In the hospitality industry, we are always trying to figure out ways to get more out of our staff. This can be especially true this time of year when short-staffing is common and employees are not exactly thrilled to be at work. Changing up just a few practices, however, can help improve both production and morale among your staff.
#1 – Provide the Best Possible Tools
During my time as a banquet manager working for Hilton, I took a survey among my housemen and servers to find out what would make their jobs more enjoyable. Shockingly, better pay was not at the top of the list. Make no mistake… it was always mentioned, but when I added up the scores, it was actually in the middle of the pack. At the top of the list… better equipment.
When I first took over the operation, we had broken chair carts, staging with no wheels, and busted podiums. As far as the servers were concerned, we did not have enough skirts and clips for tables, and we were notoriously short of trays and tray jacks. One of the first things I did was petition my F&B for more equipment and while we did not get it all right away, when the staff started to see a steady influx of new and working equipment, it changed everything. Point being, if your staff in any department does not have the tools to do their job correctly, how can you expect anything but failure?
#2 – Invest in Technology
In this day and age, I am amazed to walk into properties with staff still using walkie-talkies to communicate. Instead of buying obsolete radios with a limited range, why not invest in smartphones to be used by staff when they are on property. Sure, there might be some abuse, but look at the upside…
A guest comes to a staff member needing information about a local restaurant and now that staff member can pull up the profile on Yelp if they are not familiar with it. The examples on this front are endless. The staff will also be able to take pictures ranging from setups to damaged equipment rather than relating the information and waiting for a manager to come and snap the picture with a camera or his or her phone.
When it comes to operations, the benefits of having a smartphone far outweigh the negative. Imagine you have a set change at the last minute. Rather than verbally giving the order or having the housemen come all the way back to the office, just snap a picture and send it to their phone. We can go on and on here, but I am sure you get the idea by now.
#3 – Encourage Days Off and Breaks
If your staff is rundown, they will not be productive. I don’t care if they are a front desk agent, a housekeeper, or a salesperson… too much work and no rest will burn them out. Some overtime is fine and there will, of course, be days when breaks are limited, but overall, this needs to be an exception, not the rule.
Make sure your staff is able to take their lunch every day, without exception, even if you must stagger them and jump in to help while it happens. Make sure they get their days off as well because they are going to need them to recharge. If you run them for 10 or 12 days straight and they come in looking ragged with a dirty uniform, who do you really think is to blame for the fact they did not get any sleep or did not have time to clean their uniform? Take care of your staff and trust me, they will take care of you.
Are you unhappy with the awareness levels of your managers? Are they treating your staff fairly and ensuring your staff has the proper equipment to do their job? If not, it may be time to call a hotel recruiter like JDI for help. We not only find managers, but we also work hard to find the ideal fit for both the candidate and the client to ensure the greatest chance of success. For more information about our hospitality recruiting services, please click here.