Talent Management

Colleen Moore, Director of Talent Acquisition , Alvarado Restaurant Nation

The hospitality industry is  multifaceted and with the  pressures of a fast-paced  environment and ensuring  stellar guest experiences, we are no  strangers to challenge. Among these,  talent management stands out as a  key to success in this industry. While  it might be tempting to view talent  management as simply a supportive  HR function, it should be an integral  function of operations that demands  organization-wide involvement. The  question is: How does one develop  a talent management strategy in an  industry as complex as hospitality? 

A well-defined talent management  strategy is more than just recruiting  and hiring; it is a combination of  acquisition, retention, development,  and succession planning that  necessitates alignment with all  other departments and the broader  organizational strategy. So I  recommend two considerations to  developing a talent management  strategy. One, the talent acquisition  team should not be relegated as  support actors, but their insights and  expertise should be a driving force in  shaping the company’s future. Two,  every department and person in the  organization should play an integral  role in driving the talent management  strategy, which extends the entire  employee life cycle. 

In the demanding hospitality  environment, where minor details can  drastically influence guest satisfaction,  processes sometimes take a backseat.  Many of us have experienced the  restaurant scenario of a particularly  challenging weekend leading to  multiple on the spot resignations.  Come Monday, the operations team  might be inclined to forgo well-laid  plans to address the immediate crisis.  And understandably so! After all,  preserving the ongoing operations and  service quality is paramount. 

However, such reactions, while  justified, underscore a larger issue.  They indicate the lack of a robust talent  management strategy that can preempt  such crises. With a well-thoughtout  plan, not only can the frequency  of such ‘fires’ be reduced, but their  intensity can also be mitigated.

"In essence, effective  talent management  in the hospitality  industry is about  looking beyond  immediate challenges "

 So, what’s the way forward?  The answer might lie in fostering a  culture where talent management isn’t  solely the domain of HR or senior  management. Rather, where every  employee, regardless of role or rank,  is empowered to act as recruiters and  brand ambassadors, thus shifting talent  management from function to culture.  Imagine a restaurant where every staff  member is attuned to spotting potential  talent, be it in the form of a guest with  a great smile, or through employees’  personal networks. Such an approach  not only broadens the talent pool  but also instills a sense of collective  ownership and responsibility within  the team (can someone say retention?!). 

Such as comprehensive talent  management approach can also shift  departments acting as sole contributors  in their functions (think Recruiting  vs Training vs Operations) to acting  as collaborative agents that support  each other in talent management  projects. How would an organization  look and feel different if all players  (i.e., recruitment, training, HR, and  operations) collaborated on talent  reviews, leadership development,  succession planning? 

In essence, effective talent  management in the hospitality industry  is about looking beyond immediate  challenges. It’s about building resilient  cross functional teams, fostering a  culture of collective responsibility,  and ensuring that talent acquisition is  integral to the organization’s culture. 

As the hospitality industry  continues to evolve, so must its  approach to talent management. Gone  are the days that a recruiter has the sole  function of finding the talent.  Organizations that prioritize and adapt  have and will continue to not only  navigate challenges more efficiently but  will also be positioned for sustainable  growth and success.