The hospitality industry is one of the most affected by the great resignation. With people losing their jobs and businesses closing, it has become increasingly difficult to retain talent in this field. However, with the right strategies in place, you can keep your best employees from leaving. In this blog post, we will discuss the ten tips for retaining talent in the hospitality industry!
Number one:
Be clear about what you expect from your employees. When hospitality businesses are in a good place, they can tend to be a bit lax in their expectations. However, during tough times like these, it is important to be clear about what you need from your team. This will help them understand what they need to do to keep their jobs and give them a sense of purpose. Having a good balance between being strict with expectations and being reasonable is very important.
Number two:
Communicate regularly with your team. During tough times, communication is key. Make sure you are regularly checking in with your employees and letting them know what is going on within the company. This will help them feel informed and involved and let them know that you value their input.
Bonus Tip: Show your employees that you care about their personal lives. Working for someone who has compassion for what one might have gone on at home is a little-known secret of the best management team members!
Number three:
Offer training and development opportunities. Even though times are tough, it is important to invest in your employees. Offer training and development opportunities so they can learn new skills and grow within the company. This will show them that you are committed to their success, even in difficult times. There are many free pieces of training online and if you want to go the extra mile you can send members of your team off to hospitality classes and cover the costs.
Number four:
Be flexible with working hours. One of the biggest complaints employees have is inflexible working hours. In the hospitality industry, this is especially true since many businesses are open late or on weekends. It is important to be flexible with your team’s schedules so they can balance work and life commitments. As stated above having an idea of what is going on in your employees’ personal lives can help make it easier to give the work-life balance they might need.
Number five:
Show appreciation for your employees’ hard work. It can be easy to take your team for granted during good times, but during tough times it is important to show your appreciation for their hard work. This can be done in several ways, such as offering bonuses, company-wide recognition, or simply saying “thank you.” You might be surprised how far just verbally expressing your gratitude for hard work will go.
Number six:
Offer competitive salaries and benefits. To retain talent, you need to offer competitive salaries and benefits. This is especially true in the hospitality industry where many employees are working long hours for relatively low pay. By offering competitive salaries and benefits, you will show your employees that you value their contributions and want to keep them happy. You can find out the most recent industry salary guide here.
Number seven:
Promote from within whenever possible. Hospitality businesses often rely heavily on new hires from outside the company. However, it is important to promote from within whenever possible. This will give your current employees a sense of security and show them that there is an opportunity for growth within the company. You may even want to bring in an external headhunter to help you re-interview your internal candidates when you are thinking about promoting from within. Sometimes it helps to bring a fresh perspective in if you are questioning your decision to promote from within.
Number eight:
Be patient during the hiring process. It can be tempting to hire the first person who comes along. However, it is important to be patient during the hiring process and take the time to find the right candidate. By being patient, you will ensure that you are hiring someone who is a good fit for your company and is committed to staying with you long-term. A hospitality headhunter can help you find employees that will be more likely to be retained in the long term.
Number nine:
Reward employee loyalty. Set up programs that reward your employees for being brand champions. If your employees are promoting, you on social media or referring new employees make sure you reward them. Something as simple as an extra day off or a gift card can go a long way!
Number ten:
Keep your employees informed. The final tip for retaining talent in the hospitality industry is to keep your employees informed. This can be done in several ways, such as through regular communication, newsletters, or even social media. By keeping your employees informed on industry news it will help them understand management decisions that may need to be made to accommodate the market.
These are just some of the tips for retaining talent in the hospitality industry during the great resignation. By following these tips, you can ensure that you have a happy and productive team that is committed to helping your business succeed. Thanks for reading!
Kelly Kuhlmann is Founder and Chief Recruiting Partner of Hospitality Headhunter. Kelly has over 30 years in the Restaurant and Hospitality Industry at all levels, and has been one of the Largest Restaurant Franchisees in the United States.