Top ten skills for hospitality workers in the COVID era

Since COVID shook the world, and especially the hospitality industry, jobs have been hard to come by.

But as the country starts to re-open, there will be new demand for hospitality professionals to fill open shifts for restaurants, hotels, and any other venues within hospitality that have had to let go of most or all of their staff in recent months.

With many hospitality workers finding jobs in other sectors, it will be critical for both new and seasoned talent to understand what it takes to succeed in this “new normal.”

This article will detail the Top 10 skills that every hospitality worker needs to succeed in a COVID world.

1. Customer Services Skills

The customer experience has always been, and always will be, the most important aspect of hospitality.

You need to be able to deliver an experience that will leave the customer feeling happy, comfortable, and safe.

If your customers are having a great experience, you will be successful whether you are serving food, working at a hotel, and anything that involves direct communication with the end-user.

The bottom line is: you’re doing an excellent job if the customer is happy.

A good experience will be critical as restaurants re-open because there will be millions of people searching for their new “go-to” spot since their typical locations have possibly closed for good.

Meeting the customer’s needs is your top priority in the service industry because customer satisfaction (and dissatisfaction) can spread quickly. Working on soft skills like active listening to customers’ needs and communicating with them to ensure they are consistently met will set you apart from your peers.

Pro tip: “The customer is always right…” is a popular phrase for a reason – they are (usually

). Truly embrace this stance, and you will have more success in the hospitality world.

2. Communication Skills

Communication is important in any industry. In hospitality, it is essential.

Having clear communication with your customers is the easiest way to ensure that they are happy and having a positive experience.

Along with customer communication, internal communication with coworkers and management will help everyone provide a more polished service and create fruitful relationships that could benefit you down the road.

When interacting with customers, your social skills will be on full display. So it is critical to continually be aware of how you are speaking and interacting with everyone because people will notice whether it is positive or negative. Having a pleasant attitude can make any interaction with a customer better, even when addressing an issue.

Pro tip: Try to be helpful and interact with customers whenever possible – even small positive interactions can significantly impact their experience.

3. Cultural Awareness

Working in hospitality, you will encounter different people from different cultural backgrounds, belief systems, nationalities, etc.  2020 has seen a new, positive, step forward shift in the way the world sees race. The Black Lives Matter movement has galvanized people of all races to stand up and fight for justice and equal treatment.

To succeed in that environment, you need to be empathetic to these different cultures and work to make everybody around you feel comfortable and welcomed.

Having an open mind and embracing people’s diverse backgrounds is an easy way to make your customers and coworkers comfortable, which will, in turn, improve their overall customer experience.

Pro tip: Treat everyone you meet with respect, ie. Treat others how you would want to be treated.

4. Food Safety

Even if you have all of the skills on this list, you will be dismissed if you work in the food services industry and do not follow food safety compliance measures. Ensure you are prepared for everything and following all laws and food safety protocols at all times.

The importance of proper food safety has never been more critical than now since COVID.

Learning about food safety, as well as proper disinfection methods to fight COVID and other viruses, will result in a safer, and more protected work environment for you, your business, and your customers.

Proper food safety can be the difference between a restaurant thriving and being forced to shut its doors in an instant, not to mention the threat of poor food safety to your customers and their families.

Pro tip: You can never be too careful when it comes to food safety and cleanliness! Always err on the side of caution.

5. Ability to Handle Stress

Let’s face it – the hospitality industry was already stressful before COVID, from busy shifts to demanding customers; you never know what is waiting around the next corner to stress you out, but having the self-awareness to keep yourself calm is an asset.

Now, with the added pressure of customers and management always on high-alert due to the COVID crisis and how it is impacting their business, the stress can become overpowering at times.

Being able to handle yourself in stressful situations is vital because stressful situations are unavoidable. You need to do what you can to keep a positive attitude and make sure you are keeping your cool.

Pro tip: Practice pausing and taking a few deep breaths when things start to feel overwhelming.

6. Language Skills

While knowing other languages is not a must-have in the hospitality industry, it is a plus to take some time to learn a few key phrases that may come in handy when dealing with non-native speakers.

Working knowledge of other languages enables you to better communicate with diverse groups of coworkers and customers to stand out from your peers.

Being bilingual is also a massive bonus if you want to move up to management, especially if you work in a hotel or a restaurant in a tourist hotspot.

Language skills are not only limited to verbal languages; your body language is also critical when interacting with customers and team members. Although you may be tired and ready to go home, your customers need to see that you are there for them.

Pro tip: Taking classes online is a great way to improve new languages.

7. Work Ethic

Working in hospitality, you must go above and beyond your assigned duties regularly. And new COVID measures have made even the simplest tasks like throwing away the garbage much more complicated. Having a strong work ethic is a massive advantage for anybody looking to be successful in this industry.

If you are not the type of person who is willing to roll up your sleeves and go the extra mile, that will quickly become evident to both the customers and the rest of your team.

Finding success in the hospitality industry without a willingness to put in the extra effort is very rare. So a commitment to hard work is a crucial trait in the top tier of hospitality professionals.

Pro tip: Having a hard word ethic does not mean you can’t take breaks. Utilize time management so you can rest when needed, and it won’t affect the team’s performance.

8. Teamwork Skills

No matter your role in the industry, hospitality jobs will always be a part of something larger.

Whether you are a waiter in a crowded restaurant, a hotel clerk, or a bartender – you are just one team member of a much larger team contributing to the total customer experience.

Working well with others is critical in the hospitality industry because things will be chaotic inevitably, but a good team can keep everything under control, especially during busy shifts.

Pro tip: Ensure you fully understand your role on the team, so everyone else can rely on you to do your job when things get hard.

9. Problem-Solving Skills

Creative problem-solving skills are as necessary for the hospitality industry as they are in any other industry. Being able to think on your feet is a huge advantage because you never know what can happen.

Customers can have particular requests and requirements that you need to accommodate to ensure a positive customer experience.

Things are more uncertain in the COVID era than ever, so you need to be prepared to tackle issues as they arise.

Pro tip: Always make sure you are providing a solution to your customer’s problems. “We can’t do that.” should be a last resort.

10. Attention to Detail

Your attention to detail will provide your customers with a much more positive experience, and it will make your job easier.

Remembering small details is essential for everybody in the industry (even entry-level positions) and is something that can make a customer’s experience a little bit better.

Anything from proper silverware setup to remembering a coworker’s name – small details can make a big difference in how customers and management perceive you.

Pro tip: If you are relatively new to the industry, don’t be a hero – write down customer’s orders to make sure you get every last detail correct.

Working in the hospitality industry is an extremely challenging but rewarding field. Utilizing the above skills will give you a leg up at your job and help you stand out from your peers.

Do you think you are ready to look for a job in the hospitality industry? Check out Flex by Jitjato!

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