Maintaining employee morale is one of the key challenges in managing a service business, particularly hotels. Team members who feel recognized are much more likely to pitch in and go the extra mile than are those who feel overlooked and unappreciated. Hence the adage: “Take good care of your associates and they’ll take good care of your guests.”

An effective way to recognize people is by promoting them. Last month, the truth of this was brought home when I signed off on two internal staff promotions. At our Days Inn Jamaica JFK Airport hotel in Queens, we were able to promote the assistant manager — a five-year employee who had moved up through a series of increasingly responsible positions — to general manager. At the Comfort Inn Midtown West in Manhattan, meanwhile, a guest services agent, a two-year veteran, was named rooms manager.

Days Inn Jamaica JFK Airport

First and foremost, the associate who is recognized by the promotion benefits in several ways. Invariably, the new position comes with more responsibility but also the chance to learn new skills and interact with more senior people in the organization. And that’s not to mention an increase in salary, which always is welcome.

But co-workers benefit as well. Associates at our New York hotels tend to know each other. When news of a promotion is shared internally, the message is clear: they could be next. Promotions emphasize the notion of career and future possibilities versus simply a job and a dead end. Employees who see themselves in a career instead of a job mean everyone wins, including our guests and our company.

Maintaining employee rapport is critical to any hotel’s success. Employees rely on each other in countless ways, everyday, to ensure their hotels function smoothly. We, consequently, place a high value on encouraging and rewarding effective teamwork.

As a company that manages multiple hotels, we occasionally take teamwork to an even higher level, asking staff members to step out of their routines and pitch in temporarily at our other properties.

Just such a situation arose in September when the general manager of our Holiday Inn Express JFK Airport left unexpectedly. General managers at two of our other hotels agreed to provide managerial oversight of the Holiday Inn Express JFK Airport while still fulfilling their regular duties.

Glenda Gomez of the Holiday Inn Express LaGuardia Airport and Juan Soto of the Comfort Inn Midtown West each worked two or three days a week at the Holiday Inn Express JFK Airport. The arrangement worked well by fulfilling our obligations to both hotel guests and staff.

This arrangement provided us needed breathing room and time to conduct a proper search for a replacement general manager. The Holiday Inn Express JFK Airport, left in capable hands, operated without interruption. As a bonus, Glenda and Juan each brought a fresh perspective to our operations there.

Equally important, Glenda and Juan both found the experience beneficial professionally. While Glenda was already experienced in managing an airport hotel, Juan saw first hand how dramatically demand can fluctuate, given changing weather conditions that affect airline scheduling.

Similarly, Juan had an opportunity to experience the Holiday Inn Express brand standards and weigh how they differ from the Comfort Inn standards.

We thank Glenda and Juan both for going the extra mile on the company’s behalf. They embody the spirit of teamwork at its best.