Dealing with a New Generation of Employees in the Hospitality Industry

Description Gain insight into what it takes to deal with a new generation of employees in the hospitality industry. Keep your hospitality business one step ahead in today’s competitive ecosystem.

Business and workplace ecosystems are continually evolving; in this dynamic environment management has to constantly adapt if they are to remain good employers. Drawing the latest millennial generation into becoming a part of your workforce requires a sensitive approach. Millennials expect to have their needs heard and dealt with at the earliest.

This situation hasn’t been entirely fruitful for the hospitality industry where long hours aggravated by erratic schedules is the norm. Generation Y on the other hand demanded a tailor-made career map that charts out their singular journey across their career in the hospitality industry. 

It is the need of the hour for hospitality management to consider out-of-the-box approaches to assist employees in assimilating better. By constructing a workplace that allows for the coexistence of all generational segments without stepping on any toes, your hospitality establishment can benefit from a more seamless flow of services. 

Here are some strategies for dealing with a new generation of employees in the hospitality industry.

• Welcome New Cultural Values

It goes without saying that proactive employees can cater better customer services and this leads to customer brand loyalty and sustainable business. There are two ways to get employees motivated: the first is by making their jobs seem more meaningful and the second is to keep them engaged.

Meaning can be incorporated into day-to-day activities when employees understand how their contribution helps and how they are interconnected to all functions. Engagement on the other hand can be improved by getting employees to do what they do best – this entails giving them challenging activities from which they can learn valuable skills and knowledge. 

When handling employees in the hospitality industry it greatly helps to make a sentimental correlation between the work that employees do and the idea of the hospitality establishment. By instilling a sense of pride in what they do, you can drive your employees to work with a more positive attitude. 

Trust and transparency are also key issues that can help with creating a sense of employee value. A culture that values understanding, empathy and compassion will help attract and retain employees. You can also boost productivity and motivation by being supportive, helping employees nurture their lives outside the workplace.

• Boosting Employee Retention

New age employees look forward to timely feedback as well as accelerated career growth and experiences. When you draw a parallel between today’s employees and those of a generation before it becomes evident that there is an increased demand for being heard and responded to quickly. 

The hospitality industry often falls behind in taking on a more personal approach to driving the employment trajectories of their employees. Evaluations that can measure a person’s aptitude for various tasks combined with an overall feedback can help identify hidden employee potential that could be better delegated elsewhere. 

• Reinventing Hiring Processes

It is important while recruiting in the hospitality industry to also take into account a person’s ability to care for others alongside their prior experience. Merely relying on experience is a short-sighted way of recruiting. Those who engage in the process of training hospitality staff can become more involved in the process of hiring so as to really be able to identify who will flourish under guidance and who may not. 

The process should generally begin with shortlisting those whose values align with your company’s core values, and then assess their capabilities before assigning them to a range of tasks. Creating a more seamless experience in terms of recruiting across expanded geographical territories may have its benefits but staying sensitive to the cultural aspects of each area is equally important. Modern Workforce Management (WFM) solutions can help streamline and reinvent the hiring process to suit your needs.

If you’d like to optimize workforce management (WFM) for your hospitality business, JK Seva would be happy to help. We offer a wide range of custom solutions that are tailored to fit your exact requirements. We have expertise in upgrades, implementations, training, custom solutions and software development. Our customer-centric, flexible teams believe in the spirit of community when it comes to delivering comprehensive workforce management. Leverage our capabilities for a significant advantage. Reach out to us at JK Seva to find out more.