Midweek Musings: Why is it so Hard to Establish a Strong Culture?

By David Berman | August 23, 2023

In my time as a University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business student, I heard the word “culture” more times than I can count. And no, my professors, advisors, and peers were not talking about growing bacteria in a Petri dish.

All I heard in college was how finding a company with a strong culture was one of the most important things I can do, and that I must be a team player who contributes to the overall culture.

I’m sure you all have heard that word in the last five years or so as much as I have. But I think the proliferation of “culture” as a buzzword in corporate America has rendered it to just that – an empty word that companies preach without actually practicing it.

Since graduating last year, I’ve noticed from personal experience as well as anecdotal evidence from peers and interview subjects that too many companies in not just hospitality, but all industries, talk the talk without walking the walk. Culture can’t just be a word you say when you’re trying to boost morale in your company; as hospitality leaders, you must establish a culture from the top-down.

I’ve been thinking more about culture recently after a conversation with William Meyer and Justin Jabara, two key members of the leadership team at Meyer Jabara Hotels. I spoke with these two gentlemen about “The Journey,” MJ’s company-wide approach to culture, for an upcoming story. I won’t spoil too many details of that conversation here, but what stood out to me the most was the accountability of the program.

All new employees must “graduate” from The Journey program and be able to teach it to others through their actions. The synergy (another buzzword, to be fair) felt throughout the company because of this is palpable, Meyer and Jabara said. Every employee knows their role within MJ and can feel empowered to grow and advance as a professional.

I think culture has a LOT to do with the current retention problems the hospitality industry is experiencing. Meyer Jabara reported an over 75% retention rate through the first half of the year, well above industry averages, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ripple effects from the pandemic, as well as wage issues and other environmental factors, are certainly key causes of why many hospitality executives are worried about employees leaving the industry. However, I think the internal and external cultures around hospitality certainly play a part as well.

Now, I don’t know the inner workings of each and every hospitality firm. Many of them surely have strong workplace cultures. But today, I challenge you, the reader, to think about the role culture plays in your company. How do you treat culture? Does your company have a tangible culture, or do you just say it does?

The answer here can’t be found within yourself. As leaders in your companies, put yourself among the staff at your properties as much as possible to hear their feedback. Make sure they feel seen and heard and can tangibly point to what the foundation of the company culture is.

Culture can be hard to establish, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Look to your peer firms to discover how they are building culture among their staff. Go beyond the buzzword, and it may just lead to greater success as a company.