Employees are considered to be the most valuable asset of the organization. They are the people with skills, knowledge, and experience that bring value to the business. Hence, the crisis in the shortage of staff would be an issue for hotel businesses and could affect the revenue too.
Let me share some of the ways that could help hotels to handle the shortage of staff effectively.
As the hotel manager or hotel owner, you should know what are the reasons your staff is signing off. Is it because of the pay? Is it because of the management style? Or is it because they can’t cope with the task given?
They are a few ways to know about the reason why staff leaving their current job that I think I should highlight here:
Whether to attract new employees or to retain the current employees, it is important to highlight the opportunities for career development in the hotel. Let them know that they are not going to be stuck doing the same thing forever. There will be a career advancement opportunity if they achieve certain targets, complete certain training, etc so they are aware of the chances to level up their profiles.
The Career Development Plan - A Quick Guide for Managers and Supervisors, By Jose Adolfo Trueba
Shortage of staff can be a critical issue. While you do not want it to become worse, then you have to find a way to retain the current employees that you have now. Other than a yearly bonus, salary increment, one of the ways is considered to provide perks and benefits for long-service employees.
Hotels also need to be more creative to ensure that a workplace is an attractive place for them to work for example offering flexible working hours (applicable only to certain departments I guess), having a good working culture, providing free meals, or even encouraging guests to give tips to the hotel staff by providing QR code, etc.
Other than putting more budget on the hiring process as well as maintaining the staff, the hotel should consider investing in technology that helps in maximizing operational efficiencies while dealing with the shortage of staff.
Everyone should agree that technology has made our life easier. That applies to the hotel businesses as well. Below are some suggestions that I think will be a lifesaver.
When you don’t have enough staff, while hiring can be costly and can take a longer time, you will need to invest in technology. That makes you gain a competitive edge over other hotel businesses. Below is the video about Unmanned Hotel Solution.
Ultimately, there are no shortcuts nor easy solutions to solve the shortage of staff issue nowadays. But I believe my above 4 points would give you some ideas.