Ode to Modern Hospitality

After reading a couple of recent articles in a local publication, one stating that hospitality should not be written off as a low skilled profession and one singling out bars who had failed a test that an investigation had set up, and all this got me to thinking. Mainly with us being one of the bars that failed, what is it that we are actually doing?

Is it the old cliché of we are not appreciated for what we do? After all hospitality is one of the biggest industries in this country, and if people were perhaps more exposed to what it is that we have to deal with, would this country be a better place?

If we are indeed labeled as a low skilled profession by many, a simple service sector role that people could do with a blind fold on and their hands tied behind their backs, then why is it that we have such a weight of expectation on our shoulders. Why is it, that when I conduct any induction with a new member of staff there are countless obligations that we have to go through before we even get them behind the bar?

In no particular order:

We are expected to Prevent, stop and spot counterfeit Identification and Currency

We are expected to stop people from getting drunk, despite that being the potential end result dependent on nominating factors of consuming alcohol, and relinquishing them of any responsibility with regards to it.

We are expected to Stop theft within our premises of all kinds, despite the current trend of lost property increase and carelessesness of the general public for their valuable belongings.

We are expected to Stop all kinds of drugs use through zero tolerance in venues that are too big to police effectively within current wage percentage constraints.

We are expected to protect the public in the event of a terrorist incident, with either invacuating or evacuating.

We are expected to prevent physical violence amongst our clientele and control their behaviours through limited intervention points. Then maintain any potential crime scene afterward and or administer any first aid necessary.

We are expected to prevent sexual abuse within our venues, or if something happened after a customer visited is then it can be traced back to us being a potential intervention point where we should have spotted the signs …

We are expected to protect all children from harm by enforcing the best age verification policies possible and not allowing individuals who are not of age into our premises or to consume anything within them.

We are expected to tolerate waves of abuse from the person that believes they are next when they are not. So many workplaces for example, post offices, banks, hospitals and offices all operate visible zero tolerance of abuse to staff. Why is it that these people cannot practice what they preach?

We are expected to look after those who have gotten themselves drunk, or seperated from friends and reunite them or offer them safe onward passsage to an agreed destination.

We are expected to ……...

…………………………….. I'm sure given a bit more consideration there are more things that we find ourselves doing, whether its fixing wobbly tables, the pool table not working right or the music's too loud, or this doesn't taste like it has any alcohol in it?

All of this comes with remembering what goes in a cocktail, what it is you actually just string ordered (with a Guinness at the end) or did they ask for sugar with that latte or not?

The burden of expectation weighs heavily on the shoulders of any inductee and then you upscale that to those in seniority. Key holder responsibilities, stock management, HR obligations, health and safety, licensing, management responsibilties and so so much more.

All the while the root cause of all these problems, the customer, who we cannot do without, suffers little or no responsibility or consequence to the preceding list.

We are a motivated, we are hard working, we are tireless and we are an inspired bunch who work days on end to provide the public with the best possible customer service and end product. Its a shame that sometimes it goes unappreciated, unnoticed and frowned upon as a career that you will move on from when you get a "Real Job" .

We can cope with a lot.

But Low-Skilled is an insult.