What do your Staff Think?

Conducted in March this year, the Hospo Future Forum Survey (undertaken by Thrive Hospitality and commissioned by the AHA), explores attitudes toward a career in hospitality and recommendations to help clubs meet the workforce challenges head on.

It’s been a tough few years in club land with uncertainty, staff shortages and a workforce that needs upskilling. The results below are invaluable to clubs when reassessing their strategic plans for hiring new employees and retaining current staff.

10% of respondents said they would leave the hospitality sector in the next 24 months; when asked what factors would make them stay, the responses were:

Despite the above, almost 75% of those intending to leave the industry within 24 months responded favourably to the desirability of a career in hotels and pubs. This shows us that retention of staff is something managers can have a direct impact on by offering training and development, and ensuring the workplace has a positive culture.

The 3 most important factors in a workplace were:

Again, we see a focus on training and career development. At CCV we regularly advocate for clubs to provide training to their staff – you can check out our resources here.

The 3 most positive things about working in hospitality were:
• Flexible hours (78%)
• Work-life balance (76%)
• Career opportunities (75%)

The 3 most negative things about working in hospitality were:
• Hours of work (80%)
• Limited career progression (73%)
• Outdated attitudes of management (71%)

From both the positive and negative results, it’s clear employees value the hours and flexibility they work. In this post-pandemic age, we have seen an increasing desire in employees to prioritise balance between working and home life.

The results from this survey ultimately highlight that:
1. Ongoing training and professional development is vital to the satisfaction and retention of staff
2. Negotiating with staff to work out hours that suit both of you and allow for better work-life balance will benefit current employees and help to attract new ones
3. The industry needs to reflect on some of its negative perceptions, like outdated management styles and toxic workplace cultures. These attitudes start from the top down.

Club Managers and Boards are encouraged to review these findings and consider what changes might see your club becoming an ‘employer of choice’ going forward.