Latest / The Diversity Career Podcast with Fexingo: Inclusion, Equity, and Underrepresented Professionals / How Hilton Built a Career Ladder for Refugee Talent
Transcript
- Lucas: So I was digging through Hilton's annual ESG report last week, and one number jumped out at me. Since 2016, they've hired over one thousand refugees across their properties worldwide — and that's not just housekeeping roles, which is what a lot of people assume. They've placed people in finance, IT, even management tracks. Luna: That's a lot more than a feel-good press release. How did they actually make that work on the ground? Lucas: That's the question, right? Because a lot of companies make a big announcement about refugee hiring and then it fizzles out. Hilton built something with more staying power. They partnered with the Tent Partnership for Refugees, which is a coalition of companies committed to hiring refugees, and they started treating it like any other talent pipeline — with recruitment targets, onboarding support, and internal mobility. Luna: So it's not just a one-off hiring event. There's an actual structure behind it. Lucas: Exactly. And the structure is what I want to focus on today, because there's a specific piece that I think other employers could steal. Hilton created what they call a 'refugee welcome network' inside the company — employee resource groups at individual properties that connect new refugee hires with tenured staff, not just for the first week but for months. That informal support system is a big part of why their retention rate for refugee hires is actually higher than their overall hotel staff average. Luna: Higher than average? That's counterintuitive, given the barriers — language, credential recognition, trauma, all of that. What's driving that retention? Lucas: A few things. First, they're not just throwing people into a high-pressure front desk on day one. They start with roles that match current skills — a Syrian accountant might come in as a night auditor, or a Congolese nurse might start in housekeeping while they work on certifications. And then they pair every refugee hire with a 'buddy' — a peer who's been through the same transition or who's just good at navigating bureaucracy. That buddy helps with everything from opening a bank account to understanding a pay stub. Luna: That's practical. But it also sounds like it requires a lot of management buy-in. How does Hilton get general managers at individual hotels to prioritize this when they're already worried about occupancy and staffing? Lucas: That's the part that impressed me. Hilton doesn't mandate a quota from corporate and then hope it trickles down. They built a toolkit for general managers — a step-by-step guide on how to recruit through local refugee agencies, how to navigate work authorization for asylum seekers, even conversation scripts for interviews. And they tie a portion of the GM's annual bonus to diversity hiring metrics, which includes refugee hiring. So there's a real incentive to make it work. Luna: So when a GM says, 'I don't have time for this,' Hilton can say, 'Here's the playbook, and here's your bonus.' Lucas: Right. And it's not just about the bonus — it's about making it easy. The toolkit includes vetted partner agencies in each city, so a GM in Dallas doesn't have to figure out which local nonprofit is legit. Hilton has already done that legwork. That reduces the friction to almost zero. Luna: What about the language barrier? I'd imagine that's the biggest hurdle in a customer-facing industry like hospitality. Lucas: Yeah, and that's where Hilton's approach got creative. They don't require full fluency upfront. They hired people into roles like housekeeping or kitchen prep where language demands are lower, and then they offer on-site English classes — but not just any English classes. They partnered with communities to offer English for hospitality, so the vocabulary is about taking a room service order or handling a guest complaint. That's way more useful than generic ESL. Luna: So someone could start in housekeeping, take English for hospitality, and then move to a front desk role within a year? Is that a real path? Lucas: It is, and they track it. Hilton reports that over thirty percent of refugee hires have been promoted within two years. That's not just an entry-level job — it's a career ladder. And they've got a few case studies they highlight internally, like a woman from Eritrea who started as a houseman and is now a front office manager in London. They publish those stories because they show other refugee employees that there's a ceiling that can be broken. Luna: That's a powerful signal. But I want to push back on something. Some critics say refugee hiring programs like this are just a way for companies to fill low-wage jobs without addressing systemic pay inequality. How would you respond to that? Lucas: I think it's a fair critique, and Hilton has to be careful about that. But I'd say the evidence here is that they're not just filling a vacancy — they're investing in long-term career development. They've also worked with the Tent Partnership to offer refugee hires the same benefits as any other employee, including health insurance and paid leave. And they've made a public commitment to hire ten thousand refugees globally by 2028, which is a measurable target. If it were just about cheap labor, they wouldn't be investing in language training and mentorship. Luna: So what can other companies learn from this? If I'm an HR leader at a mid-sized firm, what's the one thing I should take away? Lucas: I'd say it's the combination of internal infrastructure and external partnerships. A lot of companies want to hire refugees but they don't know where to start. Hilton didn't reinvent the wheel — they worked with established organizations like the Tent Partnership and local resettlement agencies, but they also built the internal support system to make sure people stayed. That buddy system, the language coaching, the GM toolkit — that's what turns a good intention into a real career path. Luna: And it's worth noting that this isn't just a US thing. They've done this across Europe and the Middle East too, right? Lucas: Yeah, in Germany they've had a particular focus because of the 2015 influx. They worked with the German government to create a fast-track vocational program for refugees in hotel management. It's a two-year apprenticeship that combines paid work with classroom training, and they've graduated over a hundred people from that program. Some of those graduates are now in supervisory roles. Luna: That's the kind of thing that could actually change a life trajectory. It's not just a job — it's a profession. Lucas: And that's the thing that makes me optimistic. When you look at the broader conversation around refugee employment, there's often a lot of talk about 'unlocking potential,' but the structures to actually do that are rare. Hilton built a system where a displaced person can come in with nothing recognized on paper and, within a few years, be managing a team. That's not charity — that's smart talent management. Luna: And I love that you said 'talent management,' because that's the reframe. These are people with skills and experience; they've just been disrupted by circumstance. Lucas: Exactly. And the business case is there. Hilton's own data shows that refugee hires have lower turnover than the overall workforce, and guest satisfaction scores at properties that participate are equal to or higher than others. So this is one of those rare diversity initiatives where the numbers actually support the moral imperative. Luna: That's a great place to bring in a bit of context. If our listeners have been following along with episodes on other companies building inclusive career ladders — like the one we did on Salesforce or the one on Aetna — this Hilton model actually feels like a template that could be adapted across industries. Lucas: Totally. And I think the key is that Hilton didn't treat this as a side project. They made it part of their core talent strategy, with metrics, accountability, and a budget. That's the difference between a program that exists on paper and one that changes lives. Luna: If today's episode gave you a concrete idea for your own workplace — maybe you're in HR, or you're a manager thinking about how to diversify your team — then we've done our job. And if you found this genuinely useful, the way we keep these conversations ad-free is listener support. You can buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, if that's something you're into. Lucas: Yeah, it's a small gesture that goes a long way in keeping this show going. No pressure, but we appreciate it. Luna: Now, one thing I'm curious about — what's the biggest obstacle Hilton still faces in scaling this? Because a thousand hires is great, but they've committed to ten thousand by 2028. That's a big jump. Lucas: The biggest challenge is probably the patchwork of work authorization rules. In the US, asylum seekers have to wait 180 days before they can apply for a work permit, and that backlog can stretch to over a year. So Hilton can't always hire someone on the timeline they'd like. That's a policy issue that no single company can solve, but they're part of a coalition lobbying for faster work authorization for refugees. Luna: So it's not just about the company's internal efforts — it's also about advocacy. That's a bigger conversation than most corporate diversity programs are willing to have. Lucas: Right. And I think that's part of why Hilton's approach feels more genuine. They're not just hiring refugees; they're also using their lobby to push for systemic change that would make hiring refugees easier for everyone. That's the kind of leadership that moves the needle beyond one company's walls. Luna: I also wonder about the mental health component. Many refugees have experienced trauma, and the hospitality industry is high-stress itself. How does Hilton address that? Lucas: Good point. They've partnered with organizations like the International Rescue Committee to provide mental health resources, and they train managers to recognize signs of trauma-related stress. They also have flexible leave policies that can accommodate unexpected immigration appointments or family emergencies. It's not perfect, but they're acknowledging that these employees may need extra support beyond the first 90 days. Luna: That's more than most employers do. So what would you say is the single most transferable piece of this model for a small business that wants to hire refugees? Lucas: I'd say start with a partnership. You don't need a GM toolkit or a global network — you need one local resettlement agency that can refer candidates and provide ongoing case management. Then assign a 'buddy' from your existing team, and be flexible about initial job responsibilities. That's the core: a welcoming environment where someone can learn the ropes without being set up to fail. Luna: And that's something any business can do, regardless of size. Lucas: Absolutely. And I'd love to see more companies adopt that mindset. Because at the end of the day, a career ladder isn't just about moving up — it's about having a ladder to begin with. Hilton gave that to a thousand people, and that's a thousand stories that could be told. Luna: Well, that's a fitting place to end. Thanks for listening, everyone — we'll be back with another episode next week. Lucas: Until then, keep building careers that include everyone.