Thrive or survive: How will hospitality come out of the pandemic?

Sponsored article by Alex Hall – #FairKitchens Champion (executive chef of Unilever Food Solutions UK & Ireland)

Thrive or survive – where do we start? Over the past months the entire sector has been in survival mode. Yet we have still seen businesses embody what hospitality is all about, by supporting charities and cooking for the homeless and NHS, all while changing business models and managing their people.

As uncertainty starts to become normal, we need to start thinking about sustainably growing our businesses and the people who are at the heart of them. We always talk about hospitality being about the people, but in my experience there is work to be done to equip people with the tools and knowledge to thrive.

That’s why I champion the #FairKitchens movement. #FairKitchens is all about inspiring a brighter future in the hospitality industry across the globe – one that puts the wellbeing of the team at the heart of a business and supports the development of all to help retain and attract the best talent.

The #FairKitchens campaign inspires change by sharing stories and conversations. Many are focused on the importance of supporting mental health and wellbeing of yourself and your team.

This is something I found difficult to get involved in at first. I didn’t know where to start, as we are not always taught to be managers, but having these conversations enabled me to reflect and learn. That’s why this movement can help train and evolve our colleagues as it shares resources and experiences from experts in the industry, such as the Pilot Light Campaign and Hospitality Action.

I have seen many examples of businesses that shine the light on sustainable ways of working, and I’m sure there are many more out there. Yet, as Tim Etherington-Judge from Healthy Hospo often says, although the industry has come a long way, there is still room to go further. So let’s take a moment to think about what our teams need to thrive coming out of the pandemic – for the betterment of themselves, your business and your customers.

Join us at the People Summit webinar on 23 October to hear more about how we can enable teams to thrive, and follow #Fairkitchens on Instagram and Facebook to be part of the change.