'A' Team or Die: Preparing for Battle

As the sector hit hardest by Covid 19 starts to rally its bruised and battered troops to create some form of ‘hospitality’ experience, I reflect on what has changed in terms of what we need from our people.

The reality is maybe we have one chance now. Each team, one opportunity to get it right. If our guests see fear, see inexperience, see uncertainty they may well not return. Has our role developed into delivering so much more than simply ‘hospitality’?

If I’m right on this, we are now to assume that every customer is venturing out from their homes for the very first time. That is how we must act. It is our duty to consider their internal fear is troublesome and it’s our responsibility to dissipate it. For what it is worth, I am positive that if every bar tender, every server, host, door team and food runner do their absolute best to make people feel safe, our industry will, one day, return to its glory days.

One of the toughest calls that our General Managers face is who they bring back. Who makes up their ‘A’ Team? Who do they go into battle with? The sadness of who we must let go can’t cloud our judgement. Each General Manager must know that redundancies are beyond their control, yet what is within their control is choosing the best people to stand beside them and welcome back our guests.

At worst, this exercise is a ‘best guess’ scenario over who comes back first. At best, an analytic review that combines previous performance, measurable training scores, engagement (pre and during lockdown) and assessment of personality traits.

I’ve asked many General Managers what they look for when recruiting their best people. It’s the basis of every recruitment course I’ve ever run. Positivity, reliability, resilience, loyalty, initiative are all words that come out frequently. But what extra traits, if any, does the ‘new normal’ need from our people?

A wise man said to me this week that safety used to be a ‘reluctant necessity’ to our teams and it’s been rocketed to our biggest priority. That certainly brings compliance to the top of our desires. Mavericks stand aside, we need people who follow the rules right now.

Secondly let’s consider empathy. Let’s face it, this should have been at the top of everyone’s list when recruiting, but certainly based on many of my hospitality experiences it can’t have been. It is now non-negotiable. The ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is imperative.

Then there’s optimism. The journey ahead will be tough. Your ‘A’ team needs to weather the storm well. ‘No-no’s’ and ‘Nego’s’ will not cut the mustard.

How do you uncover these traits? Well, if there was to be a win here it’s that you know EXACTLY how your team has performed previously. That is your best indicator. When recruiting we are making our best guesses using interviewing, trialling and referencing to aid our investigations. People tend not to have dramatic changes in personality traits (unless global pandemics are the caveat) so all you need to do in theory, is ask yourself whether your team member displayed these qualities at work pre-lockdown – it’s the best guess you will ever have of predicting whether they will in the future.

So, in summary, the road ahead will be tough. I do not envy any General Manager preparing themselves for battle right now. But if I were to advise anyone on how they go about this gut-wrenching task, this is what I would suggest. You must ask yourself these questions about every member of your team:-

-       Do they want to come back?

-       Would you have chosen them for your ‘dream’ shift pre-lockdown?

-       Would they excel in any test about anything in your business right now? (H&S/menu/steps of service)

-       Do they exhibit the traits our ‘new style’ demands?

-       Do they have a higher purpose than getting paid?

All that remains is to wish you the best in preparing your site and your team for what waits ahead. Never before has every manager and every team member within our industry had such a vital role. A little ‘Marvel’ perhaps, but our futures may depend on you. The doctors and nurses of hospitality must now go forth and make safe.

Thank you and good luck!!