You can do better, and so can they. - Anonymous employee First Hospitality Employee Review

For the financial success of FHG over the past few years, it was unfortunate that financial bonuses and incentive programs for lower- to mid-level employees were significantly cut or done away with entirely. Basically, those who want(ed) to work harder and do more than the average employee weren't recognized or rewarded for going above and beyond. The stresses and pressure to provide extraordinary guest service was significant (especially for management), while the care and attention to employees was extremely low. When it comes to being financially competitive to attract (and retain) the best talent, FHG ranks right toward the bottom in this regard. At my former property, many key employees (low-level to upper management) who, after years of service or applying for a promotion, were offered less than they received at competitor properties, so unfortunately we lost a lot of people. I personally knew these people and what they were offered, and I didn't feel it was unreasonable what they were asking for. With no viable, ready replacements, FHG still wouldn't step up to match these offers, and as a result, we lost valuable employees and remained short-staffed while they took their time looking for replacements. If you're considering a position with FHG, understand your market value and what you're worth in the marketplace when compared to similar companies. Don't undervalue your hard work, because they probably will. The vast majority of promotions to low- and mid-level management positions came from outside the company, so your chances of a promotion from within are rather low, especially if you're a pregnant female. It was only when the company was losing so many people at one time that they promoted people from within to retain the few employees they had left. I'm very happy for these individuals, but I don't know if they would have been promoted if they had been fully-staffed at that time. More care and focus could be put on lower- and mid-level employees when it comes to work/life balance. Management will rarely take the time to get to know these employees well enough to determine whether they're happy or not at what they do, which will impact the level of guest service a hotel provides. While an "open door" policy is always appreciated, a great manager needs to be proactive and be out there rather than waiting for problems to arise. I won't speak for any former employees regarding what they told me about their personal relationships with upper management at FHG, but needless to say, their ideas on how to improve the culture and recognize hard work, dedication, and innovation fell upon deaf ears; in one case, a task force GM said employees just needed to "shut up and get to work", definitely not the sign of a leader. FHG needs to go back to the basics and re-learn the HEART model: Hear and Understand Expect the Best Act with Integrity Respect Diver­sity Tran­scend Yourself I hold no ill will as my decision to leave was my own, and I wish current and future employees well if they choose to start or continue a career at FHG. Just be cognizant and proactive when it comes to your career.