Why Small to Mid-Size Hospitality Companies Struggle Without Strategic HR Leadership (and What to Do About It)
Mid-size hospitality companies do not struggle to scale because they lack ambition. They struggle because their people systems are built for survival, not growth.
This was echoed in three recent conversations I had with Saye Kokeh, Managing Director at Proper Hospitality, Corina De La Rosa, an on-property HR director, and Kelli Joseph, SVP of Human Resources at Stonebridge. Their insights point to the same theme: strategic HR leadership is what turns constant urgency into a culture that can actually scale.
Why HR Teams Get Stuck in Reaction Mode (And How to Fix It)
"Across the hotel industry, HR teams are consistently stuck in reaction mode. They’re stretched so thin that appreciation, training, and culture-building turn into check-the-box exercises rather than meaningful experiences. When teams are constantly reacting just to get through the day, there’s no space to be proactive. At the end of each shift, it feels less like progress and more like survival. True culture brings teams together to rise, grow, and align around shared goals—and HR plays a critical role in making that happen. Operating reactively doesn’t just strain HR; it ultimately hurts the team and the business as a whole." (Saye Kokeh, Managing Director at Proper Hospitality)
In my experience, this is the hidden tax on growth. When HR is pulled into nonstop triage, the work that builds stability gets delayed, then deprioritized, then forgotten. Training becomes inconsistent. Recognition becomes sporadic. Culture becomes whatever the loudest crisis demands.
Strategic HR leadership creates breathing room. It helps leaders define what matters, document it, and reinforce it across shifts, departments, and properties so the operation is not rebuilt from scratch every time someone quits.
Why Human Connection Is the Infrastructure of Retention
"One small win I’m genuinely proud of was creating intentional space for connection during routine work, not adding more work. We started doing brief, structured check-ins at our daily 'Stand Ups,' asking: 'What’s one win from last week—work or personal?' and 'What’s one thing that would make this week feel successful?' It humanized the room, gave quiet team members an entry point, and normalized celebrating progress. Over time, I noticed better collaboration and the team stepping in for each other without being asked." (Corina De La Rosa, On-Property HR Director)
I love this because it is practical, not performative. Stand-up meetings may be very basic, and it takes time and commitment to sustain them, but when you do, it is a game-changer for connecting and effectively communicating with your team often. And it proves a point many teams miss: culture is built in small moments, repeated consistently, until trust becomes the default.
Strategic HR leadership makes those moments intentional. It equips managers with simple rhythms that strengthen connection, reduce friction, and keep problems from escalating into resignations.
Treating Workforce Planning Like Revenue Planning
"One shift that consistently moved the needle was our efforts to treat workforce planning like revenue planning. We stopped hiring to fill vacancies and started staffing to future demand, building clear role profiles, internal mobility paths, and leadership readiness plans tied to business growth. When team members could see how their role fit into where the company was going, retention improved because people were no longer guessing about their future. Strategy replaced churn." (Kelli Joseph, SVP of Human Resources at Stonebridge)
This is the shift from defense to offense. When you treat your headcount with the same rigor you treat your P&L, you stop being surprised by turnover. It gives your team a reason to stay because they are not just working a job. They are following a path.
Why Hiring for Values Alignment Breaks the Turnover Cycle
Staffing pressure is real. A role is open, occupancy is up, and leaders need a body on the floor now. That pressure is exactly why so many teams fall into a churn pattern that feels impossible to escape.
Any leader worth their salt understands that if you hire for speed over quality, you are opening yourself up to a drag on your service standards and employee engagement, ultimately resulting in a quit or termination.
Hiring for values alignment over immediate needs is not about moving slower. It is about making smarter decisions under pressure. When you hire people who align with organizational values, you reduce miscommunication, limit conflict, and protect service standards because expectations are clearer from day one. You also make onboarding easier, because the behaviors you need are already part of how that person operates.
Strategic HR leadership makes values alignment measurable. It gives hiring managers structured interviews, clear scorecards, and role expectations that focus on behaviors, not just experience. That is how you stop solving for the symptom and start addressing the root cause of turnover.
Closing
Hospitality growth requires more than a strong concept and a string of sold-out nights. It requires strategic HR leadership that turns reactive work into repeatable systems and turns busy teams into stable teams.
If you are scaling, start by asking one simple question: what people problem keeps repeating, and what would change if you solved the root cause instead of the next fire?
This article was written by a Work It DAILY PRO VOICE contributor. PRO VOICE members get opportunities like this to grow their visibility and reach. Explore PRO VOICE → | Affiliate disclosure: contributor may earn a commission from sign-ups.
