Top Advice to Hook High-Quality Hospitality Talent

Advice: Focus on the Right People for Your Long-Term Goals

Candidate expectations will continue to grow, but you want to ensure that your decision to offer higher wages or expanded benefits attracts employees you can count on. Hospitality sees an average turnover rate of 84.9%, which far exceeds the national average of 47.2%. Spending the time to determine what a “right fit” candidate looks like for each of your roles can combat staffing shortages in the long run. You’ll have to consider specific job-required skills, but beyond that, what makes an employee interested to grow with the organization? 

What are the traits of reliable employees with spot-on attendance? Who would motivate the team to be their best and represent everything you imagine when you picture the face of your brand? These are all aspects to include in your social media presence, your website, within job descriptions, and during interviews so that you hire for the long-term success of your organization.

Advice: Engagement Matters, and Speed Matters More

Hospitality hiring moves fast, and it’s normal for job seekers to apply for 10-20 jobs simultaneously. The longer employers take to communicate with candidates – whether it’s to schedule an interview or offer a job – the more likely candidates ghosting becomes. Time influences decisions, especially if a candidate hopes to secure employment fast. From the moment your ideal candidate applies, try to be in touch within 12 hours, if not much sooner, to schedule an interview. To offer candidates instant gratification, leading hospitality groups are leveraging conversational AI chatbots, which take screening and interview scheduling off the plates of their general managers who are knee-deep in day-to-day operations. The speed of that first touchpoint can be a game-changer. 

Communication is a top challenge for 30% of hospitality workers, so the speed of communication at every step throughout your hiring process is your opportunity to display what they can expect as an employee. The tiny step of including someone’s name and highlights of an interview or conversation goes a long way to reiterate that you value who they are and their time. Even if a competitor beats you to offering them a role first, candidates may be less likely to ghost your managers if they can rely on consistent, detailed, and intentional updates. 

Advice: Lean on Tech to Make Life Easier

Human connection is everything and talent acquisition technology innovates to meet the moment. 88% of hospitality employees report a desire for technology improvements, so why not showcase your dedication to ease and simplicity from the start? ChatGPT and new instances of AI across all sectors raised the bar for supportive tools that help people accomplish more in less time. 

Every organization is different, but you likely know where it would feel great to reduce the pressure of time-consuming tasks. Teams using an AI hiring assistant available to candidates 24/7 cuts down on the time general managers would otherwise have to dedicate to administrative work. Others improve their speed-to-hire with a 10-minute onboard process that new hires can complete at home right from their cell phones. Technology enables you to create experiences that are as smooth as the apps and services people use daily, contributing to high-quality hires, personalization, and a competitive edge.