The hospitality industry has a notoriously diverse workforce. In the US alone, about one third of hospitality workers are immigrants. This fuels the industry with a broad spectrum of talent and life experiences that make for better hospitality overall.
It also creates challenges for operational teams. Language barriers, cultural differences, and the misunderstands that come from each can have a significant impact on efficiency and guest services.
With the help of AI and automation, hotel teams can thrive off their diversity instead of struggling through it, and boost productivity by as much as 93%. But the fear of new tech often stands in the way, especially for staff who are using AI for the first time.
Here’s how hotel management and execs can seamlessly integrate AI into their operational workflows, so that teams feel empowered, not overwhelmed.
Bridge language gaps with auto-translation
This is where the power of AI is immediately seen and understood by staff. They can speak or type confidently in their native tongue, knowing they’ll be fully understood by coworkers.
Flexkeeping, a Mews company, translates into 200+ languages. Staff can see all tasks, guest requests, checklists, and more in their chosen language, and have their messages instantly translated into the language of the recipient.
In the pilot program for Flexie AI, Flexkeeping’s voice-powered AI assistant, staff in multiple departments used the tool to communicate in 14 unique languages across the property.
Imagine how many misunderstandings happen when 14 unique dialects are spoken in a single property.
Tech-supported translation removes those roadblocks, empowering teams to speak up when they spot an issue, work without confusion, and feel more connected to their coworkers.
Invest in tech that's simple to use
Fear of change and complicated tech makes it difficult for hotels to integrate new software, especially for multicultural teams with varying levels of tech-savvyness.But as Clarion Hotel The Hub’s Assistant General Manager said: “If you can use a phone, you can use Flexkeeping.”
With voice-powered AI, staff can simply say out loud what the issue is, and the tech will take care of all the task coordination. They can also share their progress instantly with other departments, like the front desk, instead of navigating outside of the app to send WhatsApp messages or texts. We’ve seen this save hotels as much as 51 hours per month in cross-department communication alone.
Easy-to-use tech also speeds up training. New staff can adopt the tool quickly and access a full digital library of checklists and SOPs as they learn the ropes. For Clarion Hotel The Hub, this meant 50% faster onboarding for new hires.
Provide tools that take stress away
Sometimes, seeing is believing. Hotel teams want their work to be easier, faster, and less stressful. By simply showing them how many headaches the right tech can remove, it can inspire them to lean into adoption and take pride in their work.
Focus your training around the frustrations that impact teams most. Let them experience how fast automation works, and how much less time they’ll spend on admin with AI taking care of the manual workload. Show them the instant collaboration that happens between departments, for example, when they finish cleaning a room and the front desk is alerted automatically.
For housekeepers especially, making task management digital and mobile is a breakthrough in and of itself. They have a clear list of room assignments, updated in real-time as changes occur, all visible on a user-friendly interface. For teams that previously relied on pen and paper, this will feel like a revelation — one they’re genuinely interested in adopting.
Easier shifts mean more engaged staff
When hotels remove the daily roadblocks that slow teams down — the manual admin, the language barriers, the constant miscommunication across departments — everything about the workday changes.
AI and automation free staff from the stressful, time-consuming tasks that used to dictate their shifts, giving them the clarity and confidence to focus on what they do best.
Tools like Flexie AI make it as simple as speaking into a phone to report an issue, which means teams are far more likely to take action the moment they see something.
And when people feel equipped, understood, and supported, they take real pride in the role they play. In multicultural teams especially, the right tech enables staff to do their best work, connect more seamlessly with coworkers, and go above and beyond for guests.
