Optimizing Workforce Management in Hospitality: Key Insights 

I attended HITEC last week, and yes— I viewed the conference almost solely through the lens of workforce management (guilty as charged). Specifically: how hotels can better optimize labor strategies to meet rising guest expectations and internal goals.  

Even a casual chat with a door lock/access control vendor somehow circled back to labor planning—more on that later. But one thing became clear across conversations with everyone from a former Marriott colleague to an entertainment complex exec:  

Hotels are missing opportunities in weekly volume forecasting, labor targets, and effective scheduling. 

Not because the tools aren’t out there—but because they’re not being fully used. In some cases, hotels are investing in new platforms to automate scheduling and compliance. In others, they’re sitting on valuable tech that’s underleveraged, outdated, or siloed. Either way, the outcome is the same:   

There’s no shortage of innovation. What’s missing is traction.  

The Disconnect Between Tools and Execution 

Across back-of-house workflows—forecasting, scheduling, shift planning, compliance—there’s no question the industry has made big tech investments. But I kept hearing the same challenge:  

“We’ve got the platform… We’re just not using it the same way across our properties.”  

That inconsistency has real consequences. Inaccurate staffing. Risky compliance gaps. Managers stuck chasing down paper instead of leading teams.  

Many operators aren’t facing a tech gap—they’re facing an execution gap.  

The Operational Playbook That Actually Works 

At Marriott, my team and I closed that gap by standardizing the Workforce Management process and rolled out Evention’s Tips+Gratuities solution for automated gratuity and tip distribution. We didn’t just implement software. We built a playbook around it:  

  • Every property followed the same weekly forecast, scheduling, labor review and payroll process  
  • Compliance was tracked end to end 
  • Front-line managers could focus on people, not payroll. 
  • Risk of wage and hours claim from inaccurate payroll, caused by spreadsheet, was minimized

The standardization didn’t just reduce risk—it gave time back to the people closest to the guest experience.  

And it wasn’t limited to gratuities. My team connected labor standards with volume forecasting to bring scheduling into sharper focus. That approach improved wage optimization and helped managers make data-backed decisions, not gut calls at the eleventh hour. 

A Session That Hit a Nerve 

During our HITEC presentation—Optimized Workforce. Automated Gratuities—we dug into the compliance risks most hospitality teams are still carrying:  

  • Inconsistent tip allocations 
  • Untracked breaks 
  • Missed meal period coverage 
  • Manual audits that leave room for error 

The conversation afterward confirmed what we suspected:  

These problems are everywhere—and they’re still costing properties real money.  

Non-compliance with payroll regulations or collective bargaining agreements can lead to significant financial risks, including backpay liabilities, penalties, and legal defense costs. These costs can escalate into millions, demonstrating the importance of accurate and compliant payroll processes. Implementing electronic tracking systems for payroll audits ensures that these vital payroll calculations are properly documented and archived. 

What the Most Forward-Thinking Leaders Are Asking 

At the booth, in sessions, over coffee— the questions I got from COO’s and finance leaders were rarely about scheduling or compliance in isolation. Topics ranged from the potential impacts of US tariff policies on supply chains and operational costs, the changing landscape in immigration policies’ impact on labor availability, and how the recent developments in the Middle East and global geopolitical shifts can influence market dynamics and guest demographics, requiring adaptive and forward-thinking approaches to workforce management. The smartest operators are thinking more holistically:  

  • How can we use volume forecasts to better staff housekeeping and front desk? 
  • Can we give managers better tools without overwhelming them? 
  • How do we protect ourselves against wage and hour claims— at scale? 

The future of workforce management isn’t about reacting to problems. It’s about building an integrated labor strategy that can scale across teams, properties, and regions. 

AI-driven volume forecasts, effective scheduling, and employee self-service tools are essential to address these challenges effectively. By implementing operational processes, organizations can enhance worker engagement, reduce manager workload, and create a pathway to sustained efficiency and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry landscape. 

Five Moves to Make Now 

If you’re reevaluating your workforce strategy— or just trying to get more from what you’ve already invested in— here’s what I’d focus on heading into the second half of the year: 

  • Forecast value with purpose. Build staffing plans around data, not guesswork. 
  • Digitize compliance. Get your audit trail out of the filing cabinet and into the cloud. 
  • Empower managers. They need tools that show what’s happening now, not just what happened during the last pay period.  
  • Standardize your process. Across every location, role, and regulation. 
  • Gratuity Payroll is Payroll, and it has to be 100% accurate for happy employees and compliance. Don’t leave it up to spreadsheets.  

Last Thought: Optimization Isn’t Optional  

Still curious about how everyday technology can contribute to workforce optimization? 

One of the most unexpected conversations I had at HITEC was with a vendor in the access control space. We started talking about door locks… and ended up talking about housekeeping staffing.  

I posed a question about whether door locks could help determine if a room attendant completed a full clean or stayover clean. It turns out, the data from a door lock— can provide accurate historical trends on cleaning patterns—whether full cleans, stayovers, or refused service. Looking forward these locks could serve as an unexpected asset in streamlining operations and enhancing decision-making. That’s workforce optimization in 2025:

Using what you already have in a smarter, more connected way. 

We’re not short on tech.  
We’re short on process and execution.
And hospitality teams who deploy the technology at a high level solve that— by bringing weekly forecasting, scheduling, labor review, compliance, and operations together. They — are going to lead the way.  

If you’re one of them, let’s keep the conversation going.  

Brian Schoettes 

Former VP of Workforce Management, Marriott 
Founder Valico Workforce Management