22.11.2018

Hospitality – a people business…

  By Lauren Spencer,
People Experience Director Bartlett Mitchell

Recruitment issues are not new for hospitality. It’s an ongoing problem that operators have plenty of experience tackling. But with tighter immigration laws and Brexit looming on the horizon, the industry’s labour shortage has moved into crisis level.

The sector is predicted to see a shortfall of around 60,000 workers each year, according to the Labour Migration report published by the British Hospitality Association (now UKHospitality) last year. That means that going forward, our industry will need to recruit an extra 10% from the talent pool to keep on top of our demand. That’s a lot of people.

Our industry is facing a number of positive changes, and some rather daunting challenges too. Looking at forecasts, it’s reassuring to know that our industry is set to grow at a healthy rate - 5.5% by 2023, according to a recent forecast.

And with a £130bn pound contribution to the UK economy already, it’s not surprising that we’re the third largest employer in the UK by industry sector. These are truly exciting times for our industry and we are so proud to be a part of it.

That’s why we know that we need to make sure we’re at the top of our game when it comes to recruiting the right talent.

We are very fortunate to have two incredibly professional and passionate individuals working on novel ways of recruiting future talent. Murray Soper and Stephen Toward, are our heads of talent for front and back of house respectively.

These industry stalwarts head up our busy talent team, offering interactive recruitment open days and ensuring exceptional inductions and training takes place with each new team member from the very start. As part of their induction, new starters meet with our directors from the very outset. It fosters a culture of trust, and openess from the start of their journey into the BM family.

But it’s not just about hiring the right people; it’s about retaining them too. And it’s worth noting that when it comes to keeping staff happy, salary is not the only factor to consider. It’s vital to give team members purpose, to value them by ensuring they are included in real benefits. Staff must be recognised and rewarded for their achievements, and career development must be a part of the fabric of the business.

These are the focus points we choose to enhance at Bartlett Mitchell. This is what drives us to improve the lives of our team members in as many ways as we can, which is why we are pioneering new and exciting ways to ensure our team members are kept motivated and happy.

Our people-investment strategies are designed to enhance a well-balanced work-life ratio that is both fun and empowering. We offer a range of healthy lifestyle benefits that mirror the healthy choices we offer our clients.

And through our purpose-built company app called Yapster, we are leading the way in internal communications that are both engaging and offer a learning and development angle. Yapster allows team members to communicate and engage with everyone in the business though newsfeed posts, from photos to video sharing and how-to tips, or Yaps that are ways to communicate with specific teams or individuals.

It’s open to all and it’s a safe place to discuss and share ideas, learn new things, or ask questions of anyone in the company, from chefs and managers to directors and consultants. It’s also a place that allows us to listen to the heartbeat of our company, and make sure that we’re keeping the blood flow healthy.

We never miss a training opportunity and we’re thrilled to have recently accepted the Princess Trust Award for Training from HRH Princess Anne. Our talented trainers are industry experts and professionals, and they ensure the integrity of our training by keeping material relevant, researched, fun and educational. And by having a very active mentoring programme, we make sure that let our team knows their development is our first priority.

Ultimately, we are focusing on fostering a culture of empowerment. Not only do we want our staff to remain in this fantastic industry, we want them to love what they do and where they do it.

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