The hospitality industry is undergoing profound change, with managers grappling with numerous challenges ranging from increasing burnout and higher guest expectations to declining tips and outdated training methods.
A recent survey of 500 frontline managers in the U.S. hospitality industry conducted by Axonify found that nearly half (47%) experience burnout due to the demands of their jobs. The problem is also affecting their teams: 68% of managers report that their employees have experienced burnout, and 64% say some employees have quit because of it.
Carol Leaman, CEO and co-founder of Axonify, stressed the urgent need to modernize training methods. She pointed out that the hospitality industry has suffered greatly from socio-economic challenges such as labor shortages and rising living costs. Leaman stressed the importance of companies adopting agile training strategies that provide their employees with the necessary skills to effectively perform their roles while maintaining motivation and engagement.
The survey identified several key factors contributing to the burnout crisis. 73% of managers cited high stress levels, followed by staff shortages (70%), long working hours (67%) and challenging guest interactions (53%). Additionally, a lack of support for stress management and wellbeing initiatives and changing guest expectations (52%) were identified by 52% of respondents. Worryingly, more than half (54%) of frontline managers said their companies do not provide mental health and wellbeing training.
Another issue highlighted by the survey is the trend of declining tips, with 61% of managers observing lower tips from guests this year. This has exacerbated frustration among employees and led to a range of negative reactions, including resignations (49%), leaving shifts early (47%), emotional outbursts (46%) and sharing their complaints on social media (41%).
The findings also highlighted the need for improved training in the hospitality sector, with over a third (38%) of managers saying they felt unprepared for different work situations due to inadequate training and 19% saying current training programs were unable to keep staff engaged and motivated.
To address these issues, employers are advised to focus on training programs that increase employee engagement, as 17% of managers believe that increased engagement would significantly improve the well-being of their teams.
More than half (54%) of hospitality executives believe that required skills are declining or disappearing due to technological advances in the industry. Despite the challenges, 66% of managers remain optimistic about the future of the hospitality and food and beverage industries, given workforce satisfaction and stability.
In addition, nearly half (48%) of managers said they had to ask a guest to leave or deny them entry due to employee mistreatment in the past year. Over a quarter (28%) expressed concerns that their teams are currently unable to meet customer expectations. Finally, labor shortages, lack of talent and overworked employees were cited as the biggest challenges negatively impacting the industry.
Leaman concluded that the findings demonstrate the inadequacy of traditional training and engagement methods and stressed the need for companies to implement dynamic, continuous learning programs. These programs, she argued, are essential to empowering frontline workers to meet the evolving demands of their roles while remaining engaged and successful in their positions.
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