Is Your Staff Worn Down?

Hospitality is an exciting, fast-paced industry ripe with progression opportunities, which is why many people are drawn to it. However, with all the action, staff are more susceptible to stress, fatigue and injury. Shift work, long hours, and physical work demands can wear down even the most driven and dedicated staff, which makes them more vulnerable to mishaps.

As an employer, this is why it’s important to ensure every staff member has adequate training, clear instructions, and knowledge in recognising burnout and preventing injury. Here are four steps you can take to do that.

1.????Whether in-house or outsourced, enlist a workplace and health safety (WHS) consultant. They’ll help you identify risks as well as how to prevent them, minimise them, and navigate them if they do arise. It’s also a good idea to invest in training programs, manuals, and even ‘how to’ posters.

2.????An induction program ensures that staff understand your WHS policy and procedures. Be sure to include risk-prevention and safety information emergency responses (e.g. flooding or fire), and potential workplace hazards.

3.????Assigning an “onboarding buddy” helps new recruits pick up work faster as they can learn from someone who works alongside them in the same, or a higher, position. A buddy can pass on valuable knowledge, methods, and insights that are specific to your organisation and also quell poor practices that may have been picked up in other workplaces.

4.????A culture where your team feels that they can raise safety issues and risks is a powerful one. Set aside dedicated time to sit with your employees and gain a truer understanding of everyday challenges that might otherwise go unnoticed or be swept under the rug.?