The hospitality industry often throws up a conundrum – one of the principal roles of hospitality employees is to make guests feel happy, comfortable and at home, while also being a sector which often involves high staff turnover, low wages and large numbers of seasonal staff.
The good news is that here in the UK, we do quite well. A 2022 survey by Raydiant has reported that 62.5% of employees reported high engagement in 2022, and 69.3% said their engagement was up compared to the previous year. By January 2024, a survey by Culture Amp showed 71% of hospitality employees as being engaged in their roles, putting the sector slightly above average compared to other industries.
But all businesses need to strive to be the best they can be – and one way to do this is through creating a positive working environment. During the peak summer season, when everyone is rushed off their feet, it is more important than ever – and it is vital to get ahead of the game to boost your bottom line.
At Rezcontrol, we provide a PMS which is designed to enable you to simplify processes and streamline operations through every element of your business. It’s up to you to take it to the next level by finding and keeping the best staff.
Cooperate – recognise – listen
It sounds obvious, but these are areas where organisations of all kinds let themselves down. By setting up a culture where cooperation, recognition and a willingness to listen are part of daily life, team members will automatically feel more engaged and valued.
This can include managers being visibly willing to roll their sleeves up; taking a moment to celebrate both the contributions of others and positive guest feedback in your daily team meetings, and always being willing to open the floor to staff views without judgment or prejudice.
A positive work culture can help your hotel outshine the competition
There are many ways to boost morale. You could offer a monthly service excellence award, or host a monthly quarterly staff appreciation event – it is so easy to ignore these incentives, but they can make a real difference to your team’s level of engagement.
Some of the areas where implementing a positive culture – which is best undertaken as policy, not left to chance – are:
- Work/life balance
Offer flexible schedules and breaks where possible. You can also provide access to your wellness resources, such as a pool, gym or spa.
- Communication
Encourage positive communication, where people can express their thoughts and needs directly without being judged or in fear of blame. This can help build mutual respect and understanding. Also, communicate often with employees to keep them feeling connected and informed.
- Training and development
Job rotation, cross-training and development opportunities are especially useful to keep staff engaged and motivated.
- Leadership
Effective leaders inspire and guide their teams, and lead by example. They should be accessible and transparent.
- Collaboration
Foster a culture of teamwork and support, where people can share ideas and solve problems together. This can help build trust and rapport, and address issues quickly.
- Adaptability
In the hospitality industry, which is characterised by constant change, adaptability is a key success factor. A healthy work environment can help employees bounce back and keep going.
Combine best HR practice with the best PMS for your hotel
The other area where hotel management can make a difference in terms of staffing practice is with best use of technology. Far from being a threat to jobs, hotel management technology can be used to both empower staff and make better, and more interesting use of their time.
As Jacqui Bartels, Director of the PS91 Group of four inns in the Cotswolds said:
“Rezcontrol’s training, onboarding and support is excellent. You are simply the best at what you do and it makes a real difference to our teams!”
A good PMS will save hours of staff time on admin, whether this means adjusting pricing and rate management manually, generating invoices, tallying room and restaurant bills, redeeming vouchers, coordinating housekeeping, checking in guests or sending out personalised reminder and guest offer emails.
If all these functions are automated, your staff can rest assured that the details are being taken care of with accuracy and professionalism in the background, so they can spend more time actively engaging with guests – providing the personalised level of service you want your hotel to be remembered for.
If you combine the best use of technology with staffing best practice, you will soon start to reap the rewards.
Not a customer? Call us on +44 (0)330 223 1456 or email sales@rezcontrol.com – or contact us for a demo.