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‘It’s a marathon, not a sprint’: Hilton CEO credits long-term employee investment for world's best workplace title
Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta says the company’s workplace culture was built through sustained investment in employees.
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Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta believes building a successful workplace takes more than employee perks or quick management fixes. The hotel group's approach to workplace culture has helped it retain the title of the world's best workplace for the second consecutive year, bringing its total number of wins to three.
Nassetta, who took over as Hilton's president and CEO in 2007, discussed the leadership philosophy behind the company's workplace success in an interview with Fortune's Diane Brady.
What makes Hilton the world's best workplace?
“There’s nothing proprietary about it,” Nassetta told Fortune, describing his approach to leadership.
He said building a strong workplace comes down to investing in employees, giving teams a shared sense of purpose and ensuring that company values are followed at every level. He also emphasised the importance of sticking to those values during difficult times.
Hilton's workplace ranking is based on employee feedback and engagement data. The hotel group has more than 500,000 employees across 9,600 properties and recorded an employee engagement score of 93%, Fortune reported.
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Hilton promotes frontline employees to leadership roles
At Hilton, many employees who begin their careers in frontline jobs eventually move into leadership positions. According to the company's official announcement, 93% of its hotel leaders started in frontline roles.
Hilton's internal research also found that 67% of its hotel leaders reached their first management position within three years. The company provides employees with training and opportunities to move across different roles as they progress in their careers.
Nassetta believes promoting people from within also helps Hilton prepare its next generation of leaders. He cautioned against relying too heavily on external hires, saying, “you take way too much risk trying to bring somebody in from the outside.”
Hilton CEO on AI and the future of work
Nassetta also spoke about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, saying the technology could help Hilton's frontline employees carry out their jobs more efficiently.
“AI, as well as other forms of technology we've used, have been tools that we can put in the hands of our frontline team members that help them do their job better, faster, easier,” he told Fortune.
He said businesses should focus on helping employees understand how AI can be used at work rather than making them fearful of the technology.
Nassetta also reflected on the time it took to change Hilton's workplace culture. He said rebuilding the organisation within five years would have seemed impossible when he first took charge.
“It's a marathon, not a sprint,” he said.
