Kathrin Cockhill, Senior Business Development Manager at Agilysys
The hospitality industry thrives on human connection – the smile at check‑in, the additional effort to accommodate a special request, the feeling of being genuinely cared for as a guest. But behind the top tier service, hospitality workers often struggle to keep afloat.
The 2025 Taking the Temperature Survey found a growing concern: when hospitality professionals were asked to identify the top three workplace challenges affecting wellbeing, under-resourcing and understaffing came out as the number one issue, reported by 57% of respondents – a 21% increase compared to last year. Following closely behind were high expectations and excessive workloads at 52%. For hotels and resorts already struggling to fill roles, these numbers are a reminder of how stretched teams have become.
The cost of overworked teams
Staff shortages in hospitality have a ripple effect. When teams are too small, remaining employees pick up the slack – a front‑of‑house employee might be greeting guests, handling check‑ins, answering phones, and dealing with back‑office operations, all at the same time. A lack of staff or resources can lead to stress, burnout, and higher turnover, which only exacerbates the issues at hand.
Hospitality needs a solution that supports staff wellbeing in the long term. This is where technology – such as modern Property Management Systems (PMS) – can help ease the load.
The PMS as the backbone of a property
Gone are the days when a PMS was simply a booking calendar. Today, the PMS acts as the backbone of a property, integrating every aspect of daily operations – from front desk to housekeeping, food and beverage to reservations, and back‑office systems. By unifying these functions, staff no longer have to switch between multiple platforms, re‑enter the same data in different places, or have to hunt for missing information.
This real‑time visibility across the property means managers can allocate resources more effectively. If a surge of guests book into the restaurant, or a late‑night event means extra housekeeping is needed the following morning, the PMS ensures everyone is prepared and nothing falls through the cracks. Meaning that staff get to do tasks that they love – interacting with guests.
Supporting staff with intelligent technology
The right PMS goes beyond integration and truly helps staff make efficient decisions. The built-in AI in the PMS technology assists with delivering real time information, helping quick decision making.
For example, the system can:
- Recommend personalised upgrades for guests before check-in or when they are most likely to accept them, boosting revenue.
- Alert staff when a returning guest is due to arrive, allowing them to prepare a personalised welcome back.
- Predict peak times for certain services, ensuring enough staff are on hand to meet demand.
- Flag that there are more check-ins than usual that day, allowing for departments like housekeeping to prepare staff for workload limits so managers can redistribute tasks before stress levels spike.
This level of insight means staff can act with confidence when providing impeccable service, rather than having to dig through multiple systems. Which can take unnecessary time and effort, but with technology information is readily available.
The human + AI service model
However, leveraging AI in hospitality is not about replacing staff, it is about empowering them. The most ideal approach is the human and AI service model. AI handles the repetitive, time‑consuming, and data‑heavy processes – such as sending booking confirmations, assigning rooms, and processing payments – while humans focus on delivering high‑touch, emotionally intelligent service.
Take a front‑of‑house employee, who likely joined the hospitality industry because they enjoy meeting new people, making guests feel welcome, and creating memorable experiences. But in many cases, their time is consumed by mundane routine tasks taking them away from being customer facing. With PMS tools and AI and automation taking care of those background tasks, staff can spend more time in the lobby or restaurant, interacting with guests and building the connections that set great hospitality apart.
The wellbeing payoff
The benefits of leveraging technology in hospitality extends beyond efficiency. Research from HP found that seven in ten workers who use AI say it makes their jobs easier. Which correlates with lower stress and higher happiness. Happier, less stressed employees are not only more productive but also more engaged and committed to their roles – which in turn improves guest satisfaction.
By reducing the friction in daily tasks and removing unnecessary administrative burdens, PMS technology can help address the underlying causes of the 57% citing understaffing and the 52% citing excessive workloads as key challenges. It’s not about working harder – it’s about working smarter, with technology as an ally.
Looking ahead
While staffing shortages in hospitality can’t be solved overnight, there is still a clear path forward. Investing in AI‑powered PMS technology provides immediate relief to overworked teams while laying the groundwork for a more resilient, sustainable workforce.
Workers empowered by technology can focus on creating exceptional guest experiences, rather than working in the background. This balance between human connection and technological support is not just the future of hospitality; it’s the key to ensuring the industry thrives, even amongst the ongoing challenges.
