A blog by Dee Sturgess; Director of Talent & Training for Bums on Seats, about what really matters to people in their working environment.
With the biggest resource crisis ever to hit the UK following the rollercoaster that Covid graced us with, we decided to have a much closer look at what’s most important to the people that make and shape our business at Bums on Seats……. our team.
As most of us at Bums come from an operations team background originally, we’re no strangers to the challenging circumstances that much of hospitality can endure daily. So, although now we are a supplier to the industry, we’ve not forgotten our roots or how quite how blooming tough it is “on the ground”.
Way before Covid, Brexit or global resource shortages were a thing, hospitality has always suffered with one big problem – how to keep amazing people in the business.
We’re all familiar with the challenges in operations; long unsociable hours, low pay and lack of recognition. Yet for those of us that have stuck it out, there is the opportunity that few other industries can offer. Where else can you start as a bartender and rise to Managing Director of a pub group? Or work as back of house in the kitchen for a Saturday job and become head of procurement in a hotel chain?
I know I’m not the exception to the rule and neither is Amber Staynings, our CEO and Founder. We both left school at 16 with a desire to work hard, earn money, have fun and achieve BIG things! Many of our colleagues, contacts and clients in senior roles have a very similar background and career path.
Hospitality is a family that welcomes everyone with no judgement on who you are, where you come from or what school you went to. We are one of the most inclusive industries in the world – we just need to be better (much better) at giving some awesome TLC to the amazing people that join us on the journey!
So, after taking part in a lot of webinars, workshops, devouring insights, papers and getting lots and lots of honest feedback from our team (including the ones that have moved on) here is what I was left with……The nitty gritty that was REALLY important to our own team at Bums – and surprisingly money wasn’t top of the list!
Trust | Environment | Advancement | Mind
By pure chance it spells T.E.A.M. (and we do love an acronym at Bums)!
Trust – that I am trusted to do my job, with clear responsibilities that I understand, that are mine to own and be responsible for. That I can Trust the people around me and the people that manage me.
Environment – that I have the best possible physical surroundings to be productive and grow at work. Tech that works well, a good desk in a clean office with a great chair, with somewhere pleasant that I can take a break, eat, make a drink, and feel happy and proud to call my workspace. That there is a positive cultural environment at work which rewards people for effort, achievement, and improvement.
Advancement – that I get the chance to learn, grow, develop, and progress in both my career and my own personal agenda for life. That I have a mentor and that my future is invested in.
Mind – that I have a work and home life balance. That my mind and health is respected, and I can stay motivated and in the right mindset to be at my absolute best in both my work life and home life.
At Bums, we’ve shortened our working week, extended the holiday allowance, have flexi-working for childcare and we’re busy packing in as much development for our whole team as possible so we keep growing as people, not just as a business. I am also the qualified mental health champion for the Bums, so we are continually assessing how we can ensure our team are supported and have the best work life balance possible.
We’re not perfect and don’t profess to be. We can always do better, and T.E.A.M. is a work in progress for us at Bums on Seats, but I know it’s on the right path to becoming more people centric. People always have been at the heart of hospitality, so it’s only right that our team should be the heart of our business.
So, tell me…. What’s important to you Team?
hospitality
noun
- the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.
By Dee Sturgess.
Dee is our wonderful Director of Talent & Training for Bums on Seats.
She is a highly sought-after Consultant with over 20 years’ experience within the hospitality sector. Dee has a proven track record managing multiple teams and brands within the late-night sector and creates smart sales development strategies for all areas of hospitality.