Having a motivated team is undeniably important for any business or team but in the hospitality industry this is especially true - the front of house team are responsible for communicating with customers and create the overall impression of the business.
Here are some of our top recommendations for motivating your team:
1. Communication is key! In almost all areas of life communication really is the key to success. You need to have clear expectation and goals that your team can aspire to but they also need to feel comfortable coming to you with any issues they have. Why not introduce a team meeting or create a Facebook group where you and staff are able to interact. This type of communication between staff members could also make it easier for you to find cover for staff when they are unable to work and gives them the flexibility to swap shifts to better suit their schedules (if that works for your business model). All the communication will ultimate increase your teams' motivation to work and as an added bonus you'll be gaining their respect along the way.
2. Rewards schemes might seem cheesy but in many instances, they'll work! Your business means a lot to you but to your employees, it might just be their part-time job. A little incentive can work well to inspire them to work hard. If you don't want to introduce a reward scheme there are still other ways you can use similar style incentives to motivate your team. Regular performance reviews give your team something to work towards and if they can visually see the impact your their work is having you might find that they are more motivated to work hard in order to see the results. Each performance review period could see a certain employee recognised for their hard work, it doesn't have to be cheesy and it certainly will mean a lot - this is especially true during difficult or busy periods.
3. Help your staff get better. Offer extra opportunities for personal and professional development such as certifications and other qualifications. They don't need to be expensive, even a simple first aid course can help to motivate your team - plus it's a win-win in this scenario since you'll be gaining another asset on your team. Lots of people (myself included) find it more motivating to work when they're learning something new. This is why giving your employees the opportunity to take on new challenges in the form of physical courses that lead to certificates or qualifications can be a really great way to motivate your team.
