Hospitality is the largest sector in the UK, with hotels, bars and restaurants. While it’s always been a popular source of employment, it records the highest turnover rates. According to the YouGov report, the annual hospitality staff turnover rate is 30%.

The pandemic exacerbated the situation and increased the shortage of hospitality staff. Currently, the UK faces an acute shortage of 188,000 workers in the industry. Nearly half of the jobs lost were in hospitality, but many workers did not return to work after the reopening.

The uncertainty surrounding the sector increases the reluctance of people to join the industry. Businesses are finding it hard to attract and retain team members. How can you attract hospitality staff in the current state of the industry?

How to Attract and Retain Hospitality Staff

Even before Brexit and pandemic problems, the retention rate in the industry was worrying. Perhaps the pandemic provides a unique opportunity for hospitality businesses to rebuild their work cultures and operations. If you create a place that people want to go to, it can lower the turnover rates. But how?

Prioritise people who lost their jobs

When you want to expand your team, the best starting point is to list the employees you let go – offering them the position before advertising shows your appreciation for their skills. If you show them that they are an important part of your team, it creates an atmosphere of being valued. It’s good for retaining staff, and when word gets around, you will receive more applications in your next hiring phase.

Establish expectations

If you don’t establish expectations during the hiring process, a dissatisfied worker will leave within a few months. When filling a position that involves working weekends, don’t sugar coat it with ‘occasional weekends’; 69% of workers leave due to unsociable working hours. An employee should be certain of their suitability for the role.

Most employees abandon hospitality jobs due to burnout. You can introduce policies that limit the hours per shift or days an employee should work in a row. Such policies have positive effects on your company culture.

Personal development plans

According to the YouGov report, 42% of employees are less likely to leave roles with better career prospects, and 62% of workers in hospitality expect a long-term career in the sector. The low benefits and lack of career growth push them away. You need to communicate with your hospitality staff and provide training opportunities.

Workshops that improve their skills, like training on using hospitality POS systems, improve retention. Alternatively, introduce online software to help them upskill.

Give teams high fives

Employers in the hospitality industry are fighting for good team members. However, they don’t create a positive work culture to boost retention. Workers need to know they are adding value to your business.

Encouraging your hospitality staff by celebrating even small wins builds a culture that promotes a sense of accomplishment. When you give your workers a thumbs up, you turn them into advocates. You won’t have a problem hiring and retaining workers.

Conclusion

Keeping your workers happy promotes customer satisfaction. They will serve your customers better and grow your business exponentially. You will also have advocates for your business and lower turnover rates. The happier staff is, the more productive they’ll be.

If you are looking for integrated software solutions to support your hospitality staff needs, we are here to help. Call us at 1800 778 340 or email [email protected].