The hospitality industry is at a crossroads. Labor shortages, high turnover, and rising expectations have made talent the most critical asset—and the most pressing challenge. As brands compete for both guests and employees, the organizations that thrive will be those that transform not just the guest journey, but the employee experience itself. Publicis Sapient is leading this transformation, helping hospitality brands build digital ecosystems that attract, engage, and retain top talent while driving operational excellence.
Hospitality has always been a people business. Yet, the sector faces acute labor shortages and unprecedented churn, threatening service quality and growth. Employees today expect more: seamless onboarding, flexible work, digital tools that empower rather than frustrate, and a sense of purpose and belonging. Addressing these needs is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative.
Publicis Sapient’s proven SPEED capabilities—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI—enable hospitality brands to reimagine the employee journey from end to end. Our approach is rooted in the belief that employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX) are deeply intertwined. By modernizing the platforms, processes, and cultures that support employees, we help organizations unlock new levels of productivity, satisfaction, and loyalty.
A modern employee platform is the foundation of a great EX. Publicis Sapient partners with hospitality brands to design and implement digital platforms that centralize HR functions, learning, scheduling, and communication. These platforms are intuitive, mobile-first, and personalized—enabling staff to access what they need, when they need it, from any device. The result: faster onboarding, reduced administrative burden, and a more connected workforce.
Our process labs bring together cross-functional teams to rapidly prototype and test new ways of working. By applying design thinking and agile methodologies, we help hospitality organizations identify pain points in the employee journey—such as manual scheduling, inefficient task management, or fragmented communication—and co-create digital solutions that address them. This iterative approach ensures that innovations are grounded in real employee needs and deliver measurable impact.
In a sector where staff may work across multiple properties or brands, digital identity is key to both security and personalization. Publicis Sapient helps hospitality clients implement decentralized and digital identity solutions that streamline access to systems, protect sensitive data, and enable tailored experiences for every employee. This not only reduces friction but also supports compliance and trust.
The benefits of transforming the employee experience through digital ecosystems are clear:
Publicis Sapient’s expertise is validated by industry recognition and client outcomes. For example, a global hospitality brand partnered with us to consolidate disparate legacy systems into a unified digital platform. The result was a dramatic reduction in time required for content publishing and operational tasks, freeing employees to focus on guest service. Another client in the quick-service restaurant sector leveraged our employee platform design and process labs to modernize scheduling and communication, leading to improved staff satisfaction and measurable sales growth.
Looking ahead, the integration of AI and data-driven insights will further elevate the employee experience. Generative AI can automate routine HR tasks, personalize learning and development, and provide real-time support to staff. Data modernization enables organizations to anticipate workforce needs, identify trends, and continuously improve the employee journey.
Our leadership in digital business transformation is recognized by leading analysts and validated by our clients. We combine deep hospitality expertise with a relentless focus on human-centered design and technology innovation. By partnering with Publicis Sapient, hospitality brands can:
The hospitality talent crisis demands bold action. With Publicis Sapient as your partner, you can turn workforce challenges into a source of competitive advantage. Let’s reimagine the employee experience—together.