Retention Strategies in the Hospitality Industry

The COVID-19 Pandemic has greatly influenced many aspects of our everyday lives, including our daily work habits and routines.  Many businesses in the hospitality industry have been experiencing ongoing employee retention issues since the start of the pandemic.  This combined with low applications coming in, hospitality professionals leaving the industry and many other factors have left businesses struggling to stay open.  You must therefore retain your top talent longer, and stronger than ever before!

Employee retention strategies are crucial for the survival of a business, particularly in this current climate.  Having a plan for retaining employees will allow a business to focus on their daily operations and long-term success, without the distraction of worrying about staffing levels during peak times.

Here are the proven strategies that we help businesses improve and implement and take to the next level, to create an amazing place to work and environment that fosters high-performing engaged workers.

• Hiring the right people:
  • Hiring employees that are right for the job will allow owners to focus on the growth of their business, and not spend valuable time on replacing staff due to constant HR churn.  Take the time to vet the potential candidate for more than just skill-fit, but also fitting in culturally and having the right attitude for the business, owners, managers and team!
• Building a great culture
  • Building a culture that is welcoming and provides a positive experience for employees will result in greater employee satisfaction. A positive employee work experience will result in staff loyalty and reduce staff turnover.  How often do you recognize and reward your team? If you do not have a formal program – y0u are too late and better get one going as soon as possible!
• Staff events
  • Staff events provide a reward and recognition for your team, but more importantly provide connections between your team members.  Their bond is more important now than ever.  People aren’t leaving jobs for more pay – they are leaving because they do not feel the connection to something bigger.  Being connected to their leaders and their team can keep them happy with their work and role longer.
  • Work hard, play hard – if it’s all about work and results, your team will quickly not be there any more.
• Creating mentorships within your team
  • Having senior staff mentor less experienced staff is a great way to acknowledge the wealth of knowledge that a senior staffer has accumulated within the industry, and also provides them with an opportunity to demonstrate leadership capabilities.
  • Mentorship programs, especially during training – keep new employees connected to the long term goals of the company and to their commitment of being hired longterm
• Leading with integrity, trust, and respect
  • Demonstrating desirable and positive behaviors in daily business interactions will show your employees that you recognize their contributions to the growth and success of your business. Treating employees as critical members of the team means that they are treated as valued professionals, and further contributes to an employee’s sense of well-being and loyalty.
• Paint a clear path to the future for every employee
  • Whether developing in role, developing skills to benefit their future employment or potential to grow within the company – y0u want to ensure that each top talent employee knows their is a path to something more, and to strive to!

There are a number of other strategies that would contribute to a stable staff environment, including developing career plans for employees, allowing long-term employees to benefit from business profits, or offering a form of medical and dental benefits.  Implementing one or more of these strategies will contribute to greater employee retention, and reduce costs associated with the recruitment and hiring of staff.

Call us today for a free consultation to learn more about how our services can help you implement employee retention and new employee attraction strategies!  Hospitalityconsulting.co