.
.
Here are the best ways to teach employees who need the technical and operational know-how?
Welcome to another edition of Hospitality Property School.
I am your instructor, Gerry MacPherson and today, I am going to talk about Training Methods to Consider
.
- A hospitality property employee can be taught how to run a front desk.
.
- Food & Beverage staff can learn on the job the best way to serve customers.
.
- Housekeepers can be trained in how to properly clean a room.
.
.
What is harder to teach is empathy, how to smile, be assisting and act on an instinctive sense of making guests feel welcomed and at comfortable in their surroundings – the hospitality at the heart of the property.
.
With more hospitality properties hiring for employees for their manner, what are the best ways to teach employees with cultured soft skills who need the technical and operational know-how?
.
It is important that training takes into account different generations of employees – from younger millennials, just out of school, to older workers who may be making a career switch to hospitality.
.
It can be challenging to balance different approaches to training younger and older workers but it needs to be considered.
.
.
One of the most effective forms of employee training is role-playing.
Horrible for any employees, but a proven strategy to reduce employee turnover and results in a more efficient, productive and engaged staff.
.
Allow them to play the role of a guest while working with staff who are training them and then to switch roles to play the part of an employee and the trainer plays the part of the guest.
.
When new employees experience the property as a guest, it is easier to understand how a guest might feel and they can learn the skills they need for the job.
.
This is a method that has been around for many years and still works today.
.
Using the five-senses while role-playing can even more effective and embracing. For example, if employees smell garbage in a wastepaper basket or overpowering odours from the kitchen, they could get an idea of how that would affect them if they were guests? If the lobby floor is tacky or wet, how would that make them feel about staying at the property?
.
It can be difficult for new employees to understand how different departments of a hospitality property depend on one another.
.
For this reason, you can take the opportunity to have new employees cross train. A housekeeper can playact a guest in the dining room and try the food, while a kitchen server can be brought to a guest room to examining the condition of the room.
.
Role-playing can also be effective when small groups of employees that are training are paired together and offer each other analyses and feedback.
.
.
Shadowing
Partnering experienced and newer employees together to shadow each other.
.
Employees can shadow one another, learn what the property is about, any unique story so they understand what is different or special about this property.
.
If done right, employees can have each other’s back, without a level of competition, while developing a motherly or fatherly relationship that really benefited both parties.
.
Shadowing should start from day one and comprises about 80% of their first two-weeks for any new employee. With shadowing, an employee can ask questions as they are learning the job that will have a better chance of sticking.
.
.
Digitally
While widespread use of technology in training is still a few years away, online learning tools are being utilized by some properties and this is a topic that I will be delving into with more detail in the future.
.
But if this is a method you are considering, it has been determined that when you have a new hire, you don’t want to bombard them with too much all at once.
.
I have seen some property owners try to do that with digital training. Try to stick with bite-sized learning that is very relevant to them and their needs.
.
.
In conclusion
No matter what the method or methods you choose to use for training, make sure to stay consistent and relevant. Training like this helps employees feel valued, and that your property is willing to invest in them.
.
I would always recommend these types of training; it works well in just about any kind of property and in any kind of location and has proven to lower turnover by about 20%.”
.
If training is effective and actually helps improve employees’ life skills –they will be more connected to the property, feel cared for and want to stay longer on the job.
.
If you have any stories about at “Training Methods to Consider” and would like to share or have any questions or feedback you can leave them in the comments section of the show notes.
.
.
You can find them at:
KeystoneHospitalityDevelopment.com/KHDC105
That’s it for this session of hospitality property school.
We appreciate your comments and if you have topic ideas, feel free to reach out to use on
Facebook at facebook.com/keystonehdc
Twitter @keystonehdc
Or email at
info@keystonehospitalitydevelopment.com
.
.
So, as always, let’s work together to put heads in your beds.
Until next time, have a fun day.
.
.
For listeners of the Hospitality Property School Podcast,
we are offering the opportunity to check out the
.
.
Hospitality Property School Group
For Only
$1
For 7 Full Days
(If you see the value and continue as a member,
then you billed $37 per month)
.
That’s Right!
.
.
As a Member:
- You have the opportunity to ask questions, share best practices, promote your property etc.
- Every week a video will be posted with updates & answers to questions
- Every week training tutorials will be added to the group. They will be listed in the following categories
- Organizational Structure
- Employee Development
- Marketing for Your Hospitality Properties (Including How to Use Social Media)
- How to Look at Your Hospitality Property
- We will share monthly interviews with hospitality property specialists on such topics as:
Customer Service | Property Management System | Guest Service | Website Design |Marketing | Employee Development
.
.
You can have access to all the information currently posted on
The Hospitality Property School Group
as well as all the weekly updates
for 1 Full Week
.
Keep in mind, if you do not see the benefit, you can cancel anytime
.
– No Questions –
.
That’s a lot of information…. and you get it all for two weeks
.
For Only $1
.
.
Log in Now and Claim Your Spot For Only $1 Before This Offer Expires.
keystonehospitalitydevelopment.com/membership-site
.
.
Music Credit:
Sun Spark
.
.
Hospitality Property School is a division of Keystone HDC
