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HILTON INDIA RECENTLY received the "India's No. 1 Company to Work For" award from Great Place to Work, a global research and consulting firm, for the second consecutive year. The recognition is based on a comprehensive survey of more than 5 million employees from across 1,750 organizations in India. The award ceremony took place in Mumbai last month. "It's a great honour to be named India's #1 Best Company to Work for 2024 for the second consecutive year," said Zubin Saxena, Hilton India's senior vice president and country head. "It embodies our dedication to fostering a work environment that instills pride and fosters meaningful connections for our team members. We are deeply grateful to all members of the Hilton India team, who bring their passion each day to work and deliver outstanding hospitality experiences for our guests." Saxena joined Hilton India in November from Radisson Hotel Group and assumed responsibilities in January, overseeing Hilton's operational hotels in India and leading the company's expansion in South Asia.

Pensions & Investments magazine included Noble Investment Group, led by CEO Mit Shah, in its "2024 Best Places to Work in Money Management" awards by for the second consecutive year, recognizing its focus on collaboration and inclusivity. The annual program, now in its 13th year, identifies top employers in the money management industry, P&I said in a statement. Shah expressed honor in being named to the list. "We are proud to be once again named among the Best Places to Work in Money Management by Pensions & Investments," he said. "Our deep and talented team remains our distinct advantage. These outstanding professionals define Noble's legacy and pave the way for our exciting future." The selection process, conducted with Workforce Research Group, assessed workplace policies, practices, systems, and demographics to determine the industry's top companies, the statement said. tags-Noble Best Places to Work 2024,P&I Best Places to Work Noble,Hospitality workplace culture,Asian Hospitality news Noble

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT of Labor's definition of who qualifies as independent contractors, due to take effect in March, is meant to ensure that workers are treated fairly, according to the department. However, the American Hotel & Lodging Association says the new rule limits independent contractors to work and impact hotels' ability to find workers. The new rule under the Fair Labor Standards Act aims to prevent misclassification of workers that can affect workers' rights to minimum wage and overtime pay, "facilitates wage theft, allows some employers to undercut their law-abiding competition and hurts the economy at-large," the Labor Department said in a statement. It uses a multifactor analysis of six factors defining a worker's relationship with an employer, such as the worker's opportunities for profit or loss; the financial stake and nature of any resources a worker has invested in the work; the degree of permanence of the work relationship; the degree of control an employer has over the individual's work; how essential the work is to the employer's business; and the worker's skill and initiative.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Association announced a 10-year agreement to jointly produce the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry, a statement said. The USALI is the global "standard" for hospitality accounting and HFTP purchased rights to its contents in 2018. AHLA and HFTP have reengaged the joint Global Finance Committee that is responsible for creating content for USALI's 12th edition to be released next year, according to AHLA. For many years, AHLA's Financial Management Committee was responsible for creating content for the USALI. HFTP purchased USALI's intellectual property, publishing and distribution rights from the Hotel Association of New York City. "After our decision to publish on our own, many in the industry contacted both HFTP and AHLA to see if we could find a way to work together," said Frank Wolfe, HFTP's CEO. "Both organizations had the willingness to work together, but like any business deal the decision was in the details. Associations are a bit different animal than corporate enterprises. Today we may work together on one project and tomorrow will be dead on competitors so there were lots of details to refine. The good news is that both organizations worked exceptionally hard to put those competitive differences aside and advance the industry."

GREAT PLACE TO Work certification program and Fortune magazine recently named Hilton as the "No. 1 Best Company to Work For in the U.S." for the second consecutive year. It was the company's 10th appearance on the list and fourth overall ranking in the No. 1 spot. According to Hilton, its workplace culture is designed to support inclusion, wellness, growth and purpose for its team members around the world. The company offers benefits to both hourly and salaried employees in the U.S. including wellness offerings designed to help team members care for themselves as well as their children, parents, siblings, pets or others who need care. That includes mental wellbeing benefits, $5 co-pays for behavioral health visits and free access to caregiving concierge benefits through Hilton's partnership with caregiving concierge service, Wellthy.

MIT SHAH-LED NOBLE Investment Group topped the "2023 Best Places to Work in Money Management" awards by the investment news portal Pensions & Investments. The selection process involved a thorough evaluation of workplace policies, practices, and employee feedback, with combined insights playing a key role in identifying top companies in the industry, Noble said in a statement. Shah, Noble's founder and CEO, expressed honor in being named to the list. "We take pride in the ongoing recognition of Noble's culture, emphasizing excellence, inclusivity, and professional growth," Shah said. "Our team, our greatest strength, shares a dedication to fostering an environment that values and supports one another, as reflected in this honor." "As their employees attest, companies on this year's Best Places to Work list showcase a commitment to cultivating a robust workplace culture," said P&I Executive Editor Julie Tatge. "Even amid challenges like volatile markets and ongoing pandemic stress, employees noted strong support from their managers, empowering them to perform at their best."

THE "DIGNITY OF Work Pledge," launched by the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Procure Impact, a B2B marketplace for overlooked communities, led 23 hospitality companies to commit more than $7.4 million to create 100,000 hours of paid employment for individuals facing work barriers. The companies are increasing purchases from vendors on Procure Impact's platform and regularly reporting progress on AHLA's Responsible Stay website. "As part of our Responsible Stay initiative, we at AHLA are pleased to support these hospitality companies in caring for guests and uplifting their communities while achieving responsible sourcing and community impact goals," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president and CEO. "The strong participation in the Dignity of Work Pledge reflects the hospitality industry's commitment to compassionate service." Procure Impact connects businesses with products made by U.S. vendors employing overlooked populations, including people with disabilities, refugees, veterans and those affected by poverty, mental health challenges, homelessness, trauma, incarceration and addiction, AHLA said in a statement.

Jobs Abroad, Work Abroad, International Jobs Online - We all know that Burberry is a luxurious brand for fashion. If a person owns one of their products, a lot of people reacts. If you are given a chance to work with Burberry Group Inc., will you work for them? Burberry Group Inc. is a British luxury fashion house located in London, England. This renowned fashion house focuses on ready-to-wear outerwear, sunglasses, cosmetics, and fragrances.

Sam Basu is the new general manager for JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida. Previously he worked at hotels in Puerto Rico. Basu worked in managerial positions at the Ritz-Carlton San Juan for 10 years, including holding the position of executive assistant manager of rooms and F&B. He also worked at Marriott International and St. Regis Bahia Beach, all in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Last week, Kristin Assad was named vice president and general manager at Stockyard Heritage Development Co.'s Hotel Drover in Fort Worth, Texas.

ATTORNEY LAURA LEE Blake is the president and CEO of AAHOA, succeeding Ken Greene. Previously she was a partner with Connor, Fletcher, and Hedenkamp LLP in Irvine, California. Blake previously worked for AAHOA for nearly 10 years, from 2005 to 2014, according to AAHOA. That was one of the highlights of her career, she said. "I was frequently inspired by the work ethic and business acumen of AAHOA members, and I was surrounded by numerous dedicated board members, executive staff, and team members - many of whom are still my friends today," Blake said. "AAHOA members embody the American dream. They exhibit how success is possible with hard work and an opportunity to grow and expand their businesses under our free enterprise system. There is simply no place like AAHOA to make a real difference for our members, hotel owners, and the industry at large."

AAHOA'S NEWEST PROJECT aimed at promoting women in hospitality is the "ElevateHER Women's Initiative to Highlight and Support Women Hoteliers and Leaders in the Industry." The initiative, launched Tuesday, will offer networking and educational opportunities for women hoteliers and hospitality industry professionals. As part of ElevateHER, AAHOA is hosting the Women Hoteliers ElevateHER Conference on Oct. 26 to 27 in Cincinnati. The conference will focus on bringing together AAHOA's community of women hoteliers for education, inspiration, and empowerment. "AAHOA has been proud to celebrate the important work women are doing at every level of hospitality, and this initiative further underscores our commitment to the women of AAHOA and elevating their contributions to the industry," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA's first full-time female president and CEO appointed in May. "While there's still much work to be done, AAHOA recognizes the significant strides women have made to be seen at industry events, heard in the boardroom, and valued in the workplace. ElevateHER celebrates these accomplishments and will further drive our association's work around elevating and supporting women in the industry."

MORE ASSOCIATIONS ARE joining the American Hotel & Lodging Association in protesting the National Labor Relations Board's recently issued final ruling on the definition of joint-employer status. The ruling essentially broadens the definition to any "entity that has an employment relationship with the employees," and AAHOA, AHLA and the other associations say it could damage the current franchise business model. NLRB's new standard, issued last week, defines a joint employer to be any company that shares or codetermines one or more essential terms and conditions of employment. Those include: Wages, benefits, and other compensation. Hours of work and scheduling. The assignment of duties to be performed. The supervision of the performance of duties. Work rules and directions governing the manner, means, and methods of the performance of duties and the grounds for discipline. The tenure of employment, including hiring and discharge. Working conditions related to the safety and health of employees.

THE DEPARTMENT OF Homeland Security will issue more than 64,000 additional H-2B visas for fiscal year 2024, surpassing a congressionally authorized discretionary cap for the second consecutive year. The American Hotel & Lodging Association, AAHOA and others have been lobbying for the increase as a step to relieving the labor shortage challenge in the hotel industry. A forthcoming interim final rule, which was announced on Friday, will additionally approve temporary work visas, bringing the total to over 130,000 including those issued under the regular annual cap of 66,000. Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO, commended the federal government's action. "The H-2B Workforce Coalition, which AHLA co-chairs, worked hard to convince the Biden administration to offer this considerable expansion, which nearly doubles the yearly allocation of H-2B visas," said Rogers. "These extra visas will be crucial to helping hotels and resorts in remote vacation destinations fill seasonal roles, and we thank Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas for making them available. But we still need help from Congress to get hoteliers across the country all the employees they need. That includes establishing an H-2B returning worker exemption, passing the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act, and passing the H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act."

IT'S BEEN A tough year for women in the hospitality industry, but progress has been made as more female executives took leadership roles, according to an annual report from the Castell Project, a nonprofit focused on promoting women in the industry. The next challenge, according to the project, is getting more women in hospitality education programs. Castell Project founder and chairwoman Peggy Berg released the 2022 Women in Hospitality Industry Leadership report during the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles earlier this week. During the conference, Berg received the ISHC Pioneer Award for her work in the industry, and she told a story during her acceptance speech that encapsulates where women are coming from in the industry. When she was in college, Berg said, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act lifted the restrictions on women working. So, she walked into a large firm looking for a job. "The partner in charge of the office, Jerry, he took one look at me and said 'Well, this will never work.' And then because of the EEOA, he said, 'I will give you a job if you promise not to get pregnant for two years,'" Berg said. "Jerry thought this was impossible. I thought Jerry didn't understand the law. Mostly I thought, if that's the barrier to success, the best vertical I have to cross, I can run this company. And a few years later, 140 men found themselves with a female partner."

CALIFORNIA-BASED HOTELIER Sunil "Sunny" Tolani has been named a top entrepreneur by Yahoo Finance. Tolani's the Prince Organization was named one of the fastest growing private companies in Orange County, California, by the Orange County Business Journal. In the Yahoo listing, Tolani is recognized not only for his work operating multiple hotels but also charity work, youth empowerment and education. It also mentions the organization's receipt of several honors and awards, including the 2016 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence and, more recently, the Nelson Mandela Leadership Award from the Non Resident Indian Welfare Society. "Sunil Tolani is a self-made man, highly respected and publicly admired worldwide Indian American CEO, social entrepreneur, philanthropist and humanitarian," the Yahoo article said. "[The Prince Organization is] regularly commended by various third-party organizations as one of the best and top places to work. Prince has also been named the fastest growing private companies and top minority-owned organization three times in a row."

GEOFF BALLOTTI, PRESIDENT and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts will be recognized by UJA Federation of New York at its annual Hospitality Division event in June. The event is held in conjunction with the NYU Hospitality Investment Conference and will raise funds to support UJA-Federation's annual campaign, which supports a wide network of nonprofits. UJA Federation will hold the event on June 4, at 4:30 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. The federation works with a network of hundreds of nonprofits in New York, Israel and 70 other countries to provide $180 million in grants affecting 4.5 million people annually. "For 15 years, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has supported UJA and the vital work it does caring for those in need while creating and fostering diverse communities where all are welcome," Ballotti said. "Together with my hospitality colleagues, we'll celebrate the extraordinary work of UJA and how it improves lives in communities across the globe."

OF THE TWO in five Americans going on business trips this year, 49 percent intend to turn it into a "bleisure" trip, according to a recent survey by Howdy.com. Bleisure is a blend of "business" and "leisure," differing from "workcations," where workers integrate vacation with work at a destination of their choice. While about a quarter of survey respondents opt for workcations to save paid time off, 60 percent of American business travelers prefer bleisure trips. Approximately 64 percent of American workers attribute the rise of bleisure to improved work-life balance as business travel rebounds post-COVID-19. Despite only about 30 percent of workers being familiar with the term bleisure, many are embracing the concept, said Howdy.com, a talent sourcing firm based in Austin, Texas. The Howdy.com survey of more than 1,000 full-time employees across the U.S., found that more than two-thirds of respondents would be attracted to jobs that encourage bleisure, while many suggest that companies should offer a "free day" on work trips to promote bleisure. The survey revealed that about 75 percent of respondents would be more inclined to collaborate with international teams if provided with increased bleisure travel opportunities.

HOTEL MANAGEMENT FIRM Revival Hotels is working with Stayntouch to provide its cloud-based property management systems to Revival's independent portfolio. Revival is led by Founder and CEO Saxton Sharad. Revival will receive automated software with flexibility and an interface its team can adopt to improve daily operations, the companies said in a joint statement. "We chose Stayntouch because it's built for the way modern hotels operate-efficiently, intuitively, and designed to work for our teams, not against them," Sharad said. "Having worked with nearly every PMS on the market, we know a system is only as good as how well the team can use it. Stayntouch's ease of use and cloud-based flexibility have allowed us to streamline front desk operations, reduce training times, and improve the guest experience. Seeing our teams thrive with this system confirms we made the right choice."

FF&E PROVIDER HÄFELE and Like Magic, a guest experience platform, are producing a new multifunctional hotel room concept. The "Work and Sleep" concept allows hotel operators to transform rooms into offices, meeting spaces and other functional areas using digitally enabled furniture, fitting solutions and specialized software. Work and Sleep integrates a booking engine, guest platform, employee interface and monitoring tools into one central hub, streamlining hotel management, the companies said in a joint statement. It will combine Like Magic's guest and employee experience platform with Häfele's hardware systems, the statement said. The collaboration aims to introduce new revenue models by activating otherwise vacant rooms while reducing outfitting costs. "Our goal is to lead the way in hotel industry innovation with our forward-thinking concepts," said Gregor Riekena, Häfele's CEO. "We are currently testing these new ideas at the ibis Styles Hotel in Nagold, Germany, which serves as a valuable proving ground for our initiatives. This innovation not only allows us to gather essential insights and refine our concepts, but also demonstrates our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what modern hotels can offer. By continuously evolving and enhancing our solutions, we aim to set new standards for guest experience and operational efficiency."

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