In the competitive world of hospitality, where staff turnover often resembles a revolving door, IHG Hotels & Resorts has achieved something remarkable: 25 per cent of its departed employees eventually return to the fold. This ‘boomerang’ effect, rare in any industry but particularly so in hotels, hints at something unusual brewing in the company’s human resources strategy.
The secret, it seems, lies not in the usual hospitality industry perks but in what might be called strategic talent cultivation. “IHG’s promise is not about providing jobs but about creating meaningful careers,” says Deepali Bhardwaj, regional HR director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts. It’s a lofty claim, but one backed by concrete initiatives that set the company apart in an industry not typically known for career development.
Consider the company’s global academy network. With 56 academies locally in the SWA region, each aligned with specific hotels, these academies do more than simply train staff. They serve as talent incubators, complete with mock hotel rooms built to IHG brand standards—a detail that would please even the most exacting hospitality school professor. The approach appears to work: 12 per cent of interns transition to full-time roles, a conversion rate that would make many Fortune 500 companies envious.
“IHG’s promise is not about providing jobs but about creating meaningful careers.”
Deepali Bhardwaj, regional HR director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts
But perhaps more telling is what happens after recruitment. While many hotel chains talk about career progression, IHG has turned it into something of a science. The company’s ‘Journey to GM’ programme, for instance, offers a structured pathway to general management that has helped 25 per cent of its current general managers rise through internal ranks in the past year alone. It’s an impressive statistic in an industry where leadership positions are often filled through external hiring.
The company has also taken an unusually progressive stance on work-life balance for the hospitality sector. More than 80 per cent of its workforce enjoys eight days off per month—a five-day workweek structure that remains rare in an industry where six-day weeks are still the norm. This policy might seem counterintuitive in a 24/7 business, but it appears to be paying dividends in terms of staff retention and satisfaction.
Even more striking is the company’s ‘Heart of the House’ programme, which inverts the usual hospitality industry logic. Instead of focusing solely on guest-facing areas, IHG has invested heavily in employee spaces, adding gyms, recreational areas, and even EV charging stations. It’s an approach that recognizes a fundamental truth: happy staff tend to create happy guests.
The company’s talent strategy extends beyond its walls. Through partnerships with 13 Indian Institutes of Hotel Management and government skilling initiatives, IHG trained 1,200 students last year alone. This investment in the broader hospitality ecosystem serves a dual purpose: it helps address industry-wide talent gaps while creating a pipeline of potential future employees.
Women’s leadership development receives particular attention through the RISE programme, which combines mentorship with practical leadership training. The initiative includes ‘Lean in Circles’—a nod to Sheryl Sandberg’s movement—and connects participants to a global alumni network. It’s part of a broader push for diversity that goes beyond mere quotas.
The company has also embraced transparency in an industry not known for it. Through a programme called ‘You said, We did it’, IHG regularly shares metrics like its 22 per cent promotion rate in 2024 and actively solicits employee feedback. This openness, unusual in the hospitality sector, appears to strengthen trust between management and staff.
Yet perhaps the most telling metric is the referral rate: over 15 per cent of new hires come through employee recommendations. In an industry where staff often warn friends away from their employers, this suggests IHG has created something unusual—a workplace people actually want to recommend to others.
The results of these initiatives are reflected in the company’s promotion metrics. With 15-20 per cent of hotel staff advancing annually and a quarter of general managers moving into larger roles or regional positions, IHG has created what appears to be a genuine meritocracy in an industry often criticized for its rigid hierarchies.
The broader lesson here may be about the value of long-term thinking in an industry often focused on quarterly results. By investing in people development, work-life balance, and physical infrastructure for staff, IHG has created what might be called a “hospitality career ecosystem”—one that employees seem eager to return to, even after leaving.
In an era where the ‘Great Resignation’ has become a permanent feature of the employment landscape, IHG’s approach offers an interesting counterpoint. Perhaps the secret to keeping good people isn’t just about preventing them from leaving—it’s about creating an environment so compelling that, even if they do leave, they’ll want to check back in.