Hospitality: Why Is It So Challenging to Retain Employees?
In the past year, the hospitality industry has seen an increase in staff turnover, with 8.3% of staff choosing to leave the industry – which is the highest it has been since the pandemic struck in March 2020. So, why are hospitality employees leaving their positions? In this blog, we delve into the impact of the cost of living crisis, poor workplace conditions and tips on how businesses can retain existing employees and attract new talent.
Why are staff leaving the hospitality sector?
Due to the cost of living crisis, jobs in the hospitality sector are becoming increasingly unstable. Customers are becoming wary of overspending and cutting back spending on food and drinks. This decrease in customers can have a knock-on effect, with hospitality businesses reducing hours and therefore providing less income for their employees, resulting in employees leaving for a more sustainable job, or ne with more attractive benefits. In order to retain your hospitality staff, you need to ensure their needs are met.
Steps to improving employee retention in the hospitality industry
Employees intend to stay with their employer more when their needs are addressed, particularly in inclusion, diversity, sustainability and reskilling. Here are a few tips for hospitality businesses to follow to help improve employee retention:
Offering flexibility
The demand for flexible working has never been higher. Employees may have other commitments that take up their time so they need flexible hours. For example, they might have children or relatives to care for or they might be studying. Flexible working can not only reduce absence rates in workers, it can also lead to higher levels of employee satisfaction.
Promoting employee wellbeing
Conversations around employee wellbeing (both physical and mental) are at the forefront of many people’s minds. However, knowing where to begin with supporting your employees can be tricky. Whilst it is tempting to stick to how things have always been done, opening up a dialogue between employees and employers about how they can be better supported could be a way of increasing employee satisfaction and making sure they’re happy in the workplace.
Harnessing technology
Technology could help support your employees. There are opportunities to streamline processes for areas such as training, communication and scheduling. Why not see what new technology is out there and how it can increase not only efficiency but also employee satisfaction?
Offering incentives
Sometimes a little can go a long way. Small changes such as providing free meals during working hours or increased discounts for family members, can demonstrate to your employees that you value them and help to make them feel rewarded in their roles.
Investing in training and development
Providing extra training and development opportunities for your employees will not only result in a more highly-skilled workforce, but also an increase in loyalty to your business as you are willing to invest in your employees.
