Dear Round-Up Readers,

Today marks the 25th day since the invasion of Ukraine and the New York Times is calling it a "stalemate" with Russia making only marginal gains amid the use of increasingly brutal tactics.  The news is heartbreaking. A few other links you may find useful: 

• Costar reports that the Ukrainian Hotel and Resort Association has pleaded with hotel companies to exit Russia, claiming most big brands still can do more to reduce their presence in the country. 
• If you want a more personal perspective on what is happening, follow Galyna Petrenko, commercial director Hilton Kyiv, who is keeping a daily diary on LinkedIn. 
• For the latest on charities and ways to help, ABC News published this list two days ago. 
• We can only hope for a diplomatic solution to come soon, MSNBC's Chris Hayes offered up three possible ways the war ends. 

On to other travel news from this week: 

• Travel companies doing well and good. Travel + Leisure touted 6 brands that are making a positive impact on their communities and in the industry at large in their "Global Vision" awards.  Also, if you missed our interview with T + L editor-in-chief, Jacqui Gifford, about amplifying the voices of women in travel media, read it here. 
• Future of business travel is more thoughtful.  First of all, if you are worried the business travel is moving to the metaverse, Fast Company says not anytime soon. Forbes summarizes ways business travel has changed (think: "bleisure" and "return to base" for remote workers, and more meaningful corporate retreats). In an article for HBR, time management expert Elizabeth Grace Saunders offers up a new checklist for business travel. An important read not just for those getting back to business travel, but even more so for hoteliers as you can learn what to offer to make biz travel better.
• Solutions for staffing woes in the luxury sector.  Hotels reports on a recent survey by Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) which said that 92% of its membership faced significantly increased hiring challenges in 2021, particularly for lower-level positions. Quoted in the article is Anne Golden, GM of London's Pan Pacific, “We recognize that the ingrained culture of working long hours has to change and be replaced with flexibility and understanding of home commitments, as well as preferences to travel at different times. We have given our non-operational support departments such as Sales, Marketing, Revenue, and Finance the flexibility to work from home up to three days per week, and this is working well. We are also reviewing a four-day working week for various operational teams." The most effective incentives for filling positions according to the FTG survey:
  • increased pay
  • offering more flexible hours/working arrangements
  • bonuses for employee referrals
  • 58.24% of respondents reported that word-of-mouth marketing has been the most successful recruitment method to date
• $250 million for US Travel! President Biden signed the $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill, which includes the Restoring Brand USA Act, providing $250 million in relief funding to the nation’s destination marketing organization. Congress also enacted a number of other key travel-related priorities that included everything from work visas to support for national parks. 
• No longer "cheap as chips"––It's still too soon, but restaurants and farmers in the UK are already bracing for spikes in costs thanks to the Ukraine conflict. Watch BBC News "Why your fish and chips may cost a lot more."

Women at work:

• Hotel Boss Suspended for Sexist Remarks: At a British Columbia Tourism and Hospitality Conference March 9 - 11, Vivek Sharma, CEO of Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, asked women to stand in honor of IWD, then said "now go clean rooms and do dishes,"  according to attendee Trina Notman. Our #shero, Trina, reported his remarks to the authorities at Fairmont and BC Tourism. Way to go Trina!  Watch coverage on the Canadian news site, Global News.
• Time for systemic change to support women in the workplace, says Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, and an activist for women’s economic empowerment who penned The Marshall Plan for Moms.  She is now the author of a new book, Pay Up.  McKinsey interviewed her, and basically, "amid the pandemic, working mothers have had to downshift their careers to care for their children full time."  Reshma says, "now is the time to change this dual burden." Katie Couric also did a podcast with her, which is worth a listen, about how we need to move from women "leaning in" to working on systemic shifts to support women at home and in the office. 

On hertelier this week:

Welcome to our new subscribers! The story in Forbes "How Women Are Changing The Hotel Industry, keeps bringing us new readers! Super excited to have you here.

• Giveaway! Thanks to all those who participated in our hand-made candle giveaway with the Bien-Aime Collection!  Congratulations to Lerah Foreman and Mel Miller for winning on Instagram and Whitney Ryan and Rose Genovese on LinkedIn.  Enjoy your pineapple candles, for anyone else CEO Roseline Bien-Aime has kindly offered a 10% discount valid until April 15, use code: hertelier10.  

• Rising from Within: Nydia Hoskins, GM, Omni Las Colinas. When Nydia started working the front desk at the Omni Corpus Christi at age 19, she had no idea this was the beginning of her career. Read about her inspiring journey to become a GM by age 38 and her life now running the 421-room Omni Las Colinas in Dallas.

• Flipping the Script: Castell Project BUILD Training Experience: Do you want to level up your career but don't know what skills you need? The Castell Project offers training specifically designed for women in mid-level management.  Read this honest account by new contributor Mel Miller of Pathfinder Hospitality.

• Key Takeaways from Rooms 101. An energizing one-day seminar was held in London all about the "Employee Experience," we share key takeaways from the fantastic speakers and panels about employee recruitment and retention.

• Dangers of Disruption. Words matter... this week columnist Nancy Mendelson unpacks disruption.

• She Has a Deal (SHaD) Levels Up with CHMWarnick. Exciting news for women looking to get into hotel ownership, leading hotel asset managers from CHMWarnick are partnering with SHaD on education and offering expert advice.  If you want to learn more, find founder Tracy Prigmore on her 10-city tour, six stops remain!

LISTEN UP Wondering about the WHY behind the "Great Resignation"? Brene Brown (yes, that Brene Brown!) interviewed management experts and consultants, Donald and Charlie Sull about how toxic culture has influenced the "Great Resignation" who have studied tons of data from thousands of companies in all sectors.  They reveal the most important traits in building a positive atmosphere and how it impacts the bottom line.  After the Rooms 101 event, which echoed many of the themes in this podcast, this is well worth a listen for all managers. 

Are you still here? I'd love to hear from you. Why do you read hertelier and what would you like to see covered? Is there someone you'd like to suggest for a profile?  My goal in 2022 is to get to know more of our readers, just reply to this email. I am a real person 😃 

Have a great week! 

Em