Introduction
It’s a truism that tourism and hospitality is a ‘people’ industry. However, for an industry so reliant on the quality of its staff to deliver the product or experience, most operators pay scant attention to the recruitment and professional development of employees.
Engaging, training and retaining the best possible staff is often the only thing that differentiates a business from its competition. When a guest looks beyond the décor and physical attributes of an accommodation house, a restaurant etc, it is the skill and attitude of the staff who usually provide the essential ‘point of difference’.
Effective human resource management doesn’t just belong with large corporations. If you employ 1 or 100 staff, the management of their professional development should be an important part of your annual business planning. In fact, micro businesses employing only one or two staff are often most vulnerable to problems, because those businesses live or die on the quality of only a handful of people.