One of the largest problems in the hospitality industry is keeping staff members engaged and committed. With some of the highest turnover rates of any industry, it is important that your guest-facing staff stay at the top of their game. While seasonal staff can pose the largest risk for subpar efforts, full-time employees sometimes need reminders as well.
“One of the largest challenges I face is making sure our staff maintains the high level of service we’ve established. The frustration comes from certain staff not completing things well or correctly. It is as though they lose motivation.” -Director of Rooms, Hilton
How can we motivate season staff and reinvigorate our full-time employees to work harder?
We have to make them care.
Your staff members, both season and full time, are vital pieces to your organization and to your guests’ experience. Make sure they understand their role within the organization, be clear with expectations, and tell them how valuable their efforts will be to the entire operation. The each have critical roles to play in creating a welcoming, hospitable environment. Let then know that the organization would not be able to survive without their efforts. If you want the greatest effort from your employees, make sure they know how valuable and appreciated they are.
While most organizations will have benefits for their employees, many times the season staff will miss out on these perks. This does not mean that they need to be forgotten! Offering incentives for hard work is a fantastic motivator for team members, full-time or seasonal. Look for creative ways to show recognition for people’s efforts and then reward them. Whether it’s taking an late night shift, covering for another staff member, or going above their normal duties, recognize their efforts and incentivize them to do it more. Large rewards aren’t necessary, it can be small things like a Starbucks gift cards or a room discount. Look for ways to provide incentives for staff that does their job with excellence.
If you want to get the best effort out of someone, make sure they have a great example set for them. Season staff can often slip between the cracks with training and expectations. Develop new staff members’ skills by having them work with a seasoned veteran. If you want them to have great habits, have someone with great habits teach and train them. This will ensure they are instilled with the high levels of standards that is expected. This also has the added benefit of reducing animosity between full-time and season staff by putting them on the same team.
Everyone like to feel involved in the operations. When you show someone how their role fits into the larger picture it creates a sense of pride for the work that they do. They will realize that their efforts are an integral part of the entire operation. Involving them will become a two way street of information. Now you have the added bonus of hearing a fresh perspective on your operations. Many times we can be too close to a problem to see easy solutions. By involving your seasonal and full-time employees more, it raises their level of engagement.
It can be easy to forget season staff’s names or seem arbitrary since they are not going to be there long. However, the amount of time spent getting to know them, will directly translate to the amount of effort they put into their work. Invest a small about of time to really speak with them and understand their motivations. If they feel valued, appreciated, and cared about they are much more likely to put in the extra effort. This can apply to all employees, not just seasonal staff. Ultimately, the more you care about them, the more they will care about their role. This directly leads to increased engagement and harder working employees.