By John Hendrie
Hospitality Performance
Who would have thought that the one top driver for jobs in a state was hospitality, with the classifications of lodging manager, concierge and housekeeper. As referenced, the state of Maryland has a 2017 job growth rate of 2.0% with 53,075 new jobs added last year.
https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/best-cities-america-job-florida.html/10/
No doubt, the brunt of this reality is the full service sector, but, still, what a blessing and responsibility for hospitality in Maryland and other states. Manufacturing and related industry have moved and will never be as stout in our economy as before. Hospitality has the openings and opportunities, but does it provide the environment and climate for growth and individual prosperity (much less satisfaction)? From what we all read (and know), it does not. So, why pretend?
With what are we working? There is no other industry which has so much personnel turnover. One’s resume goes on for pages with former companies and positions. Folks are continually jumping companies. Management candidates reach the executive suite, and then they leave within three – five years, always looking for that fresh green grass elsewhere. For employers, it is hard to grab that moving target, hourly or salaried. (Do a cost analysis of your turnover, and you will be shocked – all those resources out the door.)
We have been reduced to hiring “warm bodies” for our entry employees, many times those who deal directly with our guest. And, those employees are “different” – primarily women, speaking a language other than English, many holding more than one job to support a family, having little more than an elementary education. They would appear under the definition of disenfranchised.
Oh, there is so much we can do, yet realistically curtailed by time and money. But, there is one step which has no cost other than choice – respect. Mr. J. Willard Marriott got it right – you treat your employees well, and everything else will take care of itself.
