For many hotel managers, hiring employees is a task they put far too little effort into conducting properly. They leave it up to HR to gather and go through the first wave of applicants, then more or less just go through the motions when they are interviewing, especially with entry-level employees. That approach is backed up by national numbers that tell us turnover in the hospitality industry is almost double the national average for all types of jobs.
There are going to be bad hires but having a mass exodus and constant turnover in your department is something that can be avoided with a different approach to hiring. Remember, between training and uniforms, every new employee costs the company thousands of dollars, so improving your hiring process is also a way to make your department more profitable. Point being, regardless of the position, the hiring process is something that needs to be taken very seriously.
Respect
It all starts with respect. It is understandable how a kid coming fresh out of college may feel as though he or she is “better” than someone coming in for a dishwashing job, but rest assured, you are not. This industry is packed with individuals holding upper level management jobs that literally started from the ground up. Take yourself down off that pedestal and realize this is another human being sitting in front of you. He or she may not have had the opportunity to get the same education as you or her or she may be working their way through school. Either way, respect the person sitting in front of you.
Learn About the Person
Most successful people in the hospitality industry would say this industry is a calling. That being the case, before hiring anyone, take the time to get to know them as a person. There is no computer program or questionnaire from HR that can tell you if that right individual is sitting there in front of you. Our industry, above all else, involves a caring and helpful attitude, hence the name hospitality industry. You are actually going to have to take the time to have a meaningful conversation with a potential hire to find out if they have that trait or not.
Right Attitude
NEVER, and I mean NEVER hire someone that has a demeaning attitude towards the position they are being hired for. Note, that is different from saying the position they are applying for is a stop gap until they can move up the food chain. For instance, someone that is applying for a position as a banquet houseman because he wants to learn the basics about room sets is far different from someone that is taking the job until something better comes along. If the person is not comfortable in their role, they are not the right person for the job.
Can They Do the Job?
The physical nature of the job is something that also has to be looked at when you are hiring a new employee. For instance, housekeepers are on their feet, bending, scrubbing, etc. for eight hours a day. If the candidate has back problems, how can he or she do the job without incident or the risk of going on out on injury? If a person has a problem carrying heavy items, how can he or she be a waiter in banquets, where they are expected to carry trays weighing 20 or more pounds regularly?
As an example, when I was working as a restaurant manager, part of the hiring process was setting up plates in the kitchen and having the server walk them into the dining room. At that particular restaurant, we did not use trays, so the server had to know how to arm carry and place without losing a dish. You simply cannot take someone’s word for what they can and cannot do. You need to see it.
It may seem like a “bother” to take extra time to hire positions at the bottom of the pay scale, but these are often the employees that make or break your position. Let me put it this way, if your assistant manager quits tomorrow, the operation may be stressed, but it will likely be able to carry on with you or someone else covering the shifts. If your housemen leave, the operation comes to a grinding halt. Even more telling, if the employees responsible for setting rooms, delivering food, and cleaning guest rooms are making so many mistakes that you are comping event checks or guest rooms, how costly is that bad hire?
The bottom line here is that EVERY position in the hotel serves a purpose, regardless of the title. So, take the right approach and in addition to finding the right people for those positions, you will also be helping the overall operation by cutting down turnover and delivering better and more consistent service to your guests.
Have you made a bad management hire at your property? Do you need better executive level managers to provide the expected level of service to the guests and the proper training to your employees? Joseph David International has been successfully placing managers in the hospitality industry for more than a decade because we do more than just find candidates… we find the ideal professionals for your specific property or operation. For more information about our hotel recruiting services, click here.
Photo By stokkete