Keep working towards a bright future in these dark times

Didier Van WeyenbergeIndependent specialist / Interim manager for the Hospitality and Leisure industry at DVW Consulting

We are all being affected by the coronavirus in different ways. Some of us are infected with the virus ourselves, others have family members who are infected, and still others have a neighbor or acquaintance who has been hospitalized.

The economic damage in general is enormous, and the full extent is not yet clear. Some sectors are being hit harder than others. The hospitality and leisure sector is undoubtedly one of the hardest hit, as almost all activities in the sector have come to a standstill. Investments are being put on hold, almost all employees are being kept at home, and measures are being taken that any responsible head of a household would take in such a crisis situation.

The reflex to reduce all activity to zero is understandable. However, my advice is to use this period of inactivity to critically examine all important elements in your organization’s value chain and make adjustments where necessary. In the usual hustle and bustle of the day, there is often no opportunity for this. It seems very far away now, but the day will come when we all get back to work, and then the daily rush will quickly take over again.

The first link in the chain is the employees. We all know that employees play a crucial role in the value chain within the hospitality and leisure sector. After all, they are the ones who have direct contact with the guests and largely determine the extent to which guests feel welcome and special. And isn’t that what everyone strives for?

The question is to what extent your organization succeeds in properly integrating employees into the company, training, guiding, and supporting them, and ensuring they feel valued. In other words, how does your company ensure that you have and retain satisfied and loyal employees.

I see quite a few companies in the sector investing a lot of time, energy, and money in attracting new employees, while (relatively) little attention is paid to retaining (good) employees. Many reasons can be thought of why there is a constant outflow and why a constant inflow is therefore also necessary. The message is to take a very critical look at the role the organization itself plays in this, map out the underlying reasons for the outflow, and formulate and implement solutions for them.

What are, for me, the main underlying reasons leading to (increased) turnover in the sector (and what to do about them):

1. Lack of clarity regarding job roles, tasks, responsibilities, and authorities. I regularly hear a manager tell an employee that they haven’t performed their task well, or tell an employee they took a decision they didn’t have the authority to take, to which the employee responds with clear panic on their face: “But I was never told that,” and the manager replies: “But that’s just common sense.” When I ask further, it almost always turns out that what exactly is expected within the position has not been (clearly) defined. A clear description for every position of the tasks, authorities, and responsibilities is a necessary tool to be able to make clear to an employee what is expected of them, to instruct and train them, and to evaluate them.

2. Poor onboarding. I notice that things often go wrong during the first—so important—workday of a new employee. This ranges from students with a shoe size 32 being given a size 36 on their first day because all smaller sizes were already taken by others, a temporary worker being told “just grab a broom and start sweeping over there, because I don’t have time for you right now,” to a manager for whom no workspace or PC has been prepared. When I ask why these cases occur, the most common answer is that there were other priorities. What kind of signal are you sending to your new employee that way? Creating a short checklist for every position of things that must be arranged in advance and things that must definitely be shared during the start-up makes a world of difference.

3. Inadequate training. I regularly see cold sweat pouring off employees’ faces as they look around helplessly and see a mass of people waiting in front of them. Upon inquiry, it almost always turns out that the employee has received little to no training. The most cited reason I get for this is a lack of time to provide the training due to more urgent matters at that moment. Just try to imagine how you would feel if you were standing there. A manual must be developed for every position, based on which the training is given, so that all employees receive the same information and instructions and nothing is forgotten. The trainer must have the necessary skills to provide training in a good way and must have the necessary time to give the training properly. In addition, the trainer must also be able to test whether the employee has understood the instructions and information well and is performing them correctly.

4. Limited leadership skills among first-line supervisors. I see first-line supervisors in action who are very directive; they give instructions to employees who are only allowed to execute. Others, on the other hand, act very people-oriented and leave almost everything to the employee’s judgment. Some give almost exclusively corrective (or rather negative) feedback, while others give almost exclusively positive feedback. When I ask questions about this, it often turns out that the managers themselves have received little training and guidance in this matter. As a direct supervisor, you must master different leadership styles and be able to assess which leadership style to use at a given moment. You must be able to give both corrective (on behavior) and positive (on the task) feedback. The first-line supervisors must be guided and coached in this themselves.

5. No analysis of staff turnover. It strikes me how few companies map out and analyze the reasons for employee turnover. Yet this can provide very valuable information to detect where problems are located. It is enough to list a few possible reasons to get a clear view of the most common ones and from there further analyze and address the underlying reasons.

When you see how much effort companies in the hospitality and leisure sector (rightly!) put into getting as many satisfied and loyal guests as possible, I am convinced that everyone realizes the importance of putting a lot of effort into getting as many satisfied and loyal employees as possible. After all, they are the ones who ensure loyal and satisfied guests.

If, after reading this, you feel there are still some possible points for improvement and you need inspiration, support, or help developing tools for this, I can always be reached by phone at +32 474 96 77 07 or by email at didier@dvwconsulting.be