A Different Approach to Hospitality Staff Retention

Caroline Gleeson

3 minute read

High turnover rates continue to be a problem for businesses in the hospitality sector.

You have just hired and trained the perfect employee but after what seemed like no time, you have to do it again. That's a lot of time and money. What choices can you take to ensure you hire the best person for your business first time around and avoid star staff leaving in the first place.

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Take your time when hiring new staff

No matter what position you're looking to fill be sure to hire somebody that has the appropriate skills in that area. To be sure that your new hire will be a good fit for your company it can be a good idea to do panel based or multiple interviews with the current members of staff your new hire will be reporting into. This is also the best opportunity to get an idea of the interviewees long-term goals within your company.

Hire outside of the generic candidate pool

An interesting approach is to look beyond your usual go-to hire. Not all positions require a young fit, don't dismiss the older generation. Mature workers tend to be more skilled and value loyalty to their company. In fact, research shows that mature employees tend to be close to three times as loyal as younger employees.

“Older people often tend to be more stable and reliable employees. Some retailers, most notably in the U.S., are aggressive hirers of older workers. Walmart is an excellent example. This is a trend that will continue as more people retire from the workforce and then subsequently find they need a part-time job to sustain themselves throughout their retirement.”

Michael Baker, Retail Analyst

Have one-on-ones with your employees

To effectively combat staff turnover it is essential you get to the root of the issue. If it is an internal issue you can find out what it is from your current employees. Have one-on-one catch ups with them to see how they are doing and if they're having any issues.

They will really appreciate the time and care you have given. This is a sure way to increase employee satisfaction and engagement leading to a reduced turnover rate.If you don't have time for regular check-ins, a regular staff survey might be a viable option to have an idea of how staff are finding the workload and company culture.
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Hire strong leadership

Although it is of most importance to hire those with the appropriate skills for the job, it's also important to consider other soft skills when hiring somebody into a more senior role. If your employees are reporting to somebody who lacks empathy or leadership skills it will negatively affect both parties and ultimately your business will suffer.

It's a good idea to look for these traits when hiring however, leadership skills can be learned, so taking advantage of external help in the form of training can be of great benefit to your employees and your business.

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Learn the warning signs

It's very common in the hospitality sector for employees to feel tired and disengaged due to long working hours and challenging shifts. That's why it's encouraged to have a professional personal relationship with your employees so you can recognise the warning signs.

With an industry that is so people oriented it's vital that your employees are putting their best foot forward when engaging with customers. If you notice your employees are having an increasing number of 'off' days this is worrying. Disengaged behaviours need to be detected quickly before they damage your brand and staff turnover rate. Talk to them about what may be bothering them and see if a resolution can be reached.

Some examples of behaviours to watch out for are:

Expressing negative thoughts
Signs of exhaustion
“I don’t care” attitudes / Decreased productivity
Frequently missing work
Have become quiet or withdrawn

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Another way to help attract and retain top talent is with the help of a recruitment software. This is where Occupop comes in. Our easy-to-use platform will help you post accurate job descriptions across multiple channels, and our AI technology will help you source CVs and schedule interviews. With Occupop, you can save 4-5 hours a week and up to 75% of recruitment costs, so you can spend more time focusing on future and current employees--and decreasing your turnover rates.

Summary Points

Here are some of the ways to approach hospital staff retention differently:

Take your time when hiring new staff: To be sure that your new hire will be a good fit for your company it can be a good idea to do panel based or multiple interviews with the current members of staff your new hire will be reporting into.
Hire outside of your generic candidate pool: Not all positions require a young fit, don't dismiss the older generation. Mature workers tend to be more skilled and value loyalty to their company. In fact, research shows that mature employees tend to be close to three times as loyal as younger employees.
Carry out regular one-on-one's: To effectively combat staff turnover it is essential you get to the root of the issue. If it is an internal issue you can find out what it is from your current employees. Have one-on-one catch ups with them to see how they are doing and if they're having any issues.
Hire strong leadership: If your employees are reporting to somebody who lacks empathy or leadership skills it will negatively affect both parties and ultimately your business will suffer. It's a good idea to look for these traits when hiring however, leadership skills can be learned, so taking advantage of external help in the form of training can be of great benefit to your employees and your business.
Learn the warning signs: It's very common in the hospitality sector for employees to feel tired and disengaged due to long working hours and challenging shifts. That's why it's encouraged to have a professional personal relationship with your employees so you can recognise the warning signs.