What's the best way to keep your hospitality team at its best?

The world of hospitality today has evolved quite dramatically since the Covid-19 pandemic. Keeping a staff motivated is not only more work than ever but also requires more empathy and transparency than previous generations. A culture of communication and patience is truly necessary to keep staff engaged and productive. With staff retention also becoming more of an issue, its advantageous to create an environment where staff can feel like they are a part of something.

I am a Fan of short and to the point Daily Briefings. Ideas and opinions always pop up. In those briefings I take the opportunity to recognize someone in the team or the entire team for any achievement or highlight that helped us as a team or as a company. Inviting someone that is not part of the team also is very helpfull to get a different perspective. Definetly the briefings for me are the best way to communicate what is going on with the company and with the team.

In my experience keeping a team at its best comes along with understanding the type of people on your team . An example of gen z and millennials are two examples of how different you need to understand them . This will help you as a Leader to know how to treat , talk , put yourself in their way of thinking. This creates good space for them to work and also to understand each other .

It is critical that you get to know your associates in a personal level, be empathetic, listen be kind. Lead as a team with specific common measurable goals.

Training and enacting workplace scenarios that might happen can give your staff the confidence they need to believe their efforts and contributions actually make a difference. This also creates a high standard of service among employees that will elevate your company's brand standards

Training and Development, Support , care for your team. Along with An effective reward program empowers and motivates your team

Training in hospitality extends beyond technical skills—it encompasses crucial soft skills often overlooked. Effective training is not a one-off event but an ongoing process to keep teams engaged and informed. Nurturing soft skills like communication and empathy is equally vital. These skills influence guest interactions, making them more meaningful. A team equipped with both technical and soft skills delivers a seamless and delightful customer experience. Continuous training, formal or informal, equips your team to adapt to evolving standards and technologies. It's about enabling them to make informed decisions, solve problems, and take initiative. It boosts their performance and enhances their job satisfaction and retention.

Invest in Ongoing Training: Provide continuous skill development and industry trend awareness to empower your team. Recognition and Rewards: Acknowledge exceptional performance with incentives and awards to boost morale. Open Communication: Foster an environment where team members can freely share ideas and feedback, facilitating growth. Work-Life Balance: Prioritize well-being by offering flexibility and resources, ensuring a rested and content team.

With Empowerment you are giving the authority for the employee to make decision especially to train them during critical time. Moreover this will allow you to grow by having more time to venture other scope as part of your personal development.

Perception matters. How you look and deal with your ground team. I believe appreciating them for their hard work with simple a thank you or some basic rewards will always boost their morale. They will get more focused in future because they know that the management is empowering them.

I find that a simple ‘thank you’ is a powerful way to express appreciation. But personalised messages recognise individual efforts, making team members feel valued. Certificates are tangible symbols of achievement. Incentives like performance-based bonuses or monetary rewards recognise exceptional performance. Team outings, lunches, or events acknowledges collective success, fostering a sense of camaraderie. Employee of the Month awards create healthy competition and give top performers the spotlight they deserve. Ultimately, it's about tailoring the recognition to suit individuals and teams, making them feel appreciated, respected, and motivated to continue delivering outstanding service.

As we live in era of technology where our dopamine levels frequently fluctuate with smart phones which has Swiss Army knife like features. We work in most multicultural working environments with individuals from different walks of life. It is fundamentally important that we frequently showcase a gratitude to our people in forms of recognitions, $ incentives and gratitude hence they may feel valued, motivated & take care of our customers. Cultivating an habit of gratefulness may be contagious and it may motivate rest of leadership team to showcase their gratitude . We humans are all emotional creatures. Giving and receiving gratitude builds a form bounding amongst each other as well as promotes a culture of excellence in workplace.

Acknowledge each and every contribution especially during brain storming sessions. This will eventually boost motivation as an important building block to create memorable experience for the customers and will trickle down to repeat business and loyalty.

By investing in the personal and professional development of each team member, they are more likely to excel in their roles. Additionally, recognizing and acknowledging the efforts and achievements of the team is crucial. A sense of appreciation and recognition not only boosts morale but also cultivates a strong sense of camaraderie and dedication among the team. Lastly, it is important to create a culture where open dialogue and feedback are encouraged. Allowing team members to express their concerns or suggestions freely cultivates an atmosphere of trust and collaboration, enabling the team to work towards the goal of providing exceptional hospitality.

Too often in hospitality, we ask employees to push themselves to their limits. There are times of year, the holiday season comes to mind, where that is unavoidable. However, running an understaffed establishment, pushing your best employees to work more, or even having shifts that are too long can lead to employee burnout. when your team is not at their best, they cannot provide your guests with the best possible experience. needs to be supported, and taken care of In a business where every little detail matters, your team needs to be supported and taken care of

We often forget that we ask those who work in hospitality to miss major holidays, celebrations and occasions with their families. It is important to encourage a healthy work life balance with yourself, and with your team. Recovery from burn out takes much longer than taking the time to take care of yourself and your staff.

Looking after your employees should be the number one priority. This can look like mental health days off or regular check ins. You can also implement smaller things to make them feel cared for such as share a wellness newsletter each month.

Leading by example is the best way to keep your team motivated and working toward a common goal. When your team sees you putting forth the same effort you are expecting from them, they will feel compelled to do the same. In hospitality, leading from the back is not the best way to keep moral high.

As a restaurant GM/DOC for 13 years, I cared very much about my team and we built a great environment. But I also worked far too many hours and did not prioritize my health enough. It was a badge of honor to say you worked an 80 hour week. My perspective now is that of a Functional Health Coach whose whole world is helping people find a healthier path. Now I look back on my restaurant days with a different point of view. So when thinking about how I would lead a team differently now, I have lots of thoughts! And the core idea would be to ensure my team is not sacrificing self- care. Regular days off are required for everyone. No shifts longer than 10 hours. A healthy “family meal” is served twice a day. What would you add?

"Would you teach me how to do this job?" This is a question I like to be asked, and I prefer it to "I know how to do what you asked me to do", and then the results are not adequate. Let us start with the fact that no one is born knowing everything, and no one will die without having the opportunity to learn something. Between those 2 points, there are endless opportunities to ask for help and learn a new skill! I believe that every manager must first and foremost grow a company's human capital. Without a team and a sense that each member can grow, a company can not move forward. "Of course, I would teach you, as long as you teach me what I do not know another time."

Leaders must proactively develop their teams, understanding each member's strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. A tailored growth plan addresses immediate skill gaps and sets the stage for long-term progress. It ensures team members are on a trajectory towards success. Nurturing talent is not just a buzzword—it's fundamental to success. Investing in team development and potential growth is an investment in the business's future. Fostering a proactive approach and encouraging cross-training are key strategies. Even if team members move on to another business eventually, supporting their growth is an investment that yields invaluable benefits, enriching the industry as a whole.

Growth is so important. Too often our existing hospitality employees are overlooked for opportunities for promotions & new team members are brought in. Goal setting is a great idea & implemented a buddy system within the team to help them feel supported & to be held accountable really makes a difference to the success to them achieving their goals.

The knowledge and practice of hospitality Quality Assurance can be an additional add on to keep hospitality team sharp and in shape; also it will help the business to gain returned customers and ROI. In another word, rather to only cut manning as cost, keeping quality high can also reduce unnecessary cost and help to gain revenue.

?? As we are more experience driven than ever, it’s critically important to retain and develop the team/ its people for any organization to obtain and maintain a competitive advantage. ??It’s most of the time, software of an organization; meaning it’s people, when hired, trained and developed to nurture an environment where the team may feel empowered and confident, then accordingly they may create an unique selling point for any hospitality establishments. ??We are much more motivated at the end of the day when we truly feel appreciated, valued and supported. ??well trained and motivate team members are better in increasing guest reputation scores and achieving higher revenues which has direct impact in any organization’s top line.

Creating an emotional connect with the team plays a big role. Most of the companies have very robust reward and recognition programs , however how you make the team feel special and really recognized using these tools makes the difference. Not every goal can be achieved just by showing the rule book, they will contribute effectively when they really feel belonged in that team. An effective leader who can connect with the team on an emotional level will see the team putting that additional effort just to see their leader win. They believe that the action and thoughts of their boss is centered around their well being and growth and eventually putting their team at the forefront.

An effective reward program empowers and motivates your team plus fosters a positive work environment in the following ways; - Motivation: It gives employees a tangible goal to work towards, boosting their motivation and engagement. - Recognition: Recognizing their efforts publicly shows that their hard work is valued. - Inclusivity: Including all staff levels creates a sense of equity and unity within the team.

One thing l've found helpful Keep employees interested *informed *involved *inspired Employees that are truly taken good care and appreciated are willing to go an extra mile.

Ignite your hospitality team's potential through consistent, positive challenges. Don't overwhelm, but offer stretch assignments, encourage cross-training, and celebrate creative solutions. Invest in regular learning opportunities – workshops, conferences – to keep them sharp. This fosters a growth mindset, keeps them engaged, and equips them to confidently handle new situations, ultimately building a team of well-rounded, adaptable hospitality professionals.

I believe happiness is the key to every good success at work. Give individuals enough room to explore their talents, do not ever suppress anyone's potential. Recognize their potentials and talents.