What Do Rising Leaders in Tourism Really Want from Employers?

Written by: Elizabeth McHeffey

 

The ongoing, ever-changing discussion surrounding preferences in the workplace is one that is incredibly important in order to retain your team, you must first know what is important to them. To dive into this topic, I met with several focus groups from different generations within the travel and tourism industry to find out firsthand what is really important to them.

 

The most significant and interesting thing that I learned was that although all generations seemed to have similar priorities on the surface, once the conversation went deeper on each topic, there were key generational differences. Below, I’ll dive into more detail on what the Millennial-generation truly wants.

 

Unconventional Growth and Development

The word growth came up time and time again and while it seemed at first to be straight-forward, that word means different things for different generations. While GenX and Baby Boomers seem to search for opportunities with forwarding advancement in the typical sense, such as promotions and increased compensation, Millennials wanted growth in a less traditional sense. Instead of climbing the corporate ladder from a Manager to Director to Executive, Millennials seem to want more cross-functional growth, individualized development, and opportunities for collaboration without boundaries.

 

“I am looking for development. I want a company to believe in me, to invest in me, and not just to look at me as a number. The opportunity to be collaborative and to learn…. I don’t want to be in a box. I don’t want to be the Group Administrative Coordinator and these are the only things I ever get to do…I want to know that if I discover something that I am good at and I have a talent for and I can learn more that people will support that and really see me.”- Sabrina Siqueiros, Visit Monterey

 

“A lot of the careers that Millennials have, didn’t even exist a few years ago. You can be a blogger, you can be a social media influencer, you can be a content creator….there are so many different things that we can do….One thing that Millennials get a hard time for is that we move on from jobs quickly or we are picky, but there are so many career options available to us that you can’t really blame us for really trying to find something that fits well within all of our interests.” – Kylie Leslie, Visit Phoenix

 

“I feel like in some managements structures you only get to see three feet ahead of you. ‘Your job is only to complete the next three steps and then after that don’t worry about it, it’s not your job’. I think more millennials are looking to see what is down at the end of the road, what are we working towards. It is more of a curiosity.” – Randi Morritt, Visit Aurora

 

Due to technology, there are new job titles emerging constantly, thus endless career options available for rising leaders. In my discussions, Millennials seem to actually prefer to grow outwards rather than upwards, honing a diverse web of skillsets and growing expertise in a multitude of areas. This unconventional career trajectory and blurred duties due to the desire to ‘not be placed in a box’ is something that employers should be aware of and continue to evolve with if they want to retain Millennials.

 

 

Sense of Community

Culture is another topic that was discussed several times and is almost one of those “cliché” responses to the ‘what are you looking for in an employer’ question. It seems that this answer is defined differently from individual to individual. Although it encompasses likeminded values and the people, it goes beyond that for the generation of rising leaders.

 

“One thing I looked for was a sense of community and support in that you have people that care about you and care about your future. One thing that was very evident in my interviews, was that each person was independently passionate about what they did.” – Kylie Leslie, Visit Phoenix

 

Rising leaders are looking for more than just a nice team that gets along well. They want to work for a company that is supportive with likeminded and passionate individuals, spurring a positive and creative community-like culture.

 

“I look for fulfillment and I look around me to see if the people around me feel the same way. If you are going to work everyday and suddenly no one around you is passionate or fulfilled too, then it gets draining after a while. It is important to me that wherever I work, people are extremely passionate about what they are doing.” – Gina Archuleta, Visit Monterey

 

Flexibility and Modern Perks

It wouldn’t be an article about the Millennial generation without talking about ‘work perks’. For the senior leaders, they are looking for perks such as great benefits packages, while rising leaders had different perks in mind. The Millennials that I spoke to almost all prioritized workplace flexibility, such as remote options and flexible hours, as well as work-life balance.

 

Millennials want their leaders to focus on results rather than hours in a workday or a workweek: productivity and efficiency overclocked hours worked. Coupled with this topic was the concept of laidback workspaces, which the tech industry seems to lead the charge on. Although this was not a deal breaker for most, it was most definitely something that Millennials prefer and feel that the tourism industry is a bit behind the ball comparatively. It is important for industry leaders to understand that this is a preference and to consider evolving the traditional workspace to stay competitive and retain this generation.

 

“We think if you come in, work hard, do great work, then leave and go have your life. When we created the 9/80 work schedule, I said to the board, ‘let’s try something for 6 months.’ This was in 2007.” – Gary Sherwin, President and CEO, Visit Newport Beach.

 

Defining Experiences and Making a Difference

 “My job has to have an element to it that makes me feel like what I am doing is really making a difference and is good. I love that we are beating the charge with the sustainability initiative, that means a lot to me, that is really important to me. Being able to give back to the community in certain ways, that has always been something really important to me to find those kinds of elements in a job.” – Kimber Tabscott, Visit Monterey

 

In my discussions, all generations seem to look for a job that had a rewarding aspect to it, although for many of the Boomers and GenXers, it was not their top deciding factor for choosing an employer. The words fulfillment and impact were used by Millennials a lot, prioritizing experiences that will define them and only them. They want to be the making an impact that is unique and individualized, intertwining their specific job duties with making a positive social impact; essentially checking two boxes at once.

 

Nani says it best:

“We are definitely seeking more experiences as Millennials. We’re seeking what our life experience is going to be, instead of just finding that job that is going to keep paying the bills. We are always, constantly looking for our next, ‘what is going to be defining Nani? What am I about?” – Nani Almanza, Visit Monterey

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth McHeffey is our digital nomad. During her travels she’ll be diving into topics and trends surrounding the generations in the workforce, stopping along the way to meet with industry leaders that are making waves and reinventing how we work. What we’re calling, “The Remote Route.”

 

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SearchWide Global is a full-service executive search firm primarily for companies in Destination Organizations / Hotels & Resorts / Venue Management / Experiential Marketing, Tradeshow & Exhibition / Industry Associations / Sports & Entertainment. Specializing in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Founded in 1999, SearchWide Global headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and operates worldwide.

What does Generation Z in the workplace look like

Written by: Mark Gnatovic

 

In a recent article published by Inc., How Generation Z Will Transform the Future Workplace, author Ryan Jenkins dives into Gen Z and the changes they will bring when it comes to recruiting, training, and managing.

 

As a father of three “GEN Z’s” and working in a profession that attracts talented people to career opportunities, I often wonder about the “bench”. Who will be the future leaders of tomorrow? How do we motivate and inspire the next generation to contribute and add value that is unique to the traditional Boomer, X’er and Millennial?

This generation is just starting to enter the workforce, and Ryan’s article sums up the DNA of the Z’s.

He describes the first fully digital generation as saying, “technology is a must but it’s not enough…”.

Personally, I was inspired by the need of Gen Z’s to have high-touch human interaction coupled with trendy technology. Ryan hits on great points describing what makes Z’s tick and how we can create environments to inspire them to one day change the world.

 

Read the full article here.

 

 

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SearchWide Global is a full-service executive search firm primarily for companies in Destination Organizations / Hotels & Resorts / Venue Management / Experiential Marketing, Tradeshow & Exhibition / Industry Associations / Sports & Entertainment. Specializing in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Founded in 1999, SearchWide Global headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and operates worldwide.

Ways A.I. is Changing Business

Written by: Mike Gamble

 

If you missed the November 2018 article on Fortune, 25 Ways A.I. is Changing Business, the piece features a video that provides very interesting high-level discussion and is only 12 minutes long. It’s well worth the read/watch!

 

I was of course drawn to the sections that focused on talent acquisition and evaluating human behavior (excerpts below). The travel/tourism/hospitality, and events industry will be able to learn a great deal from other business sectors already experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI) but the application will likely be a bit different. We currently use some of the best personality profile tools that have been staples for many years, but our clients want us to get to the core of a candidate’s Emotional Intelligence (EI). As described by Genos, EI is a set of skills that helps us better perceive, understand and manage emotions in ourselves and others. These skills are as equally important as your IQ in determining success at work and in life.

 

Here’s to a successful 2019!

 

Hiring Smarter

 

A version of this article appears in the November 1, 2018 issue of Fortune as part of the article, ’25 Ways A.I. Is Changing Business.’

 

The hiring process is fraught with challenges. Humans may be subtly or unconsciously swayed by a last name, a college, even the font size of a résumé. Now some companies are seeing if A.I. can help.

 

Applicants at Vodafone, Nielsen, and Unilever, for example, play a smartphone game designed by A.I. startup Pymetrics that measures cognitive and emotional traits with an algorithm designed to avoid racial, gender, or other bias. Unilever then asks top candidates selected by the software to record a video on HireVue, answering questions about how they would handle various situations encountered on the job. Another algorithm sifts the best candidates by reviewing not just what the individuals said but also how quickly they responded and what emotional cues they revealed in their facial expressions. Those candidates who pass the early tests are rewarded with regular job interviews with a live person.

 

Unilever says that since it instituted the system it’s getting a higher rate of acceptances when it offers a job, and has increased applicant numbers across several diversity measures, including race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status—and that it’s drawing from a more diverse pool at three times as many colleges and universities. —Aaron Pressman

 

20% Percentage of people who want their voice assistants to help them be “funnier or more attractive,” according to a study by Computerlove in the U.K.

 

Building The Ultimate Manager

 

Judgement of human behavior was once reserved for, well, humans. But increasingly, algorithms are the ones evaluating and drawing conclusions on our actions and even intentions. That’s especially true in the workplace, where HR departments are turning to A.I. for more scalable (and hopefully, more reliable) insights into possible attrition risks, attributes of high performers, and what makes teams tick. Boston-based Humanyze is experimenting with smart ID badges that track how employees interact with each other throughout the day, enabling employers to look for patterns to figure out how work actually gets done.

 

Textio, a Seattle startup, uses A.I. to help companies craft the right recruiting ads (the “augmented writing platform” is particularly effective at surfacing language that will attract more diverse candidates). Big companies are getting in on H-less HR too: Intel is looking at using artificial intelligence to power a new internal tool that would match employees to other opportunities within the company, all in the name of retention.

 

These new capabilities could help companies attract and retain the talent they need (and cut down on on-boarding and recruiting costs by automating these processes). One possible downside? They also risk alienating the very people they claim to serve—employees might not like the increasingly intrusive workplace of tomorrow. —Michal Lev-Ram

 

A version of this article appears in the November 1, 2018 issue of Fortune as part of the article, ’25 Ways A.I. Is Changing Business.’

 


 

About SearchWide Global

SearchWide Global is a full-service executive search firm primarily for companies in Destination Organizations / Hotels & Resorts / Venue Management / Experiential Marketing, Tradeshow & Exhibition / Industry Associations / Sports & Entertainment. Specializing in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Founded in 1999, SearchWide Global headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and operates worldwide.

Executive Search Firm Assistance: Do You Need It?

The very best candidates do not respond to postings or ads. They typically are not looking for new positions. They’re well compensated, they’re peak performers, and they’re more than likely being taken care of by their current employers. They have to be sold on the idea of leaving a job and a company they love—they want and need to be recruited!

Based on the book, Effective Sales Force Leadership: The Science and Art of Sales Leadership by SearchWide Global President and CEO, Mike Gamble and co-author, Leadership Synergies President and CEO, John S. Parke. Here are four things to think about when considering hiring a search and recruitment firm.

 

1. It will be very difficult (if not impossible) for you or your human resources department to identify, contact, and persuade these all-stars to consider your opportunity. 

 

2. The expense associated with retaining an executive search firm is well worth the investment. It will also give you peace of mind to know that no stone was left unturned and that you’re seeing the very best talent available.

 

3. Your search will also have more structure and accountability if managed by a retained firm.

 

4. Lastly, the search firm executive will play the role of the unbiased consultant, providing honest, candid feedback throughout the process that will prove invaluable.

 

hiring a recruitment search firm

 

When hiring a professional company to handle your job search, you have a wide range of options. Your human-resources department will likely have existing relationships with contingent and retained firms. A retained search is the best choice for executive-level leadership positions. Once a Request for Proposal (RFP) is developed, it is best to distribute it to a cross-section of retained firms to compare the services and costs between large and boutique firms.

 

Things to ask when hiring a search firm:

1. What is the level of experience of the executive who will be assigned to your search 

2. Who is their past and current clients

3. What is their search process detail and services provided

4. What is their needs assessment detail

5. How your referrals will be handled

6. What is the timeline

7. What is their guarantee (one year is standard, but two is negotiable)

8. What is their pricing structure (especially costs above and beyond the fee)

 

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SearchWide Global is a full service executive search firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management and experiential marketing industries. We specialize in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and several regional offices, we’re able to serve clients and candidates nationwide. Founded in 1999, we have remained focused on our four core values for almost two decades: INTEGRITY, ETHICS, PASSION and RESPECT.