By Karla Dougherty, Chief Customer Officer, Xclusive Services
Hospitality never stands still because it can’t afford to. Whether facing global crises, economic slowdowns, or the volatility of international travel, one truth remains: properties that adapt survive. But, maybe more importantly, properties that strategize to navigate uncertainty not only services; they thrive.
In our work with hospitality venues across the country, we’ve seen that our more successful relationships utilize staffing not just a tactical need, but as a strategy for resilience that help navigate the greatest moments of uncertainty.
Looking at a few examples from Xclusive’s clients, we can see how properties leverage staffing throughout their properties from housekeeping to food and beverage to maintenance. These properties see success by adopting a playbook born out of necessity that has been adopted as a long term strategy.
Here’s how forward-thinking properties are building resilience through staffing — and the strategies that continue to work, no matter what comes next.
When launching a new property, there’s no margin for error. Guest expectations start at day one, and first impressions define reputation.
Here’s how it worked at a new luxury resort Xclusive worked with prior to opening and through to today. Opening amid industry-wide labor shortages, the property had to staff every role — from housekeeping to food service — without the luxury of building gradually over time. Rather than wait until doors opened, Xclusive partnered with leadership months in advance to design a phased staffing model aligned with the staggered launch of accommodations and amenities.
The result: dozens of housekeepers, plus food & beverage and maintenance teams, were ready on day one. With a dedicated on-site manager orchestrating operations, the resort not only opened smoothly but established a staffing framework that continues to flex with seasonal and group demand.
The takeaway: Engaging early turns staffing into a launch strategy, not just a last-minute fix.
Why this works: Establishing flexible models early with a reliable partner help get through initial uncertainty and builds partnerships for the future.
How this builds resilience: Properties that establish staffing partnerships early on can adapt quickly to unexpected ebbs and flows in demand particularly in the first years of operation.
Even the most iconic properties can falter if staffing isn’t integrated into daily operations. That’s why embedding leadership — not just filling shifts — is critical.
Here’s how it worked at a flagship luxury resort. With thousands of rooms, multiple restaurants, and significant convention business, the property needed more than extra hands. Xclusive placed a full-time on-site manager to oversee scheduling, uniforms, and inspections, ensuring staffing aligned with the resort’s high standards.
This embedded approach transformed skepticism into trust. Department leaders who doubted whether contingent staff could meet luxury standards quickly saw highly skilled roles — from pastry chefs to banquet line cooks — filled within days. Today, hundreds of associates continue to serve on property daily, scaling with conventions and seasonal peaks.
The takeaway: Trust is built when staffing leadership becomes part of property leadership.
Why this works: Having an embedded leader for contingent staff adds expertise to your team without adding to your headcount.
How this builds resilience: During times of change, an embedded leader can help a property adjust to the realities on the ground that can change day to day.
Uncertainty is a given in hospitality. Occupancy fluctuates, international travel shifts, and group bookings surge or evaporate overnight. The properties that thrive are those with staffing models that scale up or down — without compromising service.
At both properties above, flexibility has been central. By providing cross-departmental staffing — from housekeeping to food & beverage to maintenance — Xclusive helped ensure these properties were not overstaffed in slow periods or had to scramble during spikes. Resilient properties maintain 20% to 80% of their staff in contingent labor to ensure this flexibility at a moments notice.
The takeaway: Resilience isn’t just about handling a crisis; it’s about creating flexibility that cushions against whatever comes next.
Why this works: Building in flexibility to staff gives a property better control to be able to respond quickly to ebbs and flows in demand.
How this builds resilience: Responding quickly to downturns and recovery is a necessity as the industry experiences greater volatility.
In uncertain times, there’s a temptation to treat staffing as a ‘lowest common denominator” stopgap. But long-term resilience comes from consistency and quality. That’s why the strongest staffing partnerships are built around trained, W-2 associates who are managed and developed as part of a property’s brand promise.
At both a newly launched luxury property and a long-established resort, associates were trained and deployed to deliver at the highest standards from day one. That operational discipline has kept four- and five-star and other high-end experiences intact across years of transition.
The takeaway: Shortcuts in staffing show up in guest experience. Investing in quality pays dividends in resilience.
Why this works: Even in terms of quality, guest expectation remains high. Quality partnerships in staffing meet those expectations.
How this builds resilience: While demand may ebb and flow, expectations for quality, for the most part, do not. A property that can deliver on its quality promise through volatility is truly resilient.
Periods of crisis and transition test the strength of every operation. But they also reveal the strategies that work:
These aren’t abstract ideas — they’re strategies proven at luxury properties navigating some of the most volatile periods in recent memory.
For hospitality leaders facing today’s uncertainty, the lesson is clear: staffing isn’t just a cost to be managed. It’s a strategy to be leveraged. With the right partner, staffing becomes the foundation of resilience — ensuring properties don’t just survive volatility, but thrive through it.
Notes:
The hospitality industry is no stranger to crisis and turmoil. In the past five years the industry weathered a global pandemic, a rocky recovery, volatile job markets and an unexpected slowdown of foreign travel. Looking at the latest headlines and in conversations with GMs all over the country face lower, occupancy rates soften, and economic uncertainty. While the headlines might seem new, the reality is that volatility in hospitality is not new. Success or failure in this industry doesn’t depend on more good times; it depends on resilience.
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