3 Tips When Interviewing Hospitality Staff

The hospitality industry is notorious for it's high staff turnover. Reasons for this include:

• Unsociable working hours
  
• Physically demanding work
  
• Temporary nature of many employment contracts

However another factor is a poor process when interviewing hospitality staff. 

A recent study by Griffith University found that Australian hotels have more than a 50% staff turnover rate. The study put the figure to replace those staff to be on average $770,000.  

What the study makes clear is that the financial cost of high turnover directly effects your business bottom line.

Hospitality businesses operate with very tight profit margins. So it makes sense to get your hiring right. You stand to improve your profitability if you do.

Here are 3 tips you should focus on when interviewing hospitality staff to ensure you hire candidates that are going to stick around.

1. Watch Body Language

A candidates body language during an interview can give you great insight into their personality.

Here are some of the things you should be on the look-out for:

• Posture: poor posture can be a sign that the candidate is disinterested. If they're not engaged now it's unlikely that's going to change on the job.
• Eye-contact: if a candidate can't look you in the eye during an interview this can be a worrying sign. Sometimes people are nervous or shy but if the candidate can't hold eye-contact at crucial stages of the interview it could be that they are not telling the truth. If they hold eye-contact too much it could be a sign of aggression which is a dangerous also.
• Fidgeting: someone who is constantly fidgeting is often impatient or frustrated. In the often highly stressful hospitality industry this is unlikely to be the candidate you are looking for.
• Hand gestures: relaxed, easy-flowing hand gestures are a good sign. Be on the look out for sharp, over the top gestures that can indicate aggressiveness.
• Arms: a good posture with relaxed arms and legs is what you should look for. If the candidate has crossed arms and legs this is usually a sign of defensiveness. 

2. Ensure staff are a good fit with your business

When interviewing staff for your hospitality business one of your goals should be to determine whether the candidate will make a good fit with your business. Think about the personality of the brand, the customers you serve and your existing staff. Do you see this candidate fitting in?

Some questions you can ask to uncover whether the person you are hiring is a good fit for your business include:


Why do you want to work here?

• You want the candidate you are hiring to be enthusiastic and keen to join your team. 

What are your greatest strengths?

• By asking this question you can determine whether the candidate is a good fit for the role you are hiring. You can also match their strengths against the rest of your staff. Does this candidate fill a gap that you might need?
  

Where do you like to go out to drink and eat?

• A candidates personal interest is a good way to discover their personality. You are then in a better position to assess their fit with other members of you team and other business stakeholders.

3. Interviewing is a Team Process

When interviewing hospitality staff for your business determine ways to involve more people in the process. Existing staff who will be in regular contact with a new employee are prime candidates to have input into the hiring of a new staff member. This is one way to ensure that when someone new is hired they are readily accepted, fit in and can make an impact straight away. It also promotes open communication, a good team atmosphere and culture which is critical in the hospitality industry.

Once the new staff is hired have a mentor system in place whereby they shadow an existing staff member. They will get a better insight into the processes and procedures of your business and will learn their role as well as those of others.

Via: Hospitality Magazine, Frontline Hospitality, HR News Daily, Open For Business


We'd love to hear your thoughts. What have you found to be a critical part of your hiring process to ensure that your hire the best staff for your hospitality business?