Did you know that based on a LinkedIn study, 94% of employees consider quitting due to a lack of training provided in their company? Let us add that 94% of employees would consider staying if new training and growth opportunities were provided.
That’s a HUGE number. The workforce has spoken and has made it clear that fun and proper training is mandatory.
Investment in employee training reduces employee turnover rates, increases customer retention rates, boosts productivity, and increases revenue in the long run. We’re about to tell you how training impacts the development of your hospitality business.
Let’s hop right into it.
What is Hospitality Industry Training?
Hospitality training is a specific process that equips your employees with crucial skills and knowledge so that they can carry out their roles productively. Training isn’t a one-time ordeal; it needs to be continuous.
Training and development shouldn’t be a flashback to falling asleep to history presentations in high school but a fun, hands-on experience employees can remember.
Setting up a well-thought-out training program or outsourcing a great training program keeps the learning flow in motion.
Onboarding
Onboarding should include:
- Employee handbook
- Clear explanation of company ethics and standards
- Meet the staff (Team members and Leaders)
- Job description
- Team building information
Engaging Training
Emphasize the availability of hands-on interactive training.
- Workshop events
- Personalized learning through the LMS (Learning Management System)
- Scenario based training
- Virtual reality training
- Interactive videos
Annual Refreshers
Keep the learning flow going. Brushing up on training quarterly or annually keeps the material fresh, leading to improved workplace efficiency.
Consider covering the following:
- Customer service
- Industry standards
- New Technologies
- Company Policy
- Safety protocol
Why Employee Training is Crucial for Success in the Hospitality Sector
Imagine you walk into a specialty hardware store after deciding to start a home project, but you lack basic knowledge about the tools and materials needed to complete the job. Typically, you’d think to walk up to a staff member and ask for some advice, but they lack education and training, so they respond with vague or misleading information.
Now, you’re misled, frustrated, and probably heading to a different store. In this current store you just left, lost a customer due to poor employee training and overall service quality.
The same conflict can and will apply to the hospitality industry without employee development.
Employee training is fundamental in the hospitality sector because it directly influences the quality of service provided. Having a staff with proper training enhances your company’s ability to meet guest needs effectively, resulting in guests more likely to stay.
Not only are guests likely to stay, but so are your employees. A well-trained staff reduces employee turnover rate and ultimately boosts staff confidence.
An employee confident in their role is likely to provide better service with fewer errors and overall workplace efficiency. An army with low morale is an army doomed to fail.
Enhancing Customer Satisfaction Through Employee Training Programs
Effective training programs equip employees with the skills to respond to customer needs promptly and effectively.
Online training modules, virtual simulations, and mobile learning apps make it easier for employees to access training materials anytime, anywhere.
Additionally, technology allows for personalized learning experiences, enabling staff to learn at their own pace and focus on areas where they need improvement, ultimately leading to a more competent workforce.
There are tools to help you pick out the best employee development programs for your company and provide exceptional education. Let’s take a quick dive into learning management systems.
Hospitality Learning Management Software (LMS)
A hospitality LMS is a cost-effective learning management system for the hospitality industry. Using an LMS allows you to track training progress and see where some employees are falling behind, offer interactive training on the go, personalize learning, and more.
Global hotel investment is expected to surge from 15% to 25% in 2025, fueling the demand for cost-effective training programs.
What are Some Soft Skills Needed in the Hotel Industry?
Being well rounded within the technical and deeper aspects of the hotel industry is crucial, but keep soft skills in mind too.
These aren’t personality traits but interpersonal abilities. Soft skills are traits and behaviors that directly contribute to how well one interacts and collaborates with others. Learning and developing these skills play a crucial role in guest satisfaction.
Communication
Communication isn’t solely reserved for couples, it applies in the world of business. Having staff trained in soft skills such as communication allows them to offer direct and comfortable communication to guests. Nobody wants to be beat around the bush.
Problem Solving
Skip the back roads to a solution, they take too long. Well-trained staff will handle guest complaints and requests directly with professionalism. The quicker a conflict is resolved, the more satisfied your customer will be.
Emotional Intelligence
Being able to read the room is key to exceptional customer service. Understand the importance of recognizing emotions and responding to them appropriately.
Applying EQ effectively ensures successful interactions when dealing with a variety of different cultures, points of view, and other stressful situations your hospitality staff might encounter.
The Role of Technology in Modern Hospitality Training Programs
In today’s digital age, technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing skills training in the hospitality industry. Having a variety of ways to train employees will keep things interesting and engaging.
- Virtual simulations
- Online training modules
- Mobile learning apps
Online Training Modules
Offering online training allows your employees to work from home or on downtime, with the ability to keep track of their progress. Checking in on staff training progress allows you to see skill gaps, and see their overall advancement.
Virtual Reality Training Programs
Investing in virtual reality training is a fun, hands-on experience your team members can participate in.
Gamifying learning and development keeps the process entertaining. VR can be used for scenario-based training and other variations of interactive learning.
Mobile App Training
On-the-go. You’re sitting down at a coffee shop with some downtime or traveling but don’t have a computer with you to catch up on some training. Just pull up your training on the mobile app!
Workforce: The Long-Term Benefits of Investing in Employee Training in Hospitality
While investments can be costly in the short run, it’s important to consider the long-run benefits.
- Customer & Employee Retention
- Boosted Productivity
- Leadership Development
- Increased Service Standards
- Revenue Growth
Boosted Productivity
When a team knows what they’re doing and works in harmony, efficiency spikes. 80% of employees in 2022 reported training benefits their productivity.
When you have an increase in productivity, you see an increase in profit. After applying learning and development solutions in the workplace, companies have seen a 17% increase in productivity and a 21% increase in profit.
Revenue Growth
Studies show an increase in return on investment (ROI) ranging from 10-40% after investing in versatile training solutions.
These numbers are based on an upward shift in guest satisfaction and loyalty, employee retention, together with workplace efficiency simply from investing in employee training and development.
Customer and Employee Loyalty
One of the biggest issues the workforce faces is stagnancy. The world of business is about growth and opportunity, a standstill is a recipe for failure.
Employee performance is based on self-confidence, which is directly linked to workplace efficiency and the feeling of moving forward in a career.
Consider also fostering a positive work environment, this will increase workforce morale and motivate staff to participate in staff training.
Customer retention is directly linked to customer satisfaction. Well-trained staff ensure that the hotel guests are being offered exceptional service, a byproduct of comprehensive training programs.
Creating a Culture of Continuous Learning
Creating a culture of continuous learning encourages employees to seek ongoing development and improvement. This can be achieved through regular workshops, mentorship programs, and opportunities for advancement that motivate staff to enhance their skills.
A learning culture not only benefits individual employees but also enhances the overall performance of the organization, fostering innovation and keeping the business competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.
Overcoming Training Budget Challenges
Investing in growth and development always comes with great long-run benefits, but budgeting properly to make sure other areas of the business aren’t being overshadowed could be a challenge.
Manage Your Budget
- Outline ALL training related costs
- Track spending and make sure you are within spending threshold
- Be prepared for any training priority changes as it will affect spending
- Communicate with employees to see if the current training procedures are working for them and properly align with your business objectives
Reduce Training Costs
- Invest in a learning management system (LMS). They keep everything online in one place and help streamline the training process, resulting in reduced spending on physical trainers, classrooms, and travel.
Focus on Needs
- Identify the most common skill gaps and prioritize essential training where it’s needed most
- Be sure that your training courses are aligned with your business objectives
- Hands-on training or in-house training allows employees to learn on-site in real scenarios without strictly outsourcing learning programs, ultimately reducing spending
How Can OTA Sync Help?
OTA Sync is an all-in-one, cloud-based software solution for managing hotels and apartments. Because of cloud-based technology, costs are drastically reduced, daily tasks are automated, and the overall efficiency and revenues of the property are increased.
OTA Sync software is suitable for medium and small hotels, boutique hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and apartments. The company has over 2.000 satisfied users in 17 countries around the world.
There are four complete solutions for managing hotels and apartments:
We offer a professional grade reception system that will ensure your employees and future hires gain practical, relevant experience that will enhance their development in the hospitality industry and prepare them for success.
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