Compensation and rewards strategy for Resorts: Wage, Service Charge, Meals and Housing as One Package
At a resort, pay is more than the wage. Food, a bed and a share of service charge all count. Looking at the whole package shows what staff actually feel.
Not sure what you need? Tell us about your business in six short steps and we will come to the first meeting prepared.
Share your requirementsWhy compensation and rewards strategy matters in resorts
Resort staff compare packages, not payslips. A cook may accept a lower wage for a good room and meals, while a front desk associate may leave for the same wage elsewhere if the quarters are poor. When the package is not set out, rumours grow about who gets what.
A strategy begins by listing each element: wage, service charge share, meals, accommodation, travel home, festival gifts and any seasonal bonus. The next step compares them with nearby resorts and tourist hotels. Finally, you decide what to keep, what to change and how to explain it, so staff see the thinking.
How to set it up
1. List every element of the package
Wage, service charge share, meals, room, transport, festival gifts and seasonal bonus, by role. Include the value of food and housing in rough terms.
2. Compare with nearby resorts
Ask former staff, vendors and agents about packages at two or three competitors. Note rooms and meals as well as wages.
3. Review service charge sharing
Describe who shares and how, and test whether staff can explain it. Ask your accountant or adviser to confirm that the method meets the rules.
4. Design the seasonal terms
Set bonus, return incentives and travel support for seasonal workers, and explain how they relate to the core team's terms.
5. Communicate the package clearly
Give each person a one-page statement of their package. See compensation benchmarking for how to keep it current.
Check these first
Before changing anything, find out what is true today. These take an afternoon and use your own records.
- Write the full package for three common roles and ask staff to price it themselves.
- Check whether staff can explain how service charge is shared.
- Compare staff meals and rooms with those at a nearby resort.
- See whether seasonal workers earn a return benefit.
GullyHR can do this with you. Read how we approach compensation and rewards strategy in general, or share your requirements and we will tell you where to start.
Questions owners ask
They are part of what staff gain, so they belong in the conversation. Ask a qualified professional how they must be treated in records and wages.
Offer a return bonus, a higher grade for repeat years and early dates for next season. Small, certain rewards work better than large, vague promises.
Differences should come from role and skill, not origin. Review pay by role and explain the reasons, since perceived unfairness spreads fast in staff quarters.