For many young professionals, the hospitality sector serves as an entry point into the workforce, offering straightforward entry-level positions and pathways for advancement. Daniel Afonso, Radisson Hotel Group’s global senior vice president of people and culture, emphasizes that businesses must adopt a forward-thinking approach when recruiting new talent.

According to Afonso, the industry’s ability to offer career progression and engagement is key to attracting and retaining talent. He notes that Radisson Hotel Group has been working to create greater clarity around careers, particularly through its Career Fest initiative.

Career Development Initiatives

Career Fest began as an internal event four years ago, where team members could explore career opportunities and progression paths within the company. The initiative was so successful that Radisson decided to open it to external talent, attracting over 12,000 registrations and reaching 26.8 million people through social media last year.

This year’s Career Fest takes place throughout October and engages team members and aspiring talent across more than 100 countries. The event includes global virtual sessions on topics such as leadership, career development, and future skills, alongside local hotel activations where team members can connect with colleagues and have meaningful conversations about their careers.

Afonso explains that the goal of Career Fest is to create space for open career conversations and help people understand the different possibilities available to them. He notes that Radisson is focused on honesty and employability, rather than trying to sell an unrealistic dream, and that the company’s ambition is for people at every career stage to grow with them.

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, Radisson is also helping team members adapt to new skills and technologies, including the rapid proliferation of AI. Afonso notes that the company is giving team members practical tools to support their career development and helping them understand how AI can be used responsibly as they build skills and explore opportunities.

The company’s Spotlight initiative for female leaders has also led to internal promotion or job expansion for 70% of participants over 18 months. Afonso adds that managers are rewarded for promoting internal talent, and the company’s learning academy is tailored towards career development as well as job-specific training.

During Career Fest, team members can also “cash in” Career Cheques, giving them the opportunity to connect directly with senior leaders and hear about their career journeys. Afonso notes that many of the company’s leaders have built their careers through different roles and experiences across the business, and those conversations can help team members see the breadth of possibilities available to them.

Afonso keeps a close eye on social platforms such as LinkedIn during Career Fest and sees how both employees and managers become more open to discussing future progression outside of their day-to-day tasks. He notes that Career Fest gives local teams an opportunity to make career development a more natural part of everyday conversations.

With Career Fest in full swing, Radisson is creating space for people to have open career conversations, broaden their perspectives, and dream out loud about where their career could take them. As Afonso puts it, the goal is to help people build their adaptability, develop new skills, and stay open to the opportunities that are coming.

Youth Employment Goals

Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently announced a new initiative in conjunction with the industry body UKHospitality. This plan seeks to create 100,000 opportunities for young people who are not currently in education, employment, or training.

The executive views the challenge of youth unemployment as a global issue. He argues that this is not a problem confined only to the UK market.

Career Growth and Human Interaction

Growth within the sector can occur through developing deeper expertise or making moves across various departments. Some employees may also find a path into leadership. The hotel group views employability as a general goal. This means the organization accepts if a person uses their time in hospitality as a stepping stone to grow their career elsewhere.

A chance to reconnect people with the industry appeared as hospitality was emerging from the impact of the pandemic. The goal was to put a stronger focus on development and make growth possibilities more visible.

Digital tools are intended to complement human workers to ensure the best possible customer experience. A human staff member can talk a guest through the process if they do not want to use an automatic check-in.

Visualizing how a role looks in a different market can be difficult within a global company.

Managers hold the responsibility to help create clarity around careers. They must support development and give team members the tools needed to explore different options. The focus has shifted from simply talking about careers to helping create actual career movement.