The third season of “White Lotus” recently wrapped and left an indelible mark on pop culture. The award-winning and widely-discussed show, known for its sharp-as-knives satire and meme-worthy moments, follows the interactions between the ultra-wealthy hotel guests and the staff who cater to their needs at the namesake luxury resort, putting the hospitality industry front and center in the cultural conversation.
Watching these heightened characters behave in absurd, poignant and violent ways was not only prestige TV at its finest but also an opportunity to explore the complex dynamics at the intersection of privilege, service and human behavior within a high-end hotel setting.
Although the storylines may be fictional and played for comedy and shock, the show underlined how hotel associates are expected to act as concierges and counsellors, sometimes on the same shift.
Of course, those in the hospitality space didn’t need a star-studded show to highlight a long-standing challenge. In real life, these responsibilities weigh heavily on the workers and managers who are tasked with delivering consistently great guest experiences while fielding endless requests, a buffet of big personalities and bigger expectations. And it’s taking a toll.
Unlike in “White Lotus,” where drama escalates to keep viewers hooked, hospitality workers are navigating hard situations without a script. From awkward power dynamics to diffusing customer meltdowns mid-service, the emotional labor is draining. And these aren’t rare incidents; they’re often daily occurrences. Although there are solutions to curtail these obstacles, there’s no silver bullet that can fix everything at once. Micro and macroeconomic factors have complicated these situations, and customers are understandably frustrated. However, organizations that are proactive in building a resilient frontline—through continuous learning, recognition and well-being initiatives—can safeguard against escalating burnout, disengagement, and turnover.
Addressing The Burnout Crisis
According to a 2024 report from my company, Axonify, nearly 68% of hospitality employees and 47% of managers say they’re experiencing burnout, which is driven by factors like high stress, understaffing, long working hours and bad guest behavior. These challenges create a high-pressure environment where employees can feel consistently depleted and overwhelmed.
What’s worse, they aren’t being given the tools to manage these all-too-common issues. A significant 54% of hospitality workers report that their companies don’t provide adequate mental health and well-being training. Considering that the hospitality industry is widely recognized as having one of the highest rates of employee burnout, this leaves employees in an extremely vulnerable and nearly impossible situation.
Add in rising prices, lower tips and near-daily encounters with difficult customers, and it’s a perfect storm that makes it unsurprising that 47% of workers have reported leaving their shifts early out of frustration. This high rate is a clear indicator of the increasing pressure and lack of support that many employees feel.
However, hospitality organizations that are committed to showing up for their staff and directly addressing their well-being have several strategies at their disposal. By acknowledging these challenges and implementing the right support systems, organizations can make a tangible difference in their workers’ lives.
Training to Support Their Day-To-Day Reality
As a show like “White Lotus” reminds us, not all guests arrive with good intentions and not every staff member has the tools to respond with confidence. Even though hotel employees can’t control external triggers like escalating tariffs or economic downturns, they can be properly equipped to handle common questions about rising prices and mitigate any subsequent misunderstandings and frustrations.
This includes training on effective communication, conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques that reflect their daily reality. Teams should feel empowered to handle challenging situations, follow company procedures and understand when to seek additional resources.
With 54% of respondents saying that their training is outdated, they’re not currently being set up for success. Since hospitality workers are almost always on the move, dedicating time to long training sessions is not a realistic option. Instead, companies need to investigate alternative options that would suit their workforce, whether through a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, Choose Your Own Device (CYOD) program or other tech-enabled solutions. A blended approach that involves a custom mix of digital tools and on-the-job coaching can serve both employee needs and the business’s bottom line to empower staff to learn, upskill and train at scale.
But one-and-done training isn’t going to make sure that they feel sufficiently supported. This knowledge needs to be continuously reinforced and refreshed to ensure that the learning is top-of-mind so employees know exactly how to put their training to good use.
Recognition That Fosters Engagement and Retention
It’s a given that feedback is crucial for employee growth and performance, but it has to be consistent and delivered in a way that’s both understandable and actionable. Employees need to know how they’re performing, what they’re doing well and where there’s room for improvement. With only 1 in 4 hospitality employees reporting that they regularly receive feedback from their managers, a significant portion of the workforce is lacking meaningful communication and input.
Creating a holistic feedback system should involve more than one-way messages and include a system for recognition. Why? Not having one is costly: absenteeism spurred by a sense of disconnection and chronic burnout can cost $2-$3K per employee.
Building a culture of appreciation creates a positive environment where hospitality employees can clearly see their value and feel more engaged, but it should be tailored to the individual to be effective.
For example, applauding someone for going the extra mile during a pre-shift huddle might be enough for one employee, but another may feel motivated by a thank-you note or a more public display of appreciation, like a digital kudos or reward. These tactics also help accelerate engagement because employees whose efforts are recognized are nearly 3 times more likely to be engaged at work. And behaviors that get recognized get repeated.
Developing a Workplace Wellness Program
Recognition and rewards aren’t enough to tackle burnout alone, but they’re a good start. The next step involves evaluating a wellness program that supports work-life balance and includes mental and physical health resources. For frontline hospitality workers, offering flexibility in the form of shift-swapping gives them agency and autonomy to figure out what works and provides a greater sense of control over their schedules. Adding flexibility can make a significant difference in how they’re able to manage personal responsibilities and reduce stress.
Offering stress management programs, access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), opportunities for employee community building through social events or activities and no-judgment sick days all contribute to higher job satisfaction and improved mental well-being.
These supportive measures can have a cumulative impact, with the potential to generate $12 trillion in what McKinsey Health Institute called “global economic value”. In other words, workforce health is directly connected to your teams’ performance and productivity. Employees who feel prepared, supported, stable and confident in their jobs are better able to fulfill their responsibilities and meaningfully contribute to the company’s mission. As the McKinsey report noted, “Stakeholders who take immediate action will reap substantial benefits.”
Taking a fulsome view of how to weave together effective training resources and wellness programs to support frontline hospitality workers requires a proactive, tactical and empathetic approach. To help mitigate the biggest challenges like burnout, demanding customers and economic instability, employees need to be properly enabled and prepared so they know how to handle these tough situations with confidence.
They need to have easy access to relevant, engaging training, wellness resources and recognition programs that make the difference between a stressful shift and a fulfilling career.
Don’t Forget The Managers
The guests and their chaos may take center stage, but the heart of the most compelling “White Lotus” storylines is often with the hotel managers—flawed, frenetic and unforgettable. These characters weren’t just fan favorites, they were also emotional anchors, showing how managers absorb pressure from all sides: high-maintenance guests, swamped staff and corporate expectations. Fictional or not, they reflect a very real truth in hospitality today.
Managers are often overlooked in conversations about burnout. And it’s no surprise that 69% of hospitality managers say the industry has become harder to work in. More than a quarter of managers have to reprimand or mediate between guests and employees in tense moments—especially over gratuity or service issues. Between rising guest expectations and constant staffing challenges, many leaders are struggling to stay afloat themselves, let alone lift up their teams
They’re expected to be motivators, therapists, operational problem-solvers and morale-boosters, all while contending with labor shortages, volatile guest interaction and limited resources.
When we talk about culture, it has to include on-the-ground leadership. A strong culture of care starts at the top, and managers need to feel just as equipped and appreciated as the staff they supervise.
A culture of care isn’t a luxury. It’s a strategy
In a hospitality landscape defined by uncertainty, high expectations and emotional labor, one thing is clear, taking care of your people is no longer a maybe: it’s a strategic imperative. A company that invests in relevant training, celebrates effort and proactively supports well-being doesn’t just reduce turnover, it raises the standard for service. That’s a win for workers, managers and guests alike.
It’s not just the right thing to do. It’s how the best brands stay ahead.
Reprinted from the Hotel Business Review with permission from www.HotelExecutive.com.
About Axonify
Axonify is the proven frontline enablement solution that gives employees everything they need to learn, connect and get things done. It starts with brain science and AI to drive knowledge retention through bite-sized microlearning and daily intelligent reinforcement. Embedded two-way communication and feedback ensure your staff is engaged and informed, no matter the scale of your organization and guided task management shows employees exactly how to put their training to use, every single day. With an industry-leading 80% user engagement rate, companies use Axonify to deliver next-level CX, higher sales, improved workplace safety and lower turnover. Axonify enables over 3.5 million frontline workers in 160+ countries, with over 250 customers including Lowe’s, Kroger, Walmart and Citizens Bank. Founded in 2011, Axonify is headquartered in Waterloo, ON Canada. For more information, visit axonify.com.
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