Blogs

Hospitality is brilliant at designing what guests experience. In this abridged version of an article originally written for HOSPA's The Overview, we ask whether hospitality businesses give the same thought to what employees experience.

The hospitality industry has always been good at absorbing pressure. Years of navigating razor-thin margins, volatile demand, and chronic recruitment challenges have made operators resilient. But the combination of forces bearing down on the sector right now (cumulative wage increases, higher employer National Insurance contributions, and new tipping legislation) is prompting a more fundamental conversation than most cycles produce. Not just “how do we cut costs?” but “is our current team structure actually the right one?”

Why do so many properties invest heavily in crafting a compelling story for guests, then tell a completely different story to the people they are trying to recruit?

We all know that hospitality is built on more than beautiful design, exceptional food and drink, and luxurious bedrooms. Those elements can certainly set the stage, but it is people who bring them to life and deliver the guest experience one interaction at a time. Ultimately, their performance and how they deliver this experience are driven by how well we lead, develop and retain our teams.

This year marks an incredible milestone for Chris Denison Smith, Managing Director of FM Recruitment, as he celebrates 25 years with the business.

Recruitment within the hospitality industry has always required a careful balance between commercial acumen, guest experience, and a strong cultural fit.