Employees who want to stay:

Hamburg, 1st May 2026

Twenty-five years in the profession, all spent at the same hotel: Askin Kartal and Pile Mandic are celebrating their 25th work anniversary at Hotel Hafen Hamburg this year. Pile Mandic even completed his apprenticeship at the hotel after starting his career there as a bellboy. As Night Auditors, they ensure everything runs smoothly while Hamburg sleeps, and both remain enthusiastic about their employer. Askin Kartal sums it up perfectly: “Hotel Hafen Hamburg is more than just a workplace to me – it’s a second home. When you still enjoy going to work every day after 25 years, you know you’re in the right place.”

Spending 25 years at the same hotel is a rarity in the hospitality industry. Staff turnover rates in the sector range from approximately 60 to 70 percent. At a turnover rate of 70 percent, a hotel’s workforce is effectively replaced within just one and a half years. This creates constant friction within operations, generates significant costs, and means that loyal guests often stop seeing familiar faces after only two years.

Numerous Benefits and a New Mental Health Coaching Program

So what can hotels do – or rather, what has already been done in Hamburg? Hotel Hafen Hamburg and Empire Riverside Hotel have implemented a range of initiatives designed to encourage employees to stay. The newest benefit focuses on the increasingly important topic of mental health. There are good reasons for this: hotel employees face considerable workloads and emotional pressure. They are expected to remain friendly at all times, resolve complaints and conflicts, and be constantly available to guests. When personal challenges are added to these demands, stress levels can increase significantly.

Both hotels now collaborate with the Fürstenberg Institute, a long-standing expert in workplace mental health. Through the institute’s Mental Health Coaching program, employees can receive free and confidential guidance from experienced coaches without involving their employer. The service covers not only work-related matters but also personal issues, including mental and physical health, family and relationship concerns, addiction, and even debt counselling.

Yasmin Cohen, Head of Human Resources, explains: “With this program, we want to strengthen a supportive workplace culture. The mental health and well-being of every individual make a significant difference for everyone involved – for the employees themselves, for teams, and for the company as a whole. It is an important contribution to a sustainable and resilient corporate culture.”

Corporate Culture Makes the Difference

The new initiative complements a range of attractive benefits that have long been standard at both waterfront hotels. Employees enjoy complimentary meals in the staff restaurants throughout the day, from breakfast to dinner, as well as birthday and Christmas gifts and a free massage every second month. Financial incentives include a monthly €50 contribution to occupational pension plans, a 50 percent Sunday bonus, and a 100 percent public holiday bonus.

Enrico Ungermann, Director of Hotel Hafen Hamburg and Empire Riverside Hotel, understands the value of loyal employees: “Finding staff has been particularly challenging in our industry since the pandemic, but retaining them is just as demanding. In Hamburg, we consider an appreciative corporate culture, well-planned internal processes, and clear HR policies to be essential foundations of everyday work. We complement these with both major and minor incentives – benefits that are genuinely relevant to employees and support their everyday lives. We want not only our guests to enjoy spending time with us, but also the people who keep our operations running successfully every day.”

Pile Mandic and Askin Kartal are two examples of such employees. Both value the positive working atmosphere, the sense of community, and the team spirit they experience every day.

Pile Mandic says: “No matter what position someone holds, people treat each other with respect here. And I will remain loyal to the hotel for as long as I am needed.”

Press Contact:
Katja Derow | redroses communications GmbH | k.derow@redroses-pr.com | 0162 – 43 11 376