Creating a Culture of Safety in Hospitality: Best Practices

By Yasmine Mustafa, Co-Founder & CEO – ROAR

In this article, we’ll look at the financial case that can be made for investing in workplace safety in hotels, how to create a safety culture and minimize occupational hazards, and the technology that can be used to solve some of the most common issues. With intentional and targeted interventions, hotels can create safer environments for their workers and see a myriad of tangible benefits as a result.

The Financial Case for Workplace Safety in Hotels
The financial implications of safety in the hospitality industry are profound; creating safer workplaces for hotel employees can save companies huge costs in the long run. Here’s how:

Reduce Workers’ Compensation Costs
Injuries, medical issues and cases of harassment tend to be some of the biggest safety risks in hotels and they all come from high compensations costs. Whether it’s medical bills that need to be covered, legal inquiries, or extra time off, the costs can rack up and place major pressure on hotel budgets. Investing in a safer working environment for hotel staff considerably reduces these risks and the associated costs.

Lower Staff Turnover Rates
In recent years, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has consistently reported the Leisure and Hospitality Industry as having some of the highest staff turnover rates. While many expected the dust to settle after COVID, the impact of the “great resignation” and issues in workplace safety continue to haunt. In May of 2024, thousands of hotel workers nationwide protested for better working conditions, highlighting persistent issues such as sexual harassment and the need for panic buttons.

Investing in safer, more stable working environments is one of the best ways to encourage your staff to stay on and in doing so, save on all the costs that come with constantly trying to advertise for and fill positions, not to mention the training time.

It Benefits Guests Too
The guest experience is one of the chief drivers of financial stability in a hotel. If people have a good stay, they tell their friends and colleagues and make sure to book the same spot next time they’re in town. We’d argue that improving workplace safety for hotel workers directly improves how guests experience an establishment and as such, bodes well for long-term finances.

When workers feel safe and supported, they show up better in their work and help create a better space for guests too. Hotels are such delicate ecosystems that improving one aspect tends to have a positive knock-on far beyond that initial shift.

Developing a Workplace Safety Culture in Hotels
A safer workplace can save on compensation costs and job hires, and even build better guest experiences, but how can hotels address common security issues and develop and effective safety culture for their staff? Let’s take a closer look:

Start at the Top
As in any organization, the most important changes begin at the top. Leadership needs to be fully invested in safety policies and their importance in order for a safety culture to develop.

Regular Employee Training
Safety training that addresses everything from fire and emergency protocol to handling unruly guests needs to be a regular part of the employee experience. Safety concerns evolve, as demonstrated during the pandemic, making regular updates essential.

Conduct Safety Audits
Bigger hotels benefit hugely from conducting third-party safety audits. Not only do they expose risk factors that could be costly down the line, but they can affirm what’s already working.

Reward Your Safety Advocates
When people step forward with safety concerns or flag unsafe conditions, reward them with recognition. It shows other employees that it’s safe, and even encouraged, to speak up and is how hotels can get ahead of some of the biggest workplace safety issues.

Minimizing Occupational Hazards in the Hospitality Industry
Slips, falls, burnout, illness, and harassment are all common occupational hazards that the hospitality industry can minimize with some of these best practices:

Establish Clear Policies
It may soon obvious enough but far too many hospitality establishments don’t offer their employees a clear, comprehensive safety policy that outlines how common issues should be avoided or responded to.

Provide Continuous Training
We often think of safety training as something that only new hires need when in fact it should be updated and run regularly enough that staff get a chance to go through the training at least twice every year of their employment.

Encourage Speaking Up
We’ve mentioned how rewarding safety advocates can help others feel more confident to speak up but other ways to ensure this is by creating open forums for discussion or even brining outside counselors in that staff feel more comfortable confiding in.

Technology and Innovation in Hotel Workplace Safety
Thoughtful technological interventions can be a great source of support for hotel workers. Here are two innovations we’ve seen gaining traction in hotel workplace safety:

Panic Buttons
Southern California hotel workers are some of the most recent to win legislation that requires hotel workers to have access to panic buttons but Chicago is already in its sixth year of similar protections. Panic buttons can be dotted around hotels or even worn by staff to ensure that any time an employee feels unsafe, they can get help with just the press of a button. Hi-tech panic buttons ensure that even if hotel Wi-Fi down or cell reception is bad, an alert will still be sent out.

AI-Enhanced CCTV
Some CCTV systems can now be enhanced with AI technology that sends out automatic alerts when fires and falls occur. Systems can also be set up to note when quiet areas are occupied outside of usual hours which helps with security issues for workers.

A Culture of Safety Benefits All
A strong safety culture not only protects employees but also enhances guest satisfaction and boosts financial performance.

Yasmine Mustafa is the CEO & Co-Founder of ROAR, a technology company dedicated to cultivating safer workplaces. The company’s patented workplace panic button solution provides employees with one press of a button to protect your people, here and now.