The EQrated vol. 24
Hello Reader,
A few days back I came across this LinkedIn post by Peter Ricci, Clinical Associate Professor at Florida Atlantic University. In the post, he expresses his frustration about the lack of innovation & leadership in the Hospitality industry, when it comes to treating our people right. The accompanying article is a heartbreaking look at the state of our industry.
I have a longstanding connection to the service industry and Hospitality in particular. I started my career in hotels and through the various detours of my career, I have managed to maintain this tenuous hold to the industry. And I can tell you firsthand, this is a tough industry. These jobs are hard work. The hours are long, the expectations are high and the job is relentless. A hotel never sleeps. The people who do these jobs are highly skilled, but under-paid and under-appreciated.
As guests, we expect hospitality workers to go above and beyond to provide outstanding service. As managers, we expect these employees to show up for their shifts, day in and day out, with a smile on their face, no matter what is happening in their personal lives. Covid-19 made this whole situation unimaginable, with all the restrictions, shutdowns & uncertainty about the way forward. Not only are we expecting hospitality workers to re-learn every aspect of their job to fit the pandemic situation, but we are also expecting them to enforce the new rules of mask-wearing and vaccination certificates.
Anyone who shows up for these jobs in these grueling conditions is not in it just for a paycheck. Hospitality is not only a career, it's a lifestyle. It's a choice that thousands of people make every day, to put their best foot forward. Hospitality workers deserve more. At a minimum, they deserve our courtesy and respect. We, as managers and guests, are accountable for treating them with dignity and sparing a thought for their well-being. What are some of the ways we can practice accountability in hospitality? Let us know @YourTurnSolutions on LinkedIn & Facebook.
Also don't forget to join me for the EQ Cafe on Collaboration on October 27 at 10 a.m. EST. Register here if you haven't already done so.
Here's your bi-weekly EQrated list of resources on ACCOUNTABILITY IN HOSPITALITY:
Last Call — The Human Sustainability Crisis at the Heart of the Hospitality Industry - This insightful blog by a hospitality employee offers an intimate look at the industry. Low pay, employment abuses, mistreatment by customers - these are just some of the challenges faced by hospitality employees every day. Helen Anne Smith makes the case for sustainability in Hospitality in terms of employee interest. Don't miss this article! Source: Blog at GoodBeerHunting.com
Respect: an Ethical Solution to Employee Motivation in the Hospitality Industry - "How do we motivate employees to view their jobs as having career potential?" ponders Allen Z. Reich, Professor at the School of Hotel & Restaurant Management in the W. A. Franke College of Business at Northern Arizona University. Read this article to find out what are the three major influencing factors affecting career potential in the Hospitality industry and how can we motivate employees to see that potential. Source: Hospitality Net
Why The Hospitality Industry Must Reinvent Itself As Labor Shortage Still Looms - In the past couple of years, the hospitality industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. Chris Adams, CEO Ellis Adams Group, a consulting agency thinks this is the time to disrupt, to force change. As pressure builds to reinvent the hospitality model, he argues that now is the time to rethink the entire physical hotel structure in a way that creates experiential moments and drives guest engagement. Source: Forbes
If there is a topic that you would like to see featured in The EQrated, please let me know at stef@yourturnsolutions.com. Please feel free to share this Newsletter with people you know who might find value in it! They can also subscribe to the EQrated by clicking the button below.
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Thank you for your support and for continuing this conversation on all things EQ.
Ciao,
Stef
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