All cheers: The DoubleTree by Hilton Melbourne Filnders Lane team

Two of the world’s leading hotel chains, Hilton and Marriott have been named in the Australia’s Best Workplaces list for 2023, coming in at second and sixth respectively in the large employer category across all industries.

Hilton Area Vice President and Head of Australasia, Paul Hutton, said the accolade builds on the Australasia Great Place to Work certifications awarded in New Zealand, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea for the second year in a row and “reaffirms Hilton’s achievement as the top hospitality company to work for in Asia since 2017”.

“We are delighted to have been once again recognised by the Great Place to Work Institute as the leading hospitality company to work for in Australia,” he said.

“This recognition further underscores the high trust and engagement of our Team Members and is incredible testament to our purpose-driven workplace culture that we are so proud of.”

All smiles: Marriott’s Scott MacDonald, Rahel Wheatley, Sean Hunt, Krister Svensson, Natasha Rasheed, Bernhard Langer, Florencia Aimo, Jennifer Welsby, Corinna Saffhill, Madelaine Earle celebrate

Marriott International Area Vice President for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific, Sean Hunt, said the recognition follows closely on the heels of the company’s Great Place To Work accreditation in June, where 85% of Marriott’s Australian employees agreed that the company is a great place to work and a further 90% of employees agree they are proud to tell people they work there.

“Our ranking in Australia’s Best Workplaces for 2023 is a testament to our commitment to more than 5,000 Associates across Australia and our core value of Put People First,” he said.

“Our Associates are the cornerstone of our success and their dedication and passion for our organisation is what drives our culture.

“This recognition reflects our company’s founding philosophy that when you take care of your people, they take care of your business,” Hunt said.

The Great Place to Work Trust Index Survey, serves as a powerful tool to gauge employees’ sentiments about their organisation’s culture.

Cheering: the Hilton Adelaide team celebrate the accolade

The employee Trust Index survey results are benchmarked against leading companies around the world – and based on the voice of employees.

Great Place to Work has surveyed more than 100 million employees over the past three decades, building a detailed picture of what it means to be an employer of choice.

Accommodation Australia CEO Michael Johnson said he was thrilled to see Hilton and Marriott in the top 10.

“To have two hotel groups, and two of our members, in the top ten is great news for our industry and I congratulate both companies,” he said.

“Hotels are fun and dynamic places to work. They offer much more than just stop-gap jobs, they are large businesses with endless variety and ample opportunities for promotion, travel and job satisfaction.”

AA CEO, Michael Johnson speaking at AHICE 2023

The Best Workplaces list, announced at an industry event at Novotel Sydney Darling Harbour, ranked 90 organisations in four different categories.

The companies were shortlisted using rigorous analytics and confidential feedback from over 100,000 employees across different industries.

The 2023 results saw companies who supported their employees through the tough times of Covid rank higher than those who did not. Others companies in the top ten included Atlassian, Spec Savers and DHL.

“What separates our hotels from some of the other companies is the fact 75% of our staff are on award wages,” Johnson said.

“People like working for our hotels because they are fun, supportive and interesting places to work not because they are getting bonuses.

“Our industry is still facing skills shortages at the moment and I trust this type of recognition will help lure potential employees to a career in hotels,” he said.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management