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At Converis, we believe the best ideas about talent and recruitment don’t come from books: they come from those on the front lines, making real decisions every day. That is why we are launching this series of conversations with leaders from various sectors who know, from their own experience, what it means to build a solid team under complex conditions.
Today, Juan Manuel Trigo, General Manager of Anastasio Hotel & Beach Club, with over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, shares his perspective on one of the most pressing challenges in the field: attracting and retaining the right talent when time is short and margins of error are almost non-existent.
Hospitality has a characteristic that makes it unique among people-intensive sectors, time is not an elastic resource. The season starts when it starts, occupancy rises when it rises, and the guest arrives regardless of whether the team is fully staffed or not.
"In hospitality, you can't afford the luxury of starting to look when you need it. The recruitment process has to be planned in advance, because when demand hits, the team has to be there. There is no room for improvisation."
The sector's seasonality, especially in destinations like Punta del Este or José Ignacio, generates peak needs that can multiply the staff structure in a matter of weeks. And in that context, the quality of recruitment becomes just as critical as its speed.
Turnover in hospitality is structurally high. Short seasons, physical and emotional demands, rotating shifts, and a labor market competing for the same profiles make retaining talent, in many cases, as difficult as finding it.
Juan Manuel is clear on this: turnover isn’t the problem itself; it is the consequence of recruitment processes that don't prioritize the real fit between the person, the role, and the hotel's culture.
"When you bring in someone who isn't cut out for the industry, turnover is almost inevitable. You can have the most attractive contract, but if that person lacks a passion for service, they won't last. And if they don't last, it costs the business, the team, and the guest."
This is the central argument behind the value of a rigorous selection process, not hiring right is a cost. In time, in operations, in customer experience, and in team morale. Considering it is a sector where the first contact with the guest can define their entire stay, that cost is measured in reputation.
We live in a moment of technological effervescence. Automation is advancing in almost all sectors, and hospitality is no exception: digital check-in, virtual concierges, algorithmic revenue management, automated channel management. They are powerful tools, and Juan Manuel uses them.
"An AI agent can answer questions, it can manage a reservation, it can process an order. But it cannot replace a person who genuinely wants to help you when something goes wrong. That connection, the empathy, the warmth, the passion for service, is completely human. And in hospitality, it is everything."
In an industry where the guest experience is the product, human talent doesn't compete with technology; technology serves human talent. The automation of operational processes frees up time and energy so that people can focus on what truly matters: the interactions that create memories, that turn a stay into an experience, that make someone come back.
Processes can be optimized; a passion for service cannot.
For Juan Manuel, a quality recruitment process in the hospitality sector involves several dimensions that go beyond the resume.
Clarity in the profile: Knowing exactly what is needed, not just in technical terms but in attitude, disposition, and cultural fit with the hotel, is the first step to avoid wasting time with candidates who don't fit.
Speed without shortcuts: The process needs to be agile but not superficial. In a market where talent is scarce, candidates are also evaluating. A slow or poorly communicated process loses good profiles before making an offer.
Looking beyond the role: In a hotel, every role impacts the guest experience. That means recruitment cannot stop at technical skills; attitude and empathy are criteria just as valid as previous experience.
Post-onboarding follow-up: The process doesn't end with signing the contract. Support during the first steps largely determines whether a new hire consolidates or becomes another turnover statistic.
"The time you invest in hiring right pays off quickly. A person who fits into the team and the hotel's culture performs better, creates a better environment, and stays longer. That is worth much more than filling a position quickly."
In this context—high turnover, acute seasonality, scarce profiles, and limited timeframes—having a specialized recruitment team is not a luxury; it is a concrete operational advantage.
At Converis, we work exactly at that intersection, we understand the client's business, we build the right profile, we search with good judgment, and we present candidates who truly fit, not just on paper, but in the culture and the current stage of the organization.
Because when the season begins, there is no time to start from scratch.
The hospitality industry is undergoing a moment of transformation. Technology advances, guest expectations evolve, and business models diversify. But there is one thing that doesn't change: hotels are made by the people who work in them.
Juan Manuel summarizes it with the clarity of someone who has seen the industry from the inside, from different roles, and at different times.
"At the end of the day, what the guest takes with them when they leave isn't the room or the breakfast. It's how they were made to feel. And that depends on the people."
At Converis, we share that conviction. And we work every day so that companies find those people: quickly, effectively, and with good judgment.
Juan Manuel Trigo is the General Manager of Anastasio Hotel & Beach Club in José Ignacio, Uruguay. With over 15 years of experience in international hospitality, his career spans from Revenue Management and Sales at Sofitel Montevideo and Hyatt Centric Montevideo to general operations management in top-tier properties.
He holds a degree in Hospitality Administration from the University of Florida, graduating Cum Laude.
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With over 10 years of experience in people management, María Laura is the Director of Operations at Converis Group. She specializes in talent development, organizational culture, and leadership, supporting companies and teams through sustained growth processes.
Si querés ser parte de nuestra red de talentos o tenés un emprendimiento o empresa que suma al ecosistema de servicios y profesionalismo en Maldonado, nos encantaría conocerte.
