REDUCING EMPLOYEE TURNOVER
In dollar terms, labor costs are averaging around 33 percent of revenues (Deloitte Hospitality). Consequently, it is not surprising to see human resource (HR) managers struggling to keep these numbers low.
How can a hotel FD manager ecrease this gure
Hiring the right person for the right job is a key starting point. Therefore, the first step is to know what needs to be done, by conducting a thorough job analysis of what is happening at your particular front desk, the relevant manager can record realistic tasks (job descriptions) and realistic qualifications (job specifications) that are needed by the employee to perform these tasks. Now that you have the right employee in your department, what can that department manager do to maintain them?
To help the front desk maintain a good team, the FD manager should pay attention to the following:
1. Training, training, and more training:
in many instances, because of scheduling issues, the new employee gets thrown into the lion’s den with no adequate preparation; and usually when the toughest customer has just arrived. With constant training, human error can be minimized. Role playing, on the job training such as shadow training, cross training and certificate programs can all help enrich the knowledge of both old and new employees.
2. Communication:
it is paramount that the FD manager communicates with his/ her staff on matters related to achieving goals. For example, setting budgets, achieving a certain average daily rate (ADR), or increasing revenue per available Room (REVPAR) should be explained to the FD staff. A FD manager might be surprised by what his/her staff has to offer. By engaging their staff, the FD manager facilitates the new terms in HR, such as ownership of the job where a ‘buy in’ environment is fostered and appreciated. This must be backed up by top management wherein a real dollar amount is allocated to support this ownership of decision making.
3. Empowerment:
with the right training employees can be empowered to immediately solve many of the customers’ problems without hesitating or delay. Empowerment means giving power to a qualified employee to conduct an activity without constant approval/surveillance from the supervisor. For example, if a customer is challenging a charge, the manager can allow employees to make decisions on disputes up to a certain amount (say USD 100) without referring to the manager. This gives the employee a higher morale and more confidence in what they are doing, as well as giving the customer an immediate answer to their query. Problem resolution is pioneered in some chains where every employee has an annual budget of up to USD 4,000, in order to solve problems related to a guest’s stay. Some chains are going a step further by rewarding outstanding employees who solve guests’ problems, with special gifts, such as free nights or vouchers, to be used in outlets such as the spa.
Employee turnover is one of the most expensive costs that a lodging property can incur; with numbers ranging between 20-50 percent annually.
chairperson of the department of hospitality management at American University of Science & Technology, Lebanon tackles the issue from a front desk (FD) manager’s point of view
4. Employee motivation:
it is a manager’s ultimate challenge to discover how to motivate each employee. What helps one employee perform well might not necessarily be the same for another. Talk to your employees and understand what really matters to them. Allowing for overtime for one employee might be perceived more favorably than by another who would appreciate a day off for family obligations. Topics such as better shift scheduling, tuition reimbursement, promotion or succession planning can help an employee refocus and become more energized because they feel more appreciated.
5. Balancing personalities between shifts:
a manager should be alert as to how the various personalities of a certain shift or team interact with one another. A manger should establish a positive and effective team that is able to work coherently with each other. This requires a manager to have a fair amount of interpersonal skills; spearheaded by emotional intelligence which requires self-awareness and selfregulation, as well as social intelligence which focuses more on being able to ‘read’ others and interpret their intentions. By being objective about the strengths and weaknesses of each member, the work flow is smoother, and supervisory preparation initiated by assigning team leaders based on rotation is better accepted.