Howard Hospitality Properties and Remote Employee Recognized With Tremendous Awards
Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard awarded with high-ranking recognition, and Jeff League, Howard Hospitality's Revenue Manager who was recently recognized for excellence, is a shining example of hard work and dedication paying off while following the growing trend of employees working remotely.
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla., June 14, 2018 (Newswire.com) - With an endless list of accommodation choices in an area driven by a tourist economy, it speaks volumes when an organization continues to receive recognition for guest satisfaction. In addition, when the organization continues to expand and grow, it’s evident that those involved display a true commitment and dedication to their jobs. Howard Hospitality’s Marriott properties were recently commended for ongoing guest approval all while expanding their work remote program to stay on the cutting edge of the ever-increasing competitive workforce.
Courtyard by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard was awarded with a Platinum Circle Award for placement in the top 5 percent of all Courtyard Marriott hotels in North America for guest satisfaction; its sister hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard took a Gold Circle Award for placement in the top 10 percent in guest satisfaction of all Residence Inn Marriott hotels in North America. This is the 4th year in a row that Courtyard by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard has won a Platinum Circle Award, and with more than 1,000 Courtyard Marriott hotels and over 750 Residence Inn Marriott hotels in North America, these accolades were painstakingly earned and much appreciated.
It is said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so when an organization continues to thrive, it’s clear that each ‘link’ in the company ‘chain’ is striving for professional excellence. Receiving acknowledgment for guest satisfaction is invaluable in an era when customer reviews are worth their weight in gold as those opinions are made so readily available through travel sites and social media. No one knows that better than Howard Hospitality’s Revenue Manager, Jeff League, who recently received recognition of his own in the form of the Marriott International Revenue Management Property Leader of the Year Award for his work in 2017. Jeff is a shining example of the strong work ethic within the Howard Hospitality team. He’s an inspirational figure who has proven that hard work and dedication can take someone from an entry-level position into corporate leadership.
Jeff moved to Florida in 2006 and took a position as a breakfast attendant at the Courtyard by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard. Shortly after the opening, he found himself assisting at the front desk with all shifts, including the night audit. He was then promoted to the Front Office Supervisor and then Front Desk Manager. A couple of years later, he transitioned to the Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard as the Assistant General Manager and then the Director of Operations before moving into his current role in 2015 as Revenue Manager for Howard Hospitality.
In his present position, Jeff also sets an example for remote employees, following the ever-increasing trend of companies allowing team members to work from home. How did he transition into this type of work? League said, “I have a home a few minutes from the hotel, so once I found myself in my current role, I was still at the properties visiting the team a lot. The biggest benefits are schedule flexibility, work/life balance, and being able to work without distractions. With technology now, I don’t need to be there all the time. I just need a smartphone and a laptop.” Many organizations have gone the way of the remote workforce, with the country experiencing a 17 percent increase in remote workers in the past year alone. In fact, a recent study found that 43 percent of all employed workers spent at least some time working from home. Another survey found that allowing employees to maintain a more flexible work schedule ultimately results in greater employee satisfaction and less job turnover. This encouragement of remote employment is another way that Howard Hospitality listens to its team’s needs, building a more dedicated workforce that transfers to its high guest satisfaction. “The opportunities provided by Howard Hospitality paired with the increased productivity of working from home are two huge reasons for my personal and professional successes,” said League.
Howard Hospitality prides itself on taking care of their employees first and foremost. With a changing workforce and innovative management style, Howard Hospitality believes in tapping into their employees’ skills and talents while also focusing on ways to help their employees be even more successful. This, in turn, contributes to the overall success of the company. League’s work-from-home situation is a prime example of how companies like Howard Hospitality are finding new and innovative ways to empower their employees and increase productivity. It’s reported that the U.S. as a whole loses $1.8 trillion per year in productivity; however, as more companies are turning to the telecommuting model, two-thirds of managers reported an increase in productivity from their remote employees. Howard Hospitality first implemented the telecommuting model in 2015, the same year that both hotels won the Platinum Circle Award as well as the award for Guest Satisfaction: Intent to Recommend, Overall Satisfaction, & Staff Service. Tania Koehler, Director of Hotels for Howard Hospitality contributes the company’s success to their innovative management which incorporates the telecommuting model. “By having our employees work remotely, it allows them to work at their own pace which motivates them to be more productive and fosters creativity. It also exemplifies the company’s trust that we have in our employees and that generates an overall boost in morale. Ultimately as a company, we seek to trust, nurture, and maximize the strengths of each individual and having employees that work remotely is just one way that we achieve this goal.”
The Residence Inn and Courtyard Marriott hotels are conveniently located in Grand Boulevard, a shop, dine, play and stay Town Center located in Miramar Beach – a coastal beach community in Walton County of Northwest Florida. Guests are only steps away from the Grand Boulevard Town Center’s amenities, including casual and fine dining restaurants, shops, arts and entertainment events, Grand Park and the Boulevard 10 Movie Theater. For more information, visit www.residenceinnsandestin.com, www.courtyardsandestin.com, and www.grandboulevard.com.
About Howard Hospitality
Based in Miramar Beach, Florida, Howard Hospitality, a division of Howard Group, is a small hotel management company with big ideas. Howard Hospitality was founded and began managing the Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard in 2012. Since beginning management of these two Marriott hotels, the properties have won four Platinum Circle Awards, two Gold Circle Awards, and a Silver Circle Award for Overall Guest Satisfaction from Marriott International, Inc. The hotels have also won awards for excellence in Check-In Experience, Food & Beverage Quality, Breakfast Satisfaction, Breakfast Area Neatness, and Marriott Rewards Elite Member Appreciation. With a dedication to community enrichment, Howard Hospitality is proud to be a sponsor of the Full Circle Kitchen at Food for Thought Outreach. Committed to bettering our area, Howard Hospitality also proudly partners with other local organizations such as Sacred Heart, Alaqua Animal Refuge, the Cultural Arts Alliance, and the Emerald Coast Theatre Company. For more information, please visit www.howardhsp.com.
Local Media Contact:
Laura Holloway, The Storyteller Agency
laura@storytelleragency.com | 850.290.4175
Howard Hospitality Media Contact:
Melissa Oropesa, Director of Guest Experience and Media
melissao@howardhsp.com | 850.837.1886 EXT 237
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