The conference echoed the global call to Empower People to Lead Change
Over 300 hoteliers from across the country recently gathered at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise for the fifth annual Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) People Day – part of the IHF’s wider Shaping Brighter Futures programme aimed at supporting career development across hotels and guesthouses.
This year’s theme, The Human Workplace in the Age of AI, invited delegates to explore how technology, shifting workforce expectations and new models of leadership are transforming the world of work. Coinciding with International HR Day 2026, the conference echoed the global call to Empower People to Lead Change – a message that resonated strongly throughout the day.
“The future of hospitality remains fundamentally human.”
Reflecting on the event, IHF President Matt O’Connor paid tribute to the people and culture leaders who attended and who are driving progress across the sector.
“It was a genuine privilege to bring together such a dedicated and inspiring group of people,” he said. “Their passion, their commitment and their belief in the power of people are at the heart of everything that makes Irish hospitality exceptional.”
He highlighted the scale and impact of the sector, which directly supports 69,000 livelihoods and sustains more than 270,000 jobs within the wider tourism industry.
“From city centres to coastal villages, our sector is woven into the fabric of community life, and this is something we can all be immensely proud of.”
While AI is reshaping how organisations operate, Mr O’Connor emphasised that the essence of hospitality remains unchanged.
“Even as AI reshapes our organisations, the future of hospitality remains fundamentally human. IHF People Day is about supporting our leaders who are shaping the workplaces of the future.”
Exploring the human side of digital transformation
Across keynote talks, panels and interactive sessions, speakers explored how hotels can embrace technology while strengthening the human experience at work.
Setting the tone, Dr Lollie Mancey, anthropologist and AI ethicist, challenged the assumption that technology itself is what sets a business apart:
“The future of hospitality is not simply about adopting more technology. It is about protecting and amplifying what makes us human in the first place. Hotels and restaurants are emotional spaces. People remember how they felt in them. As AI and automation become more embedded into everyday operations, the real competitive advantage will come from cultures where staff feel trusted, creative, emotionally safe, and connected to purpose. The organisations that will thrive are not the ones chasing efficiency alone, but the ones designing workplaces where humans can genuinely flourish alongside technology.”
Building on that human focus, Cleo McCormack, Co Creation Director at Version 1, turned to the concept of mattering – a theme that resonated deeply throughout the day.
“Mattering is a fundamental human need to be seen and recognised. The feeling that you matter, and that your work makes a difference, is what drives discretionary effort, loyalty, and genuine care for guests. At a moment when every headline is pushing the case for automation or AI, how do we pause and ask what we are actually trying to build? The answer begins with collective sense-making with your teams, asking their opinion.”
Mr O’Connor echoes this sentiment:
“The importance of ‘mattering’ really stood out to me from the day. Creating a workplace where people know that they matter, and where an individual’s contributions are genuinely recognised and valued, is a simple but powerful goal.”
Leading across generations and supporting wellbeing
Attention then turned to the make-up of hotel teams themselves. Dr Mary Collins, leadership and wellbeing specialist, highlighted the opportunities presented by having a workforce with as many as five generations working side by side:
“Hospitality today is powered by a truly multigenerational workforce, each bringing different strengths, expectations, and ways of working. Rather than viewing these differences as a challenge, there is a tremendous opportunity to harness them as a competitive advantage. Creating workplaces where people feel valued, understood, and connected across life stages is key to building thriving teams, improving retention, and ultimately delivering exceptional guest experiences. The future of hospitality depends on workplaces where every generation can flourish together.”
Broadcaster and meditation expert Dermot Whelan emphasised the importance of ‘Staying well as a leader’ and shared simple breathing and mindfulness techniques for daily practice:
“The hotel business is one of the most exciting in the world. But if we don’t learn techniques to navigate the stress that comes with that excitement, we can become overwhelmed and burnt out. I really believe that we don’t need to create big spaces in our day to reset our nervous systems. A lot of the time we just need a little gap – a mini moment – to create a little bit of awareness and connect with our breathing.”
Equity, inclusion, and the realities of modern workplaces
The day also addressed subjects still too often left unspoken at work. Loretta Dignam, founder of the Menopause Hub, highlighted why menopause is of relevance to the sector, including from a retention perspective:
“Menopause matters in the hotel sector because hospitality depends on people: their energy, confidence, judgement, and ability to deliver excellent guest experiences. Many women in hotels are working through perimenopause and menopause while managing long shifts, heat, uniforms, physical demands, customer-facing pressure, and irregular hours.
Without the right support, experienced women may reduce hours, avoid promotion, take absence, or leave the sector altogether. With simple, practical workplace supports and informed managers, hotels can retain skilled talent, improve wellbeing, reduce avoidable disruption, and create a culture where women can continue to thrive at every stage of their career.”
On the related theme of breaking workplace taboos, Niall Breslin, widely known as ‘Bressie’, delivered a keynote on ‘The Architecture of Stigma,’ examining how stigmas form and how workplace culture can chip away at them:
“Stigma is created; it’s a social process. There’s almost an assumption that a stigma is there and it never goes away – but it can be eroded. It’s a very important subject right now to understand how these things are created so we can learn to dismantle them.”
Investing in people: a strategic priority
O’Connor reaffirmed the IHF’s commitment to supporting members in developing strong, future‑ready teams. “Across the country, hoteliers are strengthening their teams through bespoke education and training initiatives such as IHF Skillnet, and through a growing emphasis on wellbeing, diversity and inclusion.”
He also highlighted the success of the IHF’s inaugural Quality Employer Awards earlier this year, which recognised 71 hotels for excellence in people development and HR best practice.
Reflecting on the breadth of career pathways within hospitality, O’Connor noted: “A career in tourism offers remarkable flexibility and a wide range of pathways for people at every stage of life. Hotels and guesthouses are uniquely positioned to offer meaningful work, adaptable roles, and long‑term career development.”
You can view highlights from the day HERE
A national database of live opportunities is available at tourismcareers.ie.
IHF People Day 2026 was kindly supported by Alkimii, Fáilte Ireland and the Irish Hotels Federation Skillnet.
