Unlocking Hidden Potential: Embracing Transferable Skills in Hospitality

This article is part of my “Touching Tables” newsletter series, where I explore and discuss insights from my journey in the hospitality industry. Today, we’ll delve into the untapped potential of transferable skills and how businesses are overlooking extraordinary talent.

The hospitality industry, in its many forms, is built on the foundation of adaptability, customer engagement, and operational excellence. Yet, when it comes to hiring practices, many businesses unwittingly restrict themselves by drawing strict boundaries around experience within a specific segment. They seek hotel managers to manage hotels, restaurant operators to run restaurants, and event specialists to manage venues.

While there’s merit in experience, this rigidity can limit a company’s access to exceptional talent, ignoring a vast reservoir of transferable skills gained in different facets of the industry.

This year, I’ve worked across a diverse range of sectors: from holiday parks and hotels to social entertainment venues. Despite my roots being firmly in the restaurant world, this broad exposure has shown me that the skill sets acquired in one area of hospitality are often perfectly suited, sometimes even superior for challenges in another. Yet, many organisations fail to recognise this versatility, missing out on opportunities to inject fresh perspectives and innovative thinking into their teams.

The Hospitality Industry: A Tapestry of Skill Sets

At its core, hospitality is about creating memorable experiences, whether in a bustling restaurant, a hotel, or an interactive social venue. While the technical execution might differ—preparing a dish, checking in a guest, or organising karaoke sessions—the underlying skills are remarkably similar. Consider these examples:

1. Guest Engagement: Whether serving a table of two or hosting 200 guests at a corporate event, the ability to connect, anticipate needs, and exceed expectations is universal.
2. Crisis Management: In hospitality, unpredictability is the norm. A restaurant manager handling a sudden rush shares the same problem-solving mindset as a hotel front desk manager addressing an overbooking issue.
3. Operational Efficiency: From rostering staff to ensuring smooth day-to-day operations, these competencies transcend specific environments.
4. Leadership and Team Development: Building motivated teams and embedding a culture of excellence are skills that are as vital in a holiday park as they are in a five-star hotel.

Overlooked Opportunities: Why Transferable Skills Go Unnoticed

The hospitality industry has a habit of pigeonholing talent. It’s not uncommon to hear statements like, “They’ve only ever worked in hotels” or “Their experience is in casual, not fine dining restaurants.” This narrow lens often stems from:

• Comfort Zones: Hiring managers gravitate towards what they know, opting for candidates whose experience mirrors the role they’re hiring for, often driven by narrow briefs from senior leadership.
• Perceived Risks: There’s a belief that transitioning from one sector to another involves a steep learning curve, which could impact performance.
• Lack of Awareness: Many businesses fail to recognise the transferable nature of hospitality skills, focusing instead on role-specific experience.

Ironically, this mindset persists in an industry that thrives on innovation and reinvention. By focusing solely on direct experience, companies risk excluding individuals who could bring fresh perspectives and invaluable expertise.

My Journey: From Restaurants to Holiday Parks, Hotels, and Beyond

I’ve spent years immersed in the restaurant world, growing brands from a single location to multi-site operations. Yet this year, I found myself consulting for holiday parks, hotels, and social entertainment venues—sectors seemingly far removed from my core expertise. These opportunities came not because of my experience in those specific fields but because of my ability to identify operational challenges, develop strategic solutions, and connect with people.

For example, when working with a holiday park, I applied my knowledge of guest journey mapping from restaurants to enhance the park’s on-site dining options. Similarly, in a hotel setting, my understanding of service flow and cross-departmental communication allowed me to optimise operational efficiency.

In each case, my “outsider” perspective became an asset. I wasn’t bound by “the way things have always been done,” which enabled me to introduce fresh ideas that resonated with both teams and guests.

The Value of Cross-Sector Experience

Bringing talent from different sectors within hospitality, or even outside of it, offers distinct advantages:

1. Fresh Perspectives: A restaurant operator transitioning into hotel F&B might approach challenges with a creativity that someone entrenched in the field might overlook.
2. Innovative Problem-Solving: Individuals with diverse backgrounds often apply solutions from one sector to another, resulting in innovative approaches to common problems.
3. Adaptability: Those who’ve thrived in multiple settings have honed their ability to adapt quickly, a critical skill in an industry where change is constant.
4. Leadership Growth: Leaders who’ve experienced varied environments develop a broader understanding of team dynamics, customer needs, and operational challenges.

Case Study: Social Entertainment Meets Restaurant Expertise

During a recent project with a social entertainment venue, I witnessed first-hand how restaurant expertise could transform an entirely different business model. The venue was looking at ways to better communicate its food and beverage offering with its primary attraction: karaoke.

By applying principles from the restaurant industry, such as menu engineering, provenance, suggestive selling techniques, we not only increased average spend per head but also enhanced the overall guest experience.

The success of this initiative wasn’t just about improving food sales. It was about recognising that the fundamentals of guest satisfaction and operational efficiency transcend specific hospitality niches.

Steps to Embrace Transferable Skills

If hospitality businesses are to unlock the full potential of their teams and their future hires, they must shift their perspective. Here’s how:

1. Rethink Job Descriptions: Focus on the core competencies required rather than limiting criteria to specific sector experience. For example, instead of asking for “5 years’ hotel experience,” prioritise skills like leadership, guest engagement, and operational expertise.
2. Upskill and Onboard: Invest in robust onboarding processes and cross-training programs. Transitioning talent from one sector to another becomes seamless when they’re supported with the right tools and training.
3. Internal Mobility: Encourage team members to explore roles outside their immediate expertise. A restaurant manager might thrive as a hotel operations manager, given the opportunity.
4. Champion Diverse Leadership: Actively recruit leaders with varied backgrounds to bring a breadth of knowledge and experience to your business.
5. Build a Culture of Innovation: Create an environment where new ideas are welcomed and where diverse experiences are seen as strengths rather than risks.

Breaking Down Barriers: The Role of Leadership

The responsibility for embracing transferable skills ultimately lies with senior leadership. Business leaders must champion a culture of openness and innovation, setting the tone for hiring practices and team development. By demonstrating a willingness to think beyond traditional boundaries, they pave the way for a more dynamic, inclusive, and forward-thinking workforce.

A Personal Call to Action

As someone who’s navigated across different hospitality sectors, I’ve seen first-hand the value of transferable skills—not just for individuals but for the businesses that embrace them. The hospitality industry is at a crossroads. Faced with ongoing challenges, from labour shortages to shifting guest expectations, it’s time to look beyond traditional hiring practices and tap into the extraordinary talent that exists across our diverse industry.

By doing so, we can not only overcome current challenges but also future-proof our businesses with a workforce that’s adaptable, innovative, and ready to thrive in any environment.

If you’re a hospitality operator, I challenge you to ask: Are we hiring the best person for the job, or just the most obvious choice? The answer could redefine your team’s potential and your business’s success.

This is just one part of the conversation. I’ll be exploring more topics in upcoming editions of “Touching Tables.” Subscribe to join the discussion and share your insights.