Unlocking The Secrets To A World-Class Employee Experience With Peter Martin
- By Harri Insider Team | May 24, 2022
On 19th May 2022, Roy Walker, Sales Director at Harri, hosted a webinar led by Peter Martin, Founder and Executive Director at Peach 20/20. They were joined by Dawn Browne, People & Talent Director at Fuller, Smith & Turner; Jaclyn Ryan, People Experience Manager at Tenpin; Will Beckett, CEO & Co-Founder of Hawksmoor; and Simon Maguire, Managing Director at Luxury Family Hotels.
During the session, the panel discussed key themes from our collaborative report with CGA: Transforming The Employee Experience In Hospitality. In case you missed it, we’ve outlined the key takeaways from the event below.
The importance of the employee experience
Roy kicked off the session with some interesting insights: he noted that the industry’s eyes are on the people agenda like never before – and the panellists agreed. After months of isolation and social distancing, employees desperately need to be heard. But if we, as employers, are to listen and show empathy to our teams, we need to know what drives them. That’s where our latest findings come in handy.
In our recent survey of over 5,000 employees, we found that:
💡49% are taking jobs based on working hours and flexibility to fit their lifestyle. So, how can we forecast and deploy our labour efficiently and effectively to be profitable, while factoring in schedule satisfaction?
💡47% are leaving jobs because pay doesn’t match the job role. How can we reward our teams fairly and match what other industries are doing?
💡49% believe staff shortages mean they’re overworked – contributing to that negative shift satisfaction. How can we hire more effectively, and find innovative tools to attract and recruit teams so we’re not understaffed?
Now onto the big issue that’s on everyone’s mind… retention!
How crucial is retention?
Peter Martin – friend of Harri, connector, collaborator, and communicator of hospitality ideas and insights – took over the session by asking some intriguing questions about retention and recruitment. Unsurprisingly, the panellists collectively agreed that this has been a significant challenge over the past two years – and the problem might never go away.
“I think it’s permanently an issue. There’s only a certain number of things that you can prioritise at any one time."
While the panellists acknowledged that retention and recruitment has been tough throughout the pandemic, Jaclyn and Simon agreed that the ship is now steadying.
“It’s been challenging, but actually, our retention levels are better than they were pre-pandemic. That’s probably to do with partly how we treated people during the pandemic."
How do you ensure your people stay?
Of course, we’re not here to focus on the problems. We’re here to provide solutions!
The panellists offered practical advice on how to keep your people onboard during these uncertain times – starting with flexible schedules. Peter pointed out that one of the issues of hospitality by sheer nature is that it’s a round-the-clock job. The hours are often long, demanding, and antisocial, but in today’s world, employees want a better work-life balance.
So, how do we keep people interested in a sector where flexibility may not always be possible? By being honest!
“As an industry, it’s really important that we’re clear about that and we don’t pretend that it’s otherwise. Of course, there are jobs in the industry where that’s possible, but broadly speaking, that’s what we offer.”
Jaclyn agreed, highlighting the importance of creating schedules weeks in advance so that employees know what’s expected of them and where they’re meant to be. “It’s really the simple things that can go by the wayside when things get chaotic and crazy,” she said. “For us, it’s absolutely making sure we’re doing what we say we’ll do, so there’s no catfishing during the interview process.”
As well as publishing rotas in advance, you need to make sure your staff thrive at work and enjoy their shifts. If they don’t, they could jump ship and take on a position that genuinely excites them.
“At Luxury Family Hotels, we’re all about ensuring the families that come to stay with us have wonderful memories, and our staff enjoy delivering that. It’s an opportunity to make an impact on people’s lives."
Watch the full video!
Click the link below to learn more about:
- Recruitment and retention
- Flexibility and schedules
- Implementing and evaluating new pay structures
- The issue of tips and service charges
- Transparency in the workplace
- The importance of communication
The key to retention is…
Are you struggling to retain your people during the Great Resignation? It’s time to take advantage of tech!
“It’s embracing tech and using it in the right places to enhance the processes and enhance the experiences.”
Our team communication tool enables you to stay connected with your employees by centralising your communications in a single place. With multi-channel notifications and a convenient mobile app for managers and team members, everyone can stay in the loop about important business matters.
Ready to attract top talent?
It’s clear that recruitment is just as important as retention. If you’re looking to discover thousands of candidates that fit your unique hiring criteria, our pre-hire solution can help. You’ll be able to attract talent, track the application process, and onboard with ease.
“We’ve partnered with Harri and we’ve just been through the launch of a brand-new recruitment system to make the process of applying for roles as smooth as it could be.”
Want to learn more about our recruitment and retention solutions? Request a demo today!
