Human Resources Management Trends in F&B (2022)
The hospitality industry in general and the F&B industry in particular, have witnessed considerable shifts throughout the two years of the pandemic.
During the recovery period, with travel resuming gradually, we are seeing changing travel trends, innovative ideas, and state-of-the-art technology.
Still, HR management boards play a huge role in recognizing and meeting employees’ needs as we all move forward. An article titled “The HR Outlook 2022” on Engage Rocket mentions mental health as one of the significant influences on HRM trends across all sectors.
Numerous impactful trends for current and prospective HR managers are included in this blog post. Read on to find out.
Training and Upskilling
Training and upskilling are significant in this digital era, which requires staff to continuously broaden and update their knowledge. It is evident that in the Covid-19 pandemic, most businesses have transformed their operations to either remote or hybrid. This means the human resources will need retraining and upskilling to catch up with the Industrial Revolution 4.0.
These influences undoubtedly created a skill gap for many employees, making their current skill sets obsolete and unsuitable for the new business model. As a result, they have been forced to reassess choices and growth paths, and acquire new skills.
To support staff throughout this process, F&B businesses must provide an environment where the team can concurrently upgrade their skill sets and develop along with the new trends. This means staff need access to the required learning solutions, updated knowledge, and workshops on F&B, travel trends, booking technologies, etc.
According to leading experts in the US, over half of HR managers are prioritizing crucial skill-building in 2022, such as computer skills, virtual communication, stress and time management, and prioritization, to name but a few.
Focusing on Employee Satisfaction and Retention
One of the primary impacts of Covid-19 has been the lack of sufficient workforce post-reopening. Businesses in the F&B industry are running with less manpower than needed. Several industry employees experienced insurmountable challenges, namely job losses, pay cuts as well as medical issues. This is why 2022 should be entirely about reconstructing solid teams via competitive pay scale and retention strategies (e.g., benefits, support, training opportunities).
Digitizing Employee Experience
Last year was certainly disruptive for the F&B industry. However, looking on the bright side, HR management boards can witness powerful technology applications. Therefore, 2022 is a great chance to leverage these innovations to boost employees’ experiences and secure higher output and retention.
Using digital workspaces to centralize staff communication and encouraging mobile interactions can enable your teams to stay connected and engage whenever possible. As a result, higher retention can lead to improved service delivery.
Besides, to effectively manage human resources, there is no denying that HR departments need to use technology to share knowledge, collect and analyze data about their staff.
Embracing Diversity and Integration in the Working Environments
Of course, last year, HR managers already initiated these policies in the workplace. It is expected that 2022 will be a year to enhance this, especially when diversity and integration have become an important aspect of employee experience.
These elements increase not only the staff’s comfort at work but also the F&B businesses’ competitiveness in the employment market. In other words, when potential candidates see that your restaurants/ cafes promote diversity, fairness, and integration, they are more likely to apply and recommend vacancies to others.
In 2022 and definitely in the future, diversity in the workplaces will continue to retain valuable talents for F&B companies. As of now, although 70% of businesses believe their talent acquisition and retention strategies are effective enough, only a mere 11% manage to do this.
Prioritizing Flexibility
If organizations wish to attract and retain talents in the industry, it is imperative that they focus on enforcing flexible and fair policies. To illustrate, instead of counting employees’ in-office work hours, how about concentrating on their performance and productivity?
Throughout 2020 and 2021, most businesses had no choice but to familiarize themselves with remote and hybrid working. This year even saw the permanent switch to work from home. For example, Twitter has recently allowed employees to stop going into the office and work remotely as they wish. Similarly, Microsoft announced that they would emphasize matching staff’s lifestyles with working environments of their choice. Some other giants like Facebook, Shopify, and Slack have also come to terms with the “New Normal'' where working from home is nothing out of the ordinary and even encouraged.
This operating method has become the superior way, with adjustments to increase virtual engagement among staff and customers. Additionally, it creates more work-life balance for the workforce while still maintaining efficiency. Working from home has definitely become part of the organizational culture in the world.
Maintaining Mental and Physical Wellbeing
Last but not least, we all know that human resource is the core of the industry. Staff in F&B used to be underpaid, undervalued and considered temporary. Hence, focusing on maintaining their physical and mental health should be one of the essential emphases for the sector this year. It is time that HR managers reevaluate workplace conditions, working shifts, and whether you are offering enough access to mental support and employee wellbeing resources.
The Bottom Line
We have been through such difficult years; nevertheless, 2022 presents excellent opportunities for F&B businesses to transform and innovate. HR managers should reconsider their business objectives and development plans by keeping up with the mentioned trends. This not only helps your organization adapt to unexpected situations but also maximize your staff experiences.
Hufr is always ready to support you in looking for suitable candidates and improving your HR management techniques in the F&B industry. Do not hesitate to contact us at info@hufr.io. Find F&B, restaurant jobs available on our homepage.