A hotelier’s Christmas Season brings with it a mix of emotions. And it’s no doubt the same for anyone working in the hotel or service industry.
For some people, it means another year that they won’t get to spend the holidays with the rest of their family. For others, it’s a season to look forward to because of bigger tips, 13th month pay, bonuses and Christmas parties.
Either way, Christmas brings a different vibe to the work environment.
In a country where Christmas Season officially starts on the 1st September, with the ‘Ber months’, the Christmas decorations and the festive music make going to work even more pleasant. People seem to be kinder and more patient. And some guests are more generous than usual.
What can you look forward to, during a hoteliers Christmas season?
Bigger Tips
A lot of guests are in a very giving mood around this time of the year. Perhaps it’s because they also just got a nice Christmas bonus. Or maybe their business does particularly well during this season.
Or maybe they feel for the people who are having to work instead of spending time with their families.
Whatever it is, the Christmas season brings about warm, fuzzy feelings that make people generally nicer to service staff. And looser with their purse strings.
For a lot of hoteliers, Christmas is the time when they rack up the most tips. And sometimes even little tokens of appreciation from guests.
Sure, it does not compare to getting the time off, like everyone else, to celebrate with their loved ones. But it certainly makes working during this time a whole lot better!
13th Month Pay
One great part of a hoteliers Christmas season is the government-mandated 13th-month pay. For a lot of people, this benefit is already carefully budgeted for, even before it reaches their pockets.
For some, it may be assigned to paying a major bill, perhaps a credit card account. For others, it will be used to give themselves a little treat after a whole year of hard work.
It’s a running joke that you know if people have received their 13th month pay, when you see them sporting their freshly re-bonded and colored hair. Others use it to purchase a new gadget, such as a new phone.
Others may use their 13th Month Pay to spread a little happiness to their family especially their parents.
Whatever they choose to do with this amount, it will certainly bring joy and cheer to employees. Or at least help them breathe a sigh of relief at having that little bit of extra cash.
Christmas Bonus
Not all companies can afford to give out discretionary Christmas bonuses. More so in 2021, when hotel sales are not as strong as they used to be.
However, there are still some hotels that opt to show their appreciation, to their hardworking and resilient hotel staff.
Whether it’s a full month of their salary, half, or even an extra Php1000. Giving out a Christmas bonus is a surefire way to boost a hoteliers Christmas Season and morale of the staff.
Anything extra is always considered a blessing, especially during these trying times when every Peso counts.
Christmas Parties
After a whole year of working hard, it’s nice to unwind with your colleagues for a change at the end of the year. Hotels are known for hosting grand employee parties, which can just make a hoteliers Christmas season complete.
I mean, all the resources needed for a great party are already at hand. Big function rooms, five-star food prepared by the best chefs, events styling, a fabulous lights and sound system. Throw in a fun theme, some talented staff to host the party and, of course don’t forget, the raffle prizes, and you’ve got yourself a great celebration for employees to enjoy.
Many hotels also have interdepartmental contests where employees prepare presentations, based on the theme, with a chance of winning huge prizes.
This is often one of the events that employees look forward to. Not only because of the cash prizes but because it is one of those rare times they get to interact with their colleagues in a non-work set-up and simply have fun and laugh together.
Aside from the company-wide Christmas parties, there are also usually individual celebrations by each department. If you are the friendly kind, this could mean going to a different party every other night for two weeks. Definitely fun times but remember to party moderately, especially if you’re scheduled to work in the morning!
Christmas Hampers
A Christmas Hamper is one of those things that employees look forward to receiving every December. If it’s a tradition their hotel practices.
The hampers can contain Christmas ham, an edam cheese ball, ingredients for spaghetti and fruit salad, and some goodies like chocolates and cookies. A hotel Christmas hamper is a joy to take home to their families. Bringing these treats home makes it feel just a little bit more like Christmas.
And it always helps that you don’t have to buy these for your Noche Buena, and can allocate your budget for it elsewhere!
Christmas Raffles
Usually done during Christmas parties, hotel raffles are a much-awaited event.
Many hotels give away amazing prizes during these raffles. Some hotels even go as far as raffling off a car! But often the prizes are expensive appliances like TVs, air-conditioning units, refrigerators and washing machines.
Some hotels also give out staycations in the same property, or in another hotel or resort if they are able to facilitate Gift Certificate barters with other Hotels or Resorts.
Of course, there are also cash prizes, which many employees hope and pray for. It’s everybody’s game, and there is always that glimmer of hope that this year could be your lucky year!
As someone who works in a business that never closes, employees in the hotel industry have pretty much accepted their fate. That they will have to work either on Christmas, on New Year’s or both. This is one of the unfortunate realities of being a hotelier. And is something you should consider before entering the industry. Especially if you plan on working on the Operations side of things.
However, hotels usually try their best to make it worthwhile for their staff. They try to come up with different perks to still keep their people happy, despite having to work during the holidays!
Is your hotel doing anything different for employees this Christmas season?
What is your most memorable hotelier Christmas perk?
Share it with us in the comments!
If you’re stuck for gift ideas for the hotelier in your life, check out my article 10 Perfect Christmas Gifts for Hoteliers
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