Flexibility and supportive management: These are the benefits that drive revenue, according to new survey

Sona, the next-generation workforce management solution, has been researching employee motivation, and how providers can support their teams to increase satisfaction, whilst driving revenue. 

Retaining talented staff is a priority for any Hospitality business, but 30% of respondents plan to leave in the next 12 months, costing 1000+ employee organisations £1.6m on average (based on industry replacement costs data and average £25k/year salary). By running the Happiness Index survey throughout the past three months, Sona uncovered a series of levers that People & HR leaders can access in order to build high performance cultures in tight markets. 

• Shift flexibility is the top priority for tenured team members
• Managers are essential to driving retention but spending too much time on admin tasks undermines this ability
• Sharing in company goals drives motivation amongst staff

Additionally, the survey also revealed more insights into how tenured employees prefer to be shown appreciation, the impact of technology on job satisfaction, and recommendations for operators looking to increase both productivity and wellbeing. 

Karina Coen, a foremost Labour Productivity expert, shared her opinion on the results: “What stood out to me most was how often public praise and manager interactions were mentioned. These human touches are essential to a great employee experience and, therefore, to retention. However, many respondents weren’t able to self-service many basic operational activities, leaving managers busy with admin and little time to inspire and motivate.

"Seeing how driven team members are when they’re kept up-to-date with business metrics makes me confident there is a big opportunity in this data for leaders looking to boost productivity.“
 
The Happiness Index survey focused on Front of House and Back of House respondents, across Hotel groups, Pubs/Bars, and Casual Dining. The next step for Sona is to interview leadership teams in the same segments and explore their views on how technology can enable and enhance high performance cultures. 

To access the results of the survey, click here for Part 1: The top staff benefits that drive revenue and here for Part 2: Rethinking your team app experience to drive performance.