If you like this post on the best employee stories in hospitality, check out our other industry-specific posts. We share the best employee stories in finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and tech.

In the fast-paced hospitality and retail industries, engaged employees are key to enhancing customer experiences and driving company success. As competition for top talent intensifies, employers are increasingly focused on building and showcasing a strong company culture to attract and retain the best employees.

Our latest research shows that this focus on people is becoming more visible on career sites. An impressive 87% of hospitality and retail companies on the Fortune 100 Best Places to Work list feature professional employee photos on their career pages. And, 67% of service companies include video content on their career sites, surpassing the average of 63%.

While tech innovations and AI may dominate the news, the hospitality industry has no shortage of employee stories. In this post, we share five inspiring videos that bring the employee experience in the hospitality and retail industries to life.

Davidson Hospitality Group: Guest Experience

Guest experience is at the heart of the hospitality industry. Many people choose this field because they’re passionate about creating memorable moments. However, the ability to take initiative and wow guests can differ widely between companies.

If your culture empowers team members to go the extra mile for customers, it’s important to show candidates what that looks like. At Davidson Hospitality Group, Michelle shared a story about how one decision she made created a lifelong memory for a guest with special needs.

Sodexo: Meaningful Work

Food service workers in non-hospitality settings can bring immense value to the organization by connecting their work with the company’s overall mission.

We are especially moved by Will Morton’s story as a member of the Sodexo food services staff, working at a hospital. In the video below, Will shares how his compassion and food service skills helped improve the well-being of a patient. 

Ross Stores: Grow Our Own

Hospitality and retail jobs are often associated with high turnover rates and burnout. If your company does a good job promoting internally and supporting employee wellbeing, talk about it! Uncover stories from team members who have experienced this supportive culture for themselves. 

At Ross Stores, many leaders (including the CEO) have grown with the company over the course of five, ten, twenty years. We hear how the company provides training along with every promotion to support team member success. And, an early career professional shares what it means to receive a competitive salary that allows her to live in New York City. 

Biltmore: Celebrating Personal Identity

The service industry has a mixed reputation when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion — making it more important than ever to use stories in your DEI content strategy as proof that you are who you say you are. 

This video from the historic Biltmore Hotel does a great job balancing leader insights with personal stories from team members. After CFO Dr. Mark Pickel sets the scene by sharing the hotel’s purpose statement, we meet three very different team members who share how they’ve formed their personal identity while working at Biltmore.

Great Clips: Realistic Job Preview

Retail and hospitality candidates are likely considering similar roles at multiple companies. Your goal is to help them understand why they should choose this job, here. What are unique aspects of the job? What skills do they need to be successful? How will their work impact others?

A realistic job preview like this one from Great Clips takes candidates through a typical day in the life of a Great Clips general manager — and the organization, communication, and people skills Hannah needs to successfully manage eleven Great Clips salons.

Stories are the best way to communicate people-focus in the service industry

As these five stories illustrate, the hospitality and retail industry are filled with inspiring stories of team members growing their careers and creating immense impact on customers and colleagues alike. 

By sharing these experiences, companies not only highlight the meaningful work being done but also attract and connect with prospective employees who are looking for a service-driven career.