Have you ever wondered why some companies always top the list of top rated companies, invariably get good reviews and seemingly effortlessly attract and retain talented employees? Is it the streamlined processes, beautifully appointed premises, or top service? Is it the companies with elaborate KPI dashboards that measure continuously? Or is it companies with thick manuals and scripts to guide their employees' behaviour?
The definition of hospitable leadership
Hospitality leadership is about creating an environment where both guests and employees feel welcome, respected and valued. The core of hospitality leadership lies in inspiring, coaching and facilitating employees so that they can be hospitable from sincerity and inner motivation. By setting a good example yourself and constantly striving to improve, a culture is created in which hospitality is embedded in the company's DNA.
Why hospitable leadership matters now
Many service companies want to distinguish themselves through hospitality, but few really manage to reach the top. Hospitality often remains a vague, floaty theme. Employees find it nonsense: "we are already hospitable, aren't we?" What does work?
The tightness in the labour market will remain as a problem for the time being: how to remain an attractive employer? The new generation of employees is turning away from traditional leadership. Customers are also becoming more demanding and have higher expectations as more and more companies focus on hospitality. Pressure is mounting, causing guests to have a shorter fuse and employees to succumb to the workload. Costs rise, business profitability comes under pressure. And you are in the middle to keep all the balls high.
Juggling or embedding?
Work happiness, innovation, automation, sustainability, inclusion - and then hospitality. We can learn to juggle them better, but what can also be done: stop making them separate projects. Make them part of the corporate culture and the daily way of working.
Hospitality is a team sport
Hospitality is not a task for a select few, such as reception, catering or facilities management. It is a team sport in which every department and employee plays a role. Think of a relay race in which the customer is passed silently from one employee to another. The success of the guest experience and the job satisfaction of employees depends on how well this handover goes. The customer journey cuts across all silos of departments, making cooperation essential for optimal customer focus.
Delivering a top performance every day, greeting guests with a smile, jumping in when a colleague is absent, and staying friendly in difficult situations - it is no easy task. Hospitality is "emotional labour". Hospitality can never be taken for granted. It takes time, attention and priority. It is the job of leaders to coach, train and give constant feedback to employees to improve hospitality.
It starts with the leader
In practice, the lack of hospitality is rarely down to employees. Leaders, formal and informal, play a crucial role in creating a hospitable culture. But we are not very good at it yet: employees give their leader an average of 6.7 for hospitality.
Leadership is the crucial factor why some organisations do well and others do not. Common reasons why employees leave are:
- Not enough empathetic manager
- Not feeling involved
- Feeling undervalued
- Impending burnout
- No inspiring culture and atmosphere
Hospitality starts internally, in a culture where employees feel welcome and encouraged to be hospitable. When you have the basics in place, set the hospitable example as a leader and have the right focus, employees experience more satisfaction and hospitality comes naturally.
Keynote
In her talk, Laura de la Mar, author of the bestselling book "The Secret of Hospitality" and "Hospitable Leadership" (former #1 in the leadership top 100 of managementbook.co.uk) invites you to put your hospitality leadership under the microscope. View Laura's profile here and find out more about her background and expertise. Order the book here
About Laura de la Mar
As a hospitality warrior, Laura de la Mar dedicates herself to making people aware of the power of hospitality and helping to create hospitable teams and companies. With great passion and enthusiasm, as a trainer, coach, consultant and speaker, she helps people from various industries to develop and secure hospitality, develop leadership and get teams moving. Laura is also an author, proud owner of Hospitality in Business and founder of the Hospitality in Business Community.
"Hospitality is the common thread and biggest passion in my life. I truly have the best job in the world! How cool is it when you get to inspire and help people every day to make a difference themselves. Hospitality is the key to success for people and companies."
Published at deSpeker.co.uk: link
