The term hoteling or hotdesking has been used often in the corporate world. Perhaps more so as we explore what the return to work will look like in the hybrid office. With fewer employees in the office on a daily basis, we can use less total office space by having team members reserve a desk or office when they need it. But a new word has begun to emerge: hotelification. In this post, we will explore what this new workplace term and trend means and how you can apply it to your corporate lounge.
Hotelification Defined
If you have ever stayed in a high-end hotel, you know that the experience there is different than what you would find at home. You are welcomed warmly and the hospitality begins immediately when you walk in the door. The rooms are elegant with everything you might need easily available. The conference and fitness rooms have cutting-edge equipment and amenities. Every need is met, quickly and with a smile.
Your employees have and always will be your company’s greatest asset and the time is now to treat them that way.
So how can this term be used in the workplace? There has been much written about the office needing to be more like home to bring people back. To some extent, this is true. Your team does want comfort and flexibility. But if they can get all of these things when they are working from home, why would they come to find them in the office?
Hotelificaiton of the workplace means making your office different than home. From your front desk to your corporate lounge. Give your employees that something extra that isn’t available in their home office. And just like you find that hotel beds are simply more comfortable and provide the perfect night’s sleep. Create an element of luxury in your office that will have your team looking forward to that next visit.
Be Our Guest
The best hotels are expensive. But that’s why there is the familiar phrase, “You get what you pay for.” And in reality, for your employees returning to the office has a high cost. They are paying with time lost and the added costs of commuting. Especially as gas prices continue to rise. The office needs to demonstrate that employees can get what they are paying for.
A hotel lobby is bold and branded. With design elements that make an impact. Bring your company style and branding into the corporate lounge as well. Although your employees may spend most of their days at the office at their desks or in meeting rooms, the break room has always been the place that employees go to recharge. Make sure your team doesn’t just find what they need, hotelification means exceeding their expectations.
Hotelificaiton in your Corporate Lounge
The corporate lounge or breakroom is a great place to start when thinking about adding luxury and elegance to your office. Think beyond a coffee pot and a fridge to store lunches. Changes here need to make an impact and tell your team that you want to go beyond meeting their basic needs.
This is the place to include some upgrades. An easy change would be to replace your coffee pot with an expresso machine. But some companies like the Chesapeake Energy Corporation have gone a step further and have their own internal coffee shops and baristas. Save your team that extra stop at their favorite coffee place and create the coffee shop vibe right in your corporate lounge.
The best companies to work for are putting their employees well being first.
When I think of hotels, I think of the complimentary continental breakfast. For many companies that are listed as the top places to work, the food is healthy, plentiful, and free. From having their own restaurants to providing catered meals to having free vending machines with unlimited snacks. The best companies to work for are putting their employees well being first. This goes beyond food as well. Companies like Limeade have included treadmill desks in their breakrooms so employees have access to movement while they work.
Yes, a breakroom is about refueling, but it is also about relaxing and recharging. PopCap Games has included elegant but comfortable lounge seating and multiple large-screen televisions. And it is not unheard of to have movies or videos games playing. Amidst all of this fun and entertainment, they have also incorporated whiteboards for capturing good ideas, and acoustic pods for a quiet phone call or private chat.
Beyond the Corporate Lounge
Hotelification shouldn’t stop at your breakroom. These changes can be a top to bottom experience. From the first step into your reception area think about what your employees see and might need during each stop until they reach their desks. Your employees have and always will be your company’s greatest asset and the time is now to treat them that way.
Companies that are winning the talent war are going above and beyond. Ideas that you could replicate range from adding a fitness room and free childcare to offering weekly yoga classes and farm-to-table chef-created meals to 3D printers and virtual reality rooms. The opportunities to exceed expectations are endless and in the wake of the Great Resignation, exceeding expectations may be what is necessary to attract and retain top talent.
Upgrade your corporate lounge today with StrongProject.
