This episode is devoted to a situation that is no longer uncommon in the business world. A company or hotel is sold overnight, and the next day you arrive to find a memo near the staff entrance — worded in the most professional manner possible — usually going something like this:
"Announcement: We would like to inform you that the company (the one you have been working for, for a decade, for instance) has been sold to Company 2, and that the current director is no longer in charge, having decided to pursue his career in the beautiful islands of Barbados in an exciting new role" — which is, of course, the polite way of saying he was dismissed to make room for the new director — "and that nobody needs to fear for their job, and that the new company will strive its efforts to make the company even stronger and more competitive in the market."
This, of course, reassures nobody, and rumours start flying that this and that will happen.
This could be a hostile takeover by a company that bought the shares of the property and gained full control, or an agreed sale from the current owner to the new company.
To flip the coin, sometimes a property is sold and the transition period is surprisingly smooth. You see a new GM, a couple of new directors, and then it is business as usual. You feel like not much has changed — and in those cases, consider yourself lucky. Not every takeover is a storm; some are barely a breeze.
Let us go back to the turbulent takeover type, to see what happens there.
At the beginning, changes typically start from the top directors, then things stay quiet for a short period of time — 2 to 3 months — until the new team gets a grasp of the work routines, before moving down the chain and deciding what to do.
It is a very stressful period — new faces, new rules, new procedures — and everybody will start proving themselves again, as if they had started yesterday and not many years ago. New experiments will be run on many tried-and-tested procedures and past wins that had always delivered results; with changes added, sometimes they improve, sometimes they flop. Sometimes this testing will bring genuine improvements, but other times you will feel that you are reinventing the wheel — doing exactly the same thing, and if you are lucky, getting the same result in a shorter time. Usually, however, until the new people learn the ropes, you may receive orders to do things in a different way that delivers exactly the same result as the old way — the only difference being that it is far more complicated.
No wonder this is no easy change to grasp. Many people simply do not last through these transitions and look for other job opportunities; others resign or are dismissed, depending on the situation. During my career I survived 2 takeovers and worked with many great General managers.
Pro Tips:
Realise that it will not be an easy period for at least one year. Co-operate with the new management, help them, and try to make them understand your role as a Housekeeping Manager.
Ask if possible to schedule a meeting with the GM or Operations Manager. Start with a quick update on current Housekeeping Management issues, then arrange a full walkthrough of the property once per week on a predetermined day and time. I used to do a full walkthrough of the property every Thursday at 16:00. Both parties will benefit right away. You will get to know the pain points of the new GM, note remarks, and enforce cleaning standards where necessary. On the other hand, the new GM gets a clear view of all housekeeping operational issues and gets to know the property details, layout, and quirks firsthand.
Sometimes, though, if the new management is determined to bring in new people for each department, whatever you do or try will not be appreciated — and you should not take this personally. This is life; there is nothing wrong with your performance, your efforts, or your attitude.
That is why I always say that you need to keep an open mind and scan the market for opportunities even when things are going well and you have a stable position, a good salary, and excellent working conditions — because nothing stays the same. Everything moves and changes whether we want it or not.
Keep your network alive. When friends or colleagues leave the company and move on to other organisations, do not avoid them as if they had betrayed your company. Keep a professional contact — you might need them in the future. You never know.
In a few words: ride the change, protect your reputation, and keep moving forward — that is the only strategy that always works.
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