Human Resources and Executive Search
HDE specializes in hospitality executive search, human resources management, and employee and labor relations. Leveraging decades of industry experience, we help operators build strong, mutually beneficial employment relationships across all levels of their organization.
No matter the size or type of your hospitality organization, our consultants will thoroughly assess your needs and deliver a strategic plan to address any human resources, employee, or labor relations challenges.
HDE Consultants bring:
- Extensive experience
- Exceptional Training and Education
- Expertise in managing multi-cultural teams
- Deep understanding of the challenges involved in uniting diverse talent to meet owner and operator expectations
Seeking Expert Oversight for Human Resources Management and Executive Search?
With decades of experience, HDE brings a tailored, unparalleled approach to recruitment, performance coaching, and training, turning your vision into reality.
Discover expert consulting services for your restaurant, bar, or hotel in…
Employee Relations
Training
Organizational Development
Hospitality Executive Search Consulting
Finding the right executive for hotels, restaurants, clubs, gaming, and related businesses is one of the most critical decisions an owner or operator can make.
HDE’s hospitality executive search specialists have successfully placed top talent. With extensive operational experience, our consultants understand the disruption, cost, and challenges that come with executive transitions.
Clients can trust HDE to conduct an efficient and strategic search to identify the best candidates. Our Executive Search Consulting services offer two prominent approaches to finding top-tier leadership:
- Retained Search
- Contingency Search
Click here to explore the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
Hospitality Talent Outsourcing
A study by Robert Half reveals that 41% of hiring managers and HR professionals who have experienced a bad hire estimate the costs to be in the thousands of dollars. Given the financial risks, your strategy for executive-level hiring (director and above) should focus on three key factors: time, talent, and resources.
Recruiting top executives requires the right talent to effectively engage with busy leaders. It’s crucial to assess whether your internal interviewers are equipped with the right questions and know how to ask them, particularly when navigating complex issues like a potential family relocation to a new state or country. So, before you embark on your next executive search, take a moment to reassess your strategy—and consider partnering with one of our consultants to ensure the best fit for your critical roles.
Hospitality Training and Development
Hotels, resorts, clubs, restaurants, and food service operations must continuously update policies, procedures, training, and compliance to stay competitive.
Success depends on adapting to evolving staff needs, operational demands, legal requirements, risk management, and, most importantly, guest expectations. Ensuring your organizational culture aligns with the desired guest experience, equipping your team with the necessary tools for peak performance, and implementing sustainable practices are areas where Cayuga Consultants excel.
If launching a new operation, HDE’s decades of experience ensure a tailored approach to recruitment, performance coaching, and training—turning your vision into reality with unmatched expertise.
If optimizing an existing operation, our dedicated, solution-driven professionals conduct employee assessments, develop performance enhancement plans, create sustainable training modules, and support implementation while evaluating results.
Human Resources Steering Committee
Whether launching a new hotel, restaurant, club, or other hospitality business, undergoing a brand transition, or navigating ownership changes—whether independent or franchised—HDE leverage their network to identify the leadership each property and role demands. From task force teams or individuals for temporary assignments to full-time personnel, our talent acquisition specialists deliver highly confidential, tailored executive search services, ensuring the perfect fit for your hospitality leadership needs.
HDE’s consultants specialize in fostering strong organizational cultures and cultivating mutually beneficial employment relationships at every level of the workforce.
We look forward to speaking with you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Some frequently asked questions about the service that you may have questions about
Who are your typical clients?
Our Clients Include:
🏨 Hotel & Resort Owners – From boutique properties to global brands, we help maximize asset value and profitability.
📊 Investors & Developers – Offering due diligence, valuation, feasibility studies, and market analysis for sound investment decisions.
🔑 Hospitality Management Companies – Assisting with branding, contract negotiations, and operational efficiencies.
🍽 Restaurant & F&B Operators – Enhancing profitability through menu engineering, cost control, and service optimization.
🏝 Resort & Club Operators – Supporting operational excellence, guest experience enhancement, and CapEx planning.
🏦 Lenders & Financial Institutions – Providing hotel asset evaluations, debt restructuring, and financial planning support.
⚖ Legal & Insurance Firms – Expert witness testimony, risk management, and policy assessment.
Why Partner With Us?
✔ Decades of industry experience
✔ Proven strategies for revenue growth & efficiency
✔ Customized solutions tailored to your unique needs
Let’s transform challenges into opportunities and drive success for your hospitality business!
What is the process for beginning a project?
Our Process for New Projects:
Initial Consultation & Needs Assessment
Understanding your goals, vision, and challenges.
Analyzing the market and competitive landscape to identify key opportunities.
Feasibility & Market Research
Conducting comprehensive research on the location, target market, and customer demographics.
Analyzing potential financial performance, including cost projections, revenue potential, and ROI.
Project Planning & Design
Developing a strategic plan outlining the scope, timeline, budget, and resources.
Collaborating with architects, designers, and other experts to refine property layout, design, and branding.
Brand Selection & Contract Negotiation
Helping you select the right brand (or independent strategy) that aligns with your objectives.
Assisting with management contract negotiations to ensure favorable terms and performance standards.
Construction & Development Oversight
Managing the project timeline, coordinating with contractors, and ensuring compliance with regulations.
Overseeing construction to ensure quality and cost control.
Operations Setup & Staff Training
Preparing the operations manual and defining standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Providing staff training for operational excellence, guest satisfaction, and efficiency.
Grand Opening & Marketing Strategy
Planning and executing a grand opening event.
Implementing a marketing and branding strategy to attract customers and establish your property’s presence.
Ongoing Performance Monitoring & Optimization
Analyzing financial performance, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.
Providing continuous support for optimizing revenue, reducing costs, and improving guest experiences.
By following this comprehensive project process, we ensure that every aspect of your new project is thoughtfully planned, executed efficiently, and poised for long-term success.
What if my project lies outside your team’s skillset?
1. Referral to Trusted Partners
We maintain a network of trusted industry partners with specialized expertise across various areas of hospitality, real estate, construction, and finance. If your project requires a skillset outside our core services, we’ll refer you to a reliable professional or firm that we trust.
2. Collaborative Team Approach
For projects with cross-disciplinary needs, we can work alongside external experts, integrating their expertise into the project while maintaining overall coordination and leadership from our team. This ensures that every aspect of the project remains aligned with your broader goals.
3. Scalable Solutions
We are adaptable and can expand our team temporarily by bringing in subject matter experts or forming an alliance with consultants who specialize in the areas needed (e.g., advanced technology, niche construction, international regulations).
4. Full Transparency & Communication
If a project involves expertise we don’t specialize in, we will discuss these areas with you upfront. We ensure clear communication on the scope of work, timeline, and team members involved so you feel confident in the project’s direction.
5. Project Continuity & Quality Assurance
Whether it's through an internal expansion or trusted partners, we ensure seamless integration and ongoing quality assurance throughout the project, so you receive consistent results.
6. Tailored Solutions & Flexibility
Even if your project has a niche requirement, we aim to remain flexible and ensure that the expertise we bring, either from our team or external partners, is fully tailored to meet the needs of your specific project.
Your success is our priority, and we’ll make sure you have the right resources and expertise to accomplish your goals!
Will you tell me how to run my business?
Here’s what we do to support your business:
1. Expert Guidance
We offer our deep industry knowledge and specialized expertise to help you navigate challenges, optimize operations, and identify growth opportunities. This guidance is intended to help you make better decisions based on your unique business needs.
2. Tailored Solutions
We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we customize our recommendations to fit the specific context of your property, market, and goals. We work with you to understand your vision and challenges, and then we create strategies that align with those objectives.
3. Best Practices & Industry Standards
We share best practices, industry standards, and benchmarking insights that you can use to enhance your operations, customer service, and profitability. This might include everything from operational efficiencies to brand alignment or financial planning.
4. Continuous Support
We don’t just provide advice once and walk away. We offer ongoing support to help you implement strategies, track performance, and adjust as necessary. We help you stay focused on achieving long-term success.
5. Data-Driven Decision Making
We help you analyze data and performance metrics to guide decisions about pricing, marketing, operations, and other key aspects of your business. Our aim is to provide you with the tools to drive sustainable growth.
Ultimately, we are here to help you optimize your business, not dictate how to run it. We empower you with knowledge and strategic options to make informed decisions and navigate the complexities of your industry with confidence.
