Hilton is a number one world hospitality firm with over 8,600 properties unfold throughout 139 nations and territories—together with practically 50 in Europe—and it has introduced its profitable office tradition to every of them.
In Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For – Europe list 2025, Hilton has been named the perfect office in Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands. In Austria, it has held that spot for 4 years operating, Italy and Switzerland for 3, and the Netherlands for 2.
A part of that is widespread success as an employer comes from a complete set of structured worker advantages and help applications. Crew members wherever on the planet have entry to Thrive at Hilton and the Look after All hub, which gives psychological well being, bodily well being and caregiving sources.
In instances of emergency or hardship, the Crew Member Help Fund supplies monetary reduction. Then there’s Go Hilton, which gives discounted room charges and unique perks for themselves and their households, and Care Concierge, via which oldsters and carers profit from enhanced household depart.
“Whereas friends expertise our hospitality on daily basis in Hilton resorts all over the world, that very same spirit of care is how we help our group members who convey that hospitality to life,” says David Kelly, Hilton’s senior vp of continental Europe.
Hilton
Providing the identical worker proposition doesn’t imply the corporate can copy and paste its tradition into completely different societies; nonetheless, a problem for any budding multinational.
For instance, a agency that prides itself on a tradition of maximum candor and full-blooded disagreement—suppose Jack Welch’s GE within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties—shouldn’t assume the identical will comply with if it opens an workplace in a rustic the place oblique communication is the norm and courtesy is sacrosanct.
For Kelly, adapting Hilton’s enterprise tradition throughout so many various nationwide cultures begins with understanding what’s non-negotiable and transcends borders: the agency’s core values (in basic fashion, these kind an acronym: Hospitality, Integrity, Management, Teamwork, Possession and Now, which refers to a way of urgency and self-discipline).
“Whereas friends expertise our hospitality on daily basis in Hilton resorts all over the world, that very same spirit of care is how we help our group members who convey that hospitality to life.”David Kelly, Hilton’s senior vp of continental Europe
After that, it’s a query of recognizing different cultural variations within the markets the place it operates, and adapting the place acceptable—a course of formed primarily by worker suggestions.
For instance, Kelly says the corporate gauges the effectiveness of its applications and general group member expertise via worker surveys and useful resource teams. “Suggestions from a various set of voices and views ensures that choices are related and clear,” he provides.
This typically leads to advantages and well-being initiatives being tailor-made by nation to make sure they’re simply accessible and impactful within the native context. That may very well be one thing so simple as ensuring the Look after All sources are in each language, via to adapting the charity companions the corporate works with.
For individuals with disabilities or studying variations, as an illustration, Hilton works with Down’s Syndrome Affiliation and Aurora Foxes within the U.Okay., and PizzAut in Italy, creating coaching and employment pathways at Hilton and into the hospitality business.
“We try to mirror the native communities the place we function and empower native leaders and companions to indicate up authentically whereas staying true to our values,” says Kelly.
To help individuals of their careers and to assist bridge cultural gaps, Hilton additionally has a wide range of tailor-made coaching applications to help each function, from front-line workers to administration, complemented by teaching and mentoring.
“One initiative developed in Europe which we’re notably pleased with is the Crew Member Trade Program, which gives two-week hosted exchanges targeted on studying and knowledge-sharing,” says Kelly.
This system provides group members the prospect to expertise completely different roles, properties, and cultures first-hand, constructing expertise and strengthening connections throughout the area, and—within the course of—strengthening the corporate’s cross-cultural bonds.
