Lets face it, turnover is a massive burden on any organization. The hospitality industry, especially has notoriously difficult issues with staff retention.
While turnover is a costly experience, most organization just accept it as the cost of doing business. Why? The reasons can vary and many times it is a combination of factors that lead to staff departure. ‘Why?’ is a great question to ask, however, the better question is “How?’
How can we retain our great staff?
How can we prevent employee burnout?
How can we find better candidates to hire?
How can we make our staff members want to stay?
How can we make our organization to different we have turn away applicants?
When dealing with turnover, most organizations tell themselves little phrases to justify their losses:
Its always hard to find good people. This has always been a problem in our industry. No one is committed to their work anymore. There’s no loyalty. This generation is flakey. Thats just the way things are. etc.
These are just justifications for being mediocre. Your staff is complacent because you allow them to be, or worse because your management leads them to be! When it comes to your guests experience and your staff’s working environment, you should accept nothing but excellence!
Yes, the average hotel, restaurant, or hospitality focused organization has a +31% turnover rate. Yes, committed staff members are hard to find.
These are the norms, the averages. Do you want an average organization? Of course not! You need to be reaching for the extraordinary! Create an environment thats is the exception to the rule!
To accomplish this, we have to change the fundamental elements that go into hiring, on boarding, training, and establishing the organization’s culture.
Work to develop a team spirit. Don’t allow cliques.
When sharing with staff strive to inform, discuss, listen, and address through a dialogue. Don’t make demands, edicts,
Encourage humor and individuality. Don’t stifle employee individuality or promote stoic demeanor.
Help you entire team become passionate about creating great guest experiences from every level. Make them feel personally invested in creating a fantastic culture or fun and service. Do this and your staff will want to remain there forever!
You either have an enthusiastic staff or a mediocre business.