"So now you too", I can already hear the prophecies of doom, "nothing special any more", according to others. In fact, the impression may arise that we now want to ride the wave of the 4-day-week implementers, but, with all due respect, that's nonsense. The idea of changing workplaces, working models and working hours has been on my mind "forever", but we've had hundreds of good - and plenty of bad - reasons why we haven't got round to it yet. Not an excuse. Just an explanation. That's the way it should be.
36 hours a week, 4 days a week; that's our target for all hotels, all departments by the end of 2022 and we're starting with the first departments in January. We will make mistakes. We will certainly despair at times. But we'll do it anyway. Full stop. It's time, damn it, high time. For far too long, we have not done what we should have done. For far too long, we have failed to show the necessary appreciation towards our employees. For far too long, we have not dared to do so because, among other things, we could not afford it. Can we do it now? Another question: can we still afford not to? And the finances are only part of the appreciation. Good work in good workplaces with great teams, that's my damn job and I haven't done it well for a long time. But that's also changing now. Massively.
The hotel industry is great, without question. But the pay for most of us never was, let alone the working hours and models. But we're changing that now. I won't talk about work-life balance, but I will talk about the fact that in future we will organise our working hours in a meaningful and, at best, even meaningful way , pay them well and have more free time. For us. For our families. Or for people who need us.
We will scrutinise everything, all processes, all shifts, simply everything. Is this necessary or can it go away? Who really needs what? Is everyone doing the job they like? Can we change that if it's not the case? And how do we do that? Questions upon questions. But questions - and dealing with the answers - have always moved the world forward. Sesame Street already knew that.
It's going to be an incredibly intense time, with all the expected ups and downs, but it's guaranteed to be great. Guaranteed.
