The hospitality industry has long struggled with labor shortages and high turnover rates, challenges that have intensified in recent years as competition for frontline workers increased. To attract and retain talent in an era where gig work offers unprecedented flexibility, Aimbridge Hospitality set out to reinvent its approach to staffing.
By leveraging UKG Pro’s workforce management technology, Aimbridge created a smart and adaptable labor marketplace, allowing its 45,000 U.S. employees to pick up shifts on their own terms. This groundbreaking approach, implemented across the company’s 1,100 U.S.-based properties, earned Aimbridge a 2024 Hotel Visionary Award in the Human Resources category.
Addressing the Labor Crisis with Innovation
With rising competition from gig-economy jobs that allow workers to set their own hours, Aimbridge Hospitality recognized the need for a more flexible employment model.
“We compete for talent with the Ubers of the world, where people can decide when and where they work and set their own schedules,” said Ann Christenson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Aimbridge Hospitality. “We are always keeping a pulse on the needs and preferences of our associates, and we set out to ‘gigify’ our workforce a few years ago to better compete for talent and become a more flexible employer.”
The initiative required more than just a scheduling update—it demanded a complete overhaul in how staffing was managed across a vast portfolio of properties. The goal was to create a system where employees could seamlessly work shifts across multiple locations, all while maintaining compliance with tax jurisdictions, overtime policies, and job qualifications.
Technology-Powered Workforce Flexibility
Already utilizing UKG Pro for human capital management, Aimbridge expanded its partnership with UKG by integrating workforce management (WFM) capabilities. This enhancement allowed employees to:
- Pick up additional shifts at properties in their region
- Transfer between locations based on job qualifications
- Maintain compliance with labor laws and scheduling regulations
The result was a seamless scheduling experience that put control in the hands of employees while optimizing staffing levels across properties.
“There are many considerations we had to consider when opening opportunities for our associates between locations, including different compliance requirements like minimum wage, payroll tax, and entity structures, as well as legitimate differences between different hotels brands and chain scales,” said Conrad Riddle, Vice President, HR Shared Services at Aimbridge. “Coming to alignment on when and where this functionality would be allowed was the first step in a complex system that would ultimately allow for better options and more flexibility for our associates. We then set out to implement a seamless system for our associates, where all they see is the available, eligible shifts. The partnership we have with UKG allowed us to deliver a simple experience for associates while keeping the complicated processes behind the scenes.”
Tangible Results: A Workforce Revolution
The impact of Aimbridge’s flexible scheduling model has been significant. Since launching the initiative, more than 12,000 employees—approximately 30% of the company’s hourly workforce—have taken advantage of the ability to trade shifts across Aimbridge-managed properties.
This flexibility has not only improved job satisfaction but also helped employees earn additional income without the constraints of a rigid work schedule. “By giving workers more options, Aimbridge has strengthened its position as an employer of choice in a highly competitive labor market,” Riddle said.
Empowering Employees to Focus on What Matters
Beyond the numbers, the initiative has been met with positive feedback from Aimbridge’s frontline workers, who are essential to the company’s operations. Employees appreciate the ability to work shifts that align with their personal lives while still contributing to a high-quality guest experience.
“At the end of the day, we want our associates focused on delivering great experiences for people, no matter what their reason is for traveling,” said Christenson. “When hospitality is done right, people are guest-focused. We don’t want our workforce focused on the payroll cycle, their timecards, or any of those back-of-the-house functions. UKG does all that for us, freeing up our people to focus on providing the exceptional guest services we are known for.”
The Future of Hospitality Workforce Management
Aimbridge’s commitment to innovation in human resources demonstrates how technology can bridge the gap between operational efficiency and employee satisfaction. By leveraging automation and data-driven scheduling, the company has created a system that benefits both its workforce and its bottom line.
As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, Aimbridge’s success in ‘gigifying’ its workforce serves as a model for other companies looking to adapt to the modern labor landscape. With a technology-driven approach, the company has not only met the demands of today’s workers but has also future-proofed its operations for years to come.
