Table of Contents

1. Happiness
2. A Roadmap for Advancement
3. Competitive Wages
4. Hospitality-Style Flexibility
5. Perks & Benefits
6. Recognition
7. On-Going Training

Building a successful employer brand that attracts quality candidates and retains them through a long-term career lifecycle is top of mind for most hospitality employers today, especially given the increased turnover and many hospitality professionals leaving the industry.

In order to boost your retention levels and build stronger internal teams that are high-performing and committed to their own personal growth and the growth of your organization, make these employee concerns a priority in your recruitment and professional development strategies:

Happiness

Research overwhelmingly shows across industries that happy workers are more productive, more engaged, and more committed to their employers. While happiness is certainly subjective, by making this a targeted outcome for your employees and a cornerstone of any recruitment or development strategy, you’ll create a people-driven culture where true employee satisfaction is an organizational-wide priority. 

A Roadmap for Advancement

One of the most attractive qualities of the hospitality industry is that for many the barrier to entry is quite attainable as many entry-level positions don’t require degrees or years of experience but do offer fairly quick opportunities for advancement and pathways to management.

These pathways need to be clearly communicated to employees and potential employees so that they understand the true long-term value of an entry-level job and have a strong sense of where they can go from there.

According to a recent Hcareers survey, the top benefit (aside from a salary increase) identified that would help retain workers was opportunities for promotions or new roles in their organization.

Competitive Wages

A successful recruitment and retention strategy will effectively communicate these attributes to job candidates and employees, emphasizing also the opportunity to advance quickly that comes with most entry-level hospitality roles. 

In a recent survey Hcareers conducted, 73% of our audience identified salary as the most important factor they consider when looking for a new job opportunity.

Hospitality-Style Flexibility

It’s a well-known stat that millennial workers in particular place a high value on workplace flexibility, the ability to work remotely part or all of the time, or the chance to have more autonomy over their own schedules. Meeting this need can be difficult or nearly impossible for many roles in the hospitality industry that require on-site interactions.

So how can hospitality employers meet the growing demand for workplace flexibility? For one, allowing employees some flexibility in their hours or schedule can allow for a greater sense of work/life balance and the opportunity to care for children or family members.

Adopting an approach where you support and encourage attendance rather than manage or punish absences can also create a culture where employees feel empowered to manage their own schedule responsibility and are more likely to remain loyal and motivated over the long haul.

Perks & Benefits

From discounts, incentives, PTO, office perks, paid parental leave, travel opportunities and offers, or generous health coverage… perks and benefits for the hospitality industry can come in many shapes and forms, but it’s clear that these are highly valuable and desirable offerings that job candidates care about and should be an integral part of an employer brand. 

Company culture was the second most important factor job seekers consider when choosing to apply for or accept a new job opportunity.

Recognition

Incentivizing high-performing employees and rewarding their successes is one of the best ways to inspire loyalty and create a staff that is committed to growing their career within your organization. Not only do they need to see a clear roadmap for how they can advance, but they also need to be rewarded along the way as they work toward their goals.

Employees who regularly receive positive feedback (whether verbally, through monetary rewards or other perks, or by being recognized publicly) feel like valuable members of the organization, which translates to higher morale levels and increased productivity.

On-Going Training

Training should not end after onboarding, nor should it happen once a year. The most effective approaches to retention offer regular, even ongoing training that is highly accessible for employees at every level.

On-going professional development signals to staff that they’re working towards growth (as well as a higher position, better salary, more benefits, etc.), and motivates them to experience that growth with your company, rather than a competitor.