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Why Hotel Security Requires a Comprehensive Approach
The hotel and hospitality industry navigates daily obstacles to ensure the safety and security of their guests and staff. The New York City Council is tackling one of those challenges by considering a bill known as the Safe Hotels Act, which would require hotel operators to “to equip all core employees with panic buttons and provide core employees with human trafficking recognition training.” The Safe Hotel Act follows steps taken by New York Attorney General, Letitia James, in 2022 when she “provided hotel and tourism associations with cards that contain human trafficking information and hotline numbers and reminded the lodging facilities of their obligation to post the cards in visible locations to help victims.”
Addressing the threat of human trafficking in the hotel and hospitality industry recognizes that human trafficking is a “pervasive issue,” not just in New York City where thousands of people each year “fall victim to the sex trade” and are “trapped in hotel rooms,” but globally, and is just one of many unique security challenges facing hotels, no matter if they are part of multinational corporations, or individually owned and operated,. These other challenges include, or are amplified by, constant foot traffic and rotating guest lists, balancing the security and privacy of its staff and guests, the struggle to find staff, and in some cases, language barriers between guests and staff. Earlier this year, the American Hotel & Loding Association published a report stating that, “more than two thirds of hotels continue to experience staffing shortages.” The staffing shortage poses a specific challenge to hotels, as overworked staff are less likely to notice signs of distress and there are fewer eyes available to monitor and observe for any suspicious behavior. As a result, serious, sometimes life-threatening incidents occur every day in hotels around the world, posing significant risks to hotels and their parent corporations, and opening them up to substantial liability.
Identifying and Addressing Safety and Security in the Hospitality Industry
The first step in addressing safety and security and in the hotel and hospitality industry is understanding the environment in which these entities are operating. Each entity is unique and each will have to develop and adjust their safety and security plans to fit their needs. However, there are some universal steps that are necessary for hotels to safeguard their staff and guests including developing procedures to address issues and providing proper training to staff, so they know how to identify and responds to risks. For human trafficking, entities such as the National Human Trafficking Hotline and the U.S. Department of State list some key “red flags” that may indicate someone is a victim. A few of the listed key signs a person may be in trouble are if the person does not have control of their own passport or other identity documents, the inability to speak alone, or signs of physical abuse. Proper education and training to spot these indicators will help protect victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and enable hotel staff to be more aware of what to look for while they perform their jobs.
Furthermore, hotels and other entities must also take steps to assist their staff through the use of technology, such as cameras to monitor public areas, document who is entering and leaving their premises, and record behavior while at the location. Hotels must also be willing to test their systems and learn from their mistakes in order to identify vulnerabilities, improve protocols, and protect themselves against bad actors. Each of these principles are overarching ideas which can help hotels protect their guests and staff, secure their premises, and limit their liability.
The Key Takeaway
To deal with these challenges, hotels and other members of the hospitality industry must develop comprehensive strategies to protect their physical spaces, staff, and guests. A robust approach involves multiple layers of security, compliance, investigative capabilities, and ongoing training. These strategies must include:
- Physical and Technology Security: Implement tools that safeguard the physical premises, the people within these premises, and the sensitive data hotels maintain on their staff and guests.
- Compliance Policies and Procedures: Ensure hotels develop and maintain programs that are compliant with all applicable laws and have mechanisms in place to deal with any regulatory issues as they arise.
- Workplace Investigative Capabilities: Create frameworks to thoroughly conduct workplace investigations to identify causes, learn from issues that arise, and prevent issues from occurring.
- Staff Training: Provide employees practical training from industry experts so employees are able to identify issues and respond in the proper way.
As a global leader in physical security, workplace investigations, data privacy, and compliance, Guidepost is uniquely positioned to support the hospitality industry’s efforts to create safe, secure, and compliant environments. Our extensive team of former federal agents, compliance professionals, and data security specialists help design tailored solutions to meet the challenges of hotels, resorts, entertainment venues, and other hospitality venues. By partnering with Guidepost, our clients benefit from our broad expertise and strategic insight to mitigate risks and strengthen business continuity. Whether ensuring staff are prepared to handle complex challenges or enhancing security protocols to protect people and data, our solutions are aligned with the industry’s most pressing needs.
Ian Pillinger
Director
Ian Pillinger is a Director in the New York office of Guidepost Solutions. A former state prosecutor and federal government official, Mr. Pillinger focuses his work at Guidepost on complex and multi-jurisdictional investigations, compliance, and security matters for organizations and individuals.
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