High Turnover? 3 Ways to Maintain a Cohesive Team
Staff retention is an important aspect of hospitality management. Team members are typically hard working and dedicated while maintaining calm and composure with guests. Not everyone fits the bill, which can lead to high turnover rates and contention in the ranks. So how do you keep up the team spirit if the team members are constantly changing?
- Recognize and reward your leaders – First and foremost, learn to recognize the characteristics that keep people in the industry. They tend to stick around for a long time provided they feel that their talent is appreciated. Leaders should have clear expectations for their team, set a good example, and follow through.
- Develop new leaders – Don’t get stuck in a rut of relying solely on the same few go-to staff members. Reliable leaders should not feel displaced by new staff, but newer team members should feel as if they have a place and a shot at moving up. Encourage your team to share their ideas and provide further training as responsibilities increase.
- Cultivate staff engagement – `Thorough training gives new staff members the confidence to shine, but be sure to encourage your leadership team to engage these new members as well. Some of the new back of house technologies can ease communications between staff members, even breaking down language barriers. The faster new employees feel like “insiders”, the faster they will become loyal members of your team.
What methods does your hotel use to keep staff functioning as a team?