How do I tell my motel staff I am selling?

A motel often runs on a handful of people: housekeepers who know every room, a front-desk team, a night clerk and sometimes a caretaker couple who live on site. If they hear about the sale from a guest or a rumour, you risk losing them at the worst time. How you tell them matters as much as when.

Start with the people you cannot lose

Speak first, in private, to anyone whose departure would hurt the operation: an on-site manager, the senior housekeeper, the night clerk. Tell them before the wider team, explain what the sale means for their role as far as you know, and ask for their help in keeping things steady. A short, honest talk builds more loyalty than a notice on the wall.

Then tell everyone together

Gather the rest of the team at one time, with night and part-time staff included even if it means a second session. Say that you are selling, that nothing changes today, and that you will share news as you can. Do not promise jobs the buyer controls. If you do not know something, say so.

Timing around the season and the visits

Avoid announcing at the start of the busiest stretch, when a resignation would hurt most. Seasonal hires need clear information before they commit to a summer. Plan buyer visits for quiet hours, tell staff who is coming, and ask the buyer not to question employees without you.

• Key staff first, then the full team.
• Include night and seasonal workers.
• Say what you know and what you do not.
• Warn staff before each buyer visit.

Ask your lawyer about your obligations to employees in a sale. For the general conversation, see how to tell your employees you are selling.