Staffing in Hospitality: The Key to a Strong Business

If you ask any hospitality business owner what their biggest challenge is, the answer is almost always the same: staffing. Finding, training, and keeping the right people is one of the hardest parts of running a restaurant or bar.

Unlike many other industries, hospitality has a notoriously high turnover rate. Long hours, unpredictable shifts, and the high-pressure nature of the job mean that staff often move on quickly. But for those who stay, it’s more than just a job—it’s a craft, a passion, and a key part of what makes a venue successful.

Great staff don’t just take orders and carry plates. They are the face of the business, the backbone of service, and the difference between an average and an unforgettable experience. Here’s why staffing matters, the challenges hospitality faces, and how the best businesses keep their teams motivated.

Hiring the Right People: Character Over Experience

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is hiring for skill alone. While experience is valuable, you can teach someone how to serve, make drinks, or run a till—but you can’t teach attitude, work ethic, and genuine hospitality.

A strong team is built on people who care about the experience they provide. The best hires are those who:

• Have great people skills and can read a room.

• Understand teamwork and can adapt to fast-paced environments.

• Show initiative and can make smart decisions under pressure.

In many cases, a person with the right attitude and willingness to learn will outperform a ‘skilled’ hire who lacks passion or teamwork.

The Balance of Keeping Staff Year-Round

One of the biggest challenges hospitality businesses face is keeping staff through the quiet months. Restaurants and bars often experience extreme seasonal fluctuations, meaning staff might not always get consistent hours.

• Cutting too many hours means losing great staff to other jobs.

• Keeping too many hours increases costs during slow periods.

The best hospitality businesses plan ahead, communicate openly with their teams, and find ways to support staff year-round. Some create seasonal roles, while others cross-train staff to work in different areas so they can remain employed even when business slows down.

Keeping a great team together isn’t just about wages—it’s about culture, respect, and making people feel valued.

Why Trusting Your Staff is Critical

A strong hospitality team isn’t just a group of people following instructions—it’s a team of problem-solvers who make decisions in the best interest of the business.

Great staff:

• Keep an eye on labour costs when managers aren’t around.

• Make smart service decisions to improve efficiency.

• Handle customer issues with honesty and professionalism rather than overcomplicating situations.

The best hospitality businesses trust their teams to make decisions, rather than micromanaging every move. When staff feel empowered, they take ownership of their roles and work harder to make the venue successful.

How Staff Make or Break a Business

A restaurant’s food and drink bring customers in, but the staff are what make them come back. Even the best menu in the world won’t save a venue if the service is poor, the atmosphere is off, or the team lacks enthusiasm.

Good staff:

• Increase spend per head by engaging with customers.

• Create a welcoming atmosphere that makes people return.

• Keep everything running smoothly, even on the busiest nights.

On the other hand, bad service, lack of training, or unmotivated staff can kill a business faster than a bad dish ever could.

The Bottom Line: Treat Staff Well, and They’ll Treat Customers Well

At the end of the day, staff who feel valued will work harder, stay longer, and create better experiences for customers. While wages matter, so do respect, training, and a positive work environment.

Hospitality isn’t just about running a business—it’s about leading a team that cares. Because in this industry, your staff are your business.

Like what you’ve read?

Head to trevorhill.kit.com/mailinglist and grab my free ebook: The Four Pillars – A Sanity Manual for Hospitality Owners. It’s a short, honest guide to the four areas that helped me rebuild after burnout, with practical advice and real-world tools to help you take back control.