Hospitality employees - looking for alternative employment is a must
I always loved to be in hospitality. I especially like openings of hotels, restaurants, clubs and of course - cruise ships. That I am now suggesting hospitality employees to look for different employment shouldn’t come as a surprise as well.
Reading now everyday about people being made redundant - loosing their jobs and income because of Corona just highlights the problem of our business. It is nothing new and we had problems before. Corona makes it worse and even much more personal because we all know many people for years that now are facing an uncertain future. Hospitality is hard hit and even some of our colleagues unfortunately commited suicide. We should support each other even more in these times.Talk and help wherever we can.
First of all we should all continue learning all the time. That’s not only life ! That’s fun and helps us develop and discover more talents than we thought we had!
But hospitality?
What can a cook do besides cooking?
A lot! Many I know who wanted continue cooking changed into other industries. Hospitals and Clinics are a great place for cooks who don’t want to live with the demanding hotel schedule anymore. Another place are big companies who have their own restaurants and some even hotels - pay often better and don’t demand unpaid overtime and not given days off or holidays without compensation ( as all of you know - a too common thing in hospitality)
Besides hospitality? You are used to hard work, long hours, hot miserable conditions and you know how to calculate, administer and deal with a lot of stress situations? Companies need you - don’t underestimate yourself and knock on doors that you never thought would open for you. Not all will - but many for sure will open!
Where should a waiter go?
Everywhere! If you are a professional waiter you have great knowledge but also you learned to deal with so many different humans (guest, staff and great to medium managers) that your skills can benefit any other business. Don’t hesitate to consider industries you never thought of. If you are a part time waiter - or someone who works in the industry because you like it you also aquired a knowledge, skills and you are used to hard work. The grass might only look greener on the other side of the fence - but believe me - its often much easier to walk on and work on then in hospitality.
Housekeepers
Housekeepers have organizational skills and an eye for details like all who spend a long time in hospitality - never mind in what position. But housekeepers are a special great breed. Valubale to any business! Besides being tough cookies they can deal with guest, staff and suppliers like no one else. Who doesnt want to hire them? The problem most often is that they themselves don’t feel confident enough and dont see what they actually have to offer.
We all can do much more.
Times are hard now but they have been always hard in our business. I hope this times will help us improve the situation in hospitality and especially in the cruise industry but up to then be prepared to say goodbye. But nice - never close a door if it is not needed.
Many years ago I had the chance to wonder into the field of education. Hotelschools, Management schools and Universities. I started teaching and I had to learn a lot! Its not difficult to tell people about your experience but it is very difficult, hard work, good planning and constant development of yourself to be a good teacher. It’s a bloody tough job! I am still learning.
We have to help ourselves!
It’s easy to tell people to stay positive when they don’t know how to pay the rent for the apartment, pay back their loans and wanted to buy gifts for their wifes and kids and simply can’t afford it anymore. Government support in times of crisis turned out to be for the rich only. We have to help ourselves and our friends and colleagues.
HR has hopefully learned and developed too
HR is often a problem as the requirement for positions is mostly based on prior experience and knowledge. Papers before humans! I hope by now companies start to realize that attitude is most important for any job - any industry. A person without multiple certificates who wants to do the job will do it much better than a qualified person that doesnt give a dam about company, co workers or results. Especially for young HR staff it is scary to hire by feeling then by paper proof. The experieced HR Managers are needed to cross this barrier and teach the next generation.
Author: Stephan Busch, Academic Director at the State University for the Humanities Moscow RGGU, Faculty of Tourism & Hospitality and the Swiss International University earned his Master Certificate in Hospitality Management from Cornell University, USA. He has a diverse experience in launching operations, business development and service training- for hotel and cruise companies in Asia, Europe, Canada and Russia.
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