Hospitality – Don’t play chess with your team

Every day we get asked what is the feeling within the industry, ”how can we attract and maintain our team”. Truthfully the overall feeling amongst candidates is that many staff are feeling burnt out and undervalued (coupled with many still not getting paid overtime, sad but indeed true!).

The coming months are looking to be as I had predicted back in the summertime, the most critical for our industry as staff start to look for movement within the industry (and many discussing leaving completely) and are exploring options.

This is where I can’t emphasis enough to not to play the chess game with your team, as there will only be one loser and it won’t be team members with the range of opportunities opening within the market.

Project management and team leadership are often viewed as chess games, but my advice is not to fall into this trap as it won’t deliver results for your business and team members will leave.

A huge part of the leader’s job is to choose the appropriate pieces and move them to the correct parts of the board to achieve the goal of capturing the other team’s King.

But there’s one important difference, of course. Those pieces on the chess board aren’t human. Your team members are and they need to be treated accordingly and businesses need to invest in the changing needs of employees post pandemic.
As a leader or manager, motivating your team should be high on your agenda. 

Your team members’ motivation levels can have an impact on their productivity, the quality of their work, their engagement, morale and their relationships with others. The pieces on the chess board aren’t human but your team members are.

DAILY:
From the way you respond to problems or challenges, to how you manage your workload and conduct your relationships, your approach to work can have a big influence on your team.
  • But a positive, upbeat approach (yes even in these times) can help to energise your team & encourage them to adopt a similar mindset.
  • As a leader or manager, the way you approach your role can also have an impact on your team members’ motivation; if you put in 100%, your team should be inspired to do the same.
OFFER PRAISE & CELEBRATE SUCCESS
  • Recognising & celebrating success in your team is one of the most effective ways of inspiring everyone to keep up the good work.
  • Saying a simple ‘thank you’ or ‘well done’ to team members can help to boost motivation on a day-to-day basis & will reassure them that their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
REMEMBER: KEEPING YOUR TEAM MOTIVATED = RETAINING YOUR TEAM
  • Motivating your team is an important aspect of your role, & one that requires continuous attention.
  • It’s not about making elaborate gestures or offering costly incentives. It’s about taking simple steps to create the right daily conditions for motivation to thrive.
  • Don’t pay what your colleagues were worth 3/4 years ago, or even 18 months ago, pay your team what they are worth to you now!

Doing this you will help make your team a motivating place to work.

It’s the little things that matter right now to your team, our candidates tell us this daily.

The strategic part of project or team leadership is important. You have to know how to play chess. You also need to know that some of your team members might value praise above anything else, while others may be driven by the prospect of growth & development.

Take time to invest in your team & know which, otherwise you risk losing some of the key assets to your business at a crucial time.

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