How to Manage With Lean Teams In Hotels
How To Cope With Less Manpower In Hospitality
While it’s wonderful to see travelers hitting the road, airports, aircraft filling up, and cruise lines greeting guests again, Summer 2021 is also synonymous with a phenomenon that has been dormant for several years: manpower shortage!
The expanding hotel business has been severely impacted by a labor shortage. According to industry estimates, there is a 30-40% shortage of qualified workers. While hotels are attempting to manage with internal resources, with many more set to open, the issue over staff will only grow.
Here are a few suggestions to cope with the manpower shortage in hospitality industries:
Give Intensive- In House Training:
With hotels increasing at a rate of 20 to 25 percent per year, a skilled labor shortage is felt not just at the highest hierarchical levels, which are more difficult to fill, but also at the lower layer. The shortage of competent labor is worsened by outmoded training programs at various institutes, which are in serious need of an overhaul. Most hotel chains that are considered to be at the top of their game have an intensive in-house training program. Having skilled employees will reduce the stress of having less manpower and give extreme guest satisfaction.
Invest In Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies:
When was the last time you took a plane ride? You probably didn’t realize you had to register online, print luggage tags at a kiosk, and even scan your passport through a scanner. Over the last two decades, airports and many transportation corporations have integrated these operations to the point that we no longer notice them. This is likely to become increasingly prevalent in hotels and restaurants as well.
Investing in technology can help to alleviate labor shortages by enabling innovations, automation, mobility, robotization, and next-generation technology applications. The idea here is to use technology to achieve more with fewer personnel while also reducing your employment needs by a large amount compared to 2019 levels.
Be Transparent With Your Guests:
The majority of people understand when things don’t go as planned. However, there are occasions when you must be straightforward and honest about the issue, graciously accepting that things are taking a little longer than intended while assuring that they will be taken care of. When feasible, provide an estimate or offer to call/message them with updates. Being frank and honest may go a long way, and your guests will appreciate it.