'Tis the season for festive celebrations, and with the holidays come droves of customers. For restaurant and hotel managers, it’s tricky to provide the same quality of service without overwhelming their team with the large influx of guests. We have some tips to handle this. Here are some staffing strategies for the hospitality industry, specifically tailored for handling the holiday rush.

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1. Use Past Data and Make a Plan:

You most likely have some data from last year’s holiday rush surrounding reservations, events, etc. Collaborate with your team to create a comprehensive plan that covers exactly what kind of staffing needs you have, special promotions, and any adjustments to your menu or service structure that you may want to take into account. (If you don’t have a good way to analyze your historical data, stick around until the end of the article for tips on that)

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2. Flexible Scheduling and Cross-Training:

Flexibility is helpful any time, but especially during the holidays. Some examples of flexible scheduling include staggered shifts and part-time hours. This allows you to cater to the peak demand periods without causing staff burnout. Also, cross-training your employees make sure that each team member will be able to handle various roles. This helps to minimize bottlenecks during the particularly busy hours. For example, a waiter who can seamlessly transition to the bar or assist with hosting adds lots of versatility to the team under many scenarios.

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3. Temporary Staffing Solutions:

If necessary, you can bolster your team with temporary hires during the busiest portion of the holiday rush. This ensures that you have adequate support without the long-term cost. Of course, be sure to communicate the expectations and terms clearly, then provide a training session to assimilate the temporary staff into your established service standards.

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4. Incentivize and Motivate:

A little bit of acknowledgement goes a long way for keeping staff happy. Your team will be putting in extra effort during the holidays, so it’s crucial to let them know you appreciate it. Consider implementing new incentives like holiday bonuses, additional time off for after the rush, or more employee discounts. This can motivate and reward your staff to stick with you through the tough season. A motivated and happy team is more likely to maintain a positive attitude and reliably deliver good service, even during the busy hours.  

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5. Technology Integration:

Technology that streamlines operations and enhances efficiency can help decrease the amount of labor needed during these busy times. A system that is easy to use and makes tasks faster can also increase staff satisfaction, therefore increasing retention. Some examples of technology you can implement: reservation systems, online ordering platforms, POS systems, inventory & ordering management systems, etc. These can all manage the flow of customers and orders, reducing stress on all staff and allowing them to focus on delivering top-notch service.

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In order to manage the increased demand during the holiday rush of the hospitality industry, it requires a little planning and some creative implementations for how your team is running. In idea #1, we suggested to first take a look at your historical data, and in idea #5, we brought up technology integration. With the Hospitality Innovations mobile and web app, you get robust historical data, fast & easy inventory, and efficient 1-click ordering.  

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To learn more about how we can help your business during the holiday rush or any time of the year, click here to schedule a free 1-on-1 demo with us.

If you’re not quite ready for a demo, you can take a self-guided tour through our mobile application here.