IHF Quality Employer Programme

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The Irish Hotels Federation’s Quality Employer Programme provides member hotels and guesthouses with the tools and resources to enhance their HR practices and excel in people development. QEP Certification recognises workplaces that demonstrate excellence in their employment practices, promoting their commitment to operating as a Quality Employer.
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The QEP Pillars

The Quality Employer Programme is designed to assist hotels and guesthouses in achieving excellence across six key pillars:

1
Onboarding, retention & performance management
Focus on induction / onboarding of new team members, retention in the organisation and the management of individual team members’ performance
2
Health, wellbeing & work-life balance
Focus on areas such as physical health, mental health, healthy eating, work-life balance & absence management
3
Leadership
Achieving Leadership excellence. Focus on the culture of the hotel / guesthouse, performance and people
4
Diversity, Equality, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) 
Focus on areas such as welcoming multi-cultural backgrounds, creating impartial, fair and equal possible outcomes, creating a shared sense of equity in the workplace
5
Training, learning and development
Focus on commitment to providing opportunities and resources to support professional development and career growth & foster a culture of learning and development
6
Rewards, benefits & recognition
Focus on how we reward team members, what benefits we offer and how we recognise them in the workplace for their performance to retain team members and increase both productivity and motivation

Hotels and guesthouses are eligible to achieve three levels of certification

  • Completion of the first two pillars: QEP Certification
  • Completion of four pillars: Advanced Level QEP Certification
  • Completion of six pillars: Expert Level QEP Certification
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Hotel News

National Accommodation Appreciation Day: the heart of every stay

Monday, 5th October 2026

A lovely gesture from The Rose Hotel in Tralee, treating their Accommodation Team to breakfast for Accommodation Appreciation Day. Their work behind the scenes is what makes guests feel comfortable and at home, and it deserves every bit of recognition. Read more on LinkedIn
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Unsung heroes of hospitality on National Accommodation Appreciation Day

Monday, 5th October 2026

Lovely to see Kilronan Castle Estate & Spa celebrating their Accommodation Team today on National Accommodation Appreciation Day 2026.  So much of a guest’s stay rests on their care and attention to detail, often unseen but always felt. Read more on LinkedIn
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Community Spirit Shines at Alzheimer’s Memory Walk

Thursday, 1st October 2026

A wonderful example of community spirit at the recent Alzheimer’s Memory Walk at the Slieve Russell Hotel. It was fantastic to see the hotel team, Dementia Champions, volunteers, local businesses and members of the community come together to support such an important cause.  Read more on LinkedIn
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