throughout the workday.

2. Partnership – Cooperation between HR and the Training departments can be further enhanced by combining their actual work. Examples include:

  • Inviting members of Human Resources to visit field operations with trainers and analyze performance gaps so that HR insights and techniques can be included in resolutions.
  • Collaborating on the design/update of an onboarding program that introduces new hires to company policies and acclimates them to your culture and values.
  • Arranging for cross-departmental training so that the teams can gain insight into each other’s roles, offer suggestions for improvement, and serve as backups when needed.

3. Measurement – The third step to forging a stronger tie is to identify joint performance metrics that will drive HR and Training to achieve common objectives. These metrics might include:

  • Tracking the impact of training initiatives on employee engagement levels through post-training climate surveys and staff retention rates.
  • Assessing your company’s diversity and inclusion achievements using workforce representation metrics, inclusion survey results, and training participation rates for underrepresented groups.
  • Measuring the ROI of training programs by evaluating cost per training hour, training cost savings, and impact on business outcomes.

Human Resources and Training can function perfectly fine within their own bubbles, but more than any other departments in the hospitality world, the results of this dynamic duo’s combined efforts can spur both individual and collective growth among your teams and propel your hotels toward greater success.