Foundations for Success: Navigating Growth and Innovation in Hospitality

Matt Owens is the SVP of HR for HM Alpha Hotels and Resorts, with 25 years of experience in HR leadership. He previously served as SVP of HR at Turnberry and held various HR roles at Marriott International. Owens holds a BBA, MBA, and SHRM-SCP certification.

Expansion Plans and Milestones

A year ago, we embarked on an exciting journey as a brand-new startup, and it has been a whirlwind of growth and innovation ever since. The first few months were all about laying a strong foundation, building everything from scratch to ensure smooth operations, and setting up critical systems like HR, accounting, and IT.

On November 1st, we took a huge step forward by managing 13 hotels, and we are gearing up to take on two more by January 1st. By 2025, we will have 15 hotels under our belt—a major milestone in our ambitious growth plan.

In recent months, the focus has been on implementing the systems and infrastructures to make this all happen. My role has been hands-on—designing and communicating these essential systems across HR, accounting, IT, and HRIS. We have already onboarded our new hires, and now it is all about ensuring they are set up for success, from payroll accuracy to medical benefits.

As we transition into full operation, my upcoming travels will take me to these new hotels to conduct benefits presentations and open enrollments. It's an exciting time as we prepare our team and systems for a seamless roll-out, ensuring that they'll be ready to thrive when our new locations come online.

Adapting to the Startup Environment

I was involved early enough to help shape the company culture at the corporate office and across the hotels. We developed core values and a guiding principle—"Do the right thing every time." During my visits to the hotels, I had the opportunity to introduce these values to the teams and share concrete examples of how we intend to bring them to life as we transition from a startup to a fully operational company in the year ahead. The corporate office has been welcoming, inclusive, and driven, fostering a strong sense of teamwork that we aim to cultivate across all 15 locations. The primary challenge has been the complexities of building everything from the ground up—especially managing legal and tax registrations, integrating data from the previous management company, and establishing critical systems like HRIS, time and attendance, and accounting software.

Certain tasks, like opening bank accounts, took longer than expected, compressing our timeline. These delays have a domino effect, pushing back other tasks and creating challenges in staying on schedule. Adapting to these delays has been challenging, particularly since we don't have an established process to fall back on—it is all being developed in real-time. We are doing our best to navigate these obstacles and keep things on track.

Building a Lean and Efficient Corporate Team

I have a small corporate team that includes a consultant, a talent acquisition manager, and an outsourced HR business partner from our HRIS provider. We also selected this provider as they offer managed services, including payroll processing, which helps us keep our corporate team lean and efficient.

In addition to the corporate team, we have an advisory committee comprising four GMs, finance directors, and HR directors from the 15 hotels. I have relied heavily on their experience and input to develop policies, SOPs, handbooks, and other structures, combining their expertise with my experience.

Our goal has been to create systems and processes appropriate for our organization’s size and scope. We have put some areas on hold for next year, like onboarding forms, training, and updating orientation materials. Our main focus has been ensuring that employees are paid correctly and receive their benefits as we transition, pushing other tasks to next year as needed.

The Growing Role of Technology and AI

We will always focus on people, particularly in the hospitality industry, where maintaining strong relationships with property and above-property leadership is crucial. The technology, especially AI, will play an increasingly significant role. We must rely on our systems and vendors to ensure they are well-versed in AI, as we are not experts in that area. While we continue to prioritize human connections, integrating AI into our systems will be essential, and we must stay informed and comfortable with how it impacts areas like HR.

The Importance of Continuous Learning

My advice to fellow professionals is to embrace growth by taking risks and stepping outside your comfort zone. In the last two career moves, I deliberately sought challenges to push beyond my comfort zone, which has been a major source of growth. Avoiding the routine of "this is how it has always been done" has been essential. Implementing continuous learning and self-improvement is crucial for personal development.

It is also essential to be open to feedback; if it is not being offered, don’t hesitate to ask for it. Your colleagues, peers, and supervisors can provide valuable insights. For instance, I once asked my boss for feedback during a meeting, and while it wasn’t part of our usual discussion, the advice he gave me proved invaluable. Always seek feedback—it can be a game-changer for your growth and development.