Training Articles (formerly Member Blog)

In a recent survey of restaurant and foodservice workers, 58% reported being happy or extremely happy with their jobs, while 56% simultaneously felt burned out. Research also shows that hotel employees report stressors at a rate that is nearly double that of the national average. The stress employees face often spills over into customer interactions, so helping team members manage stress and stay out of the Red Zone is beneficial for employees and for business outcomes.

Who could have predicted that I, a old-school and cynical-by-nature do-it-yourselfer, would become the "AI Guy" at work? Nobody was more surprised than I was to find that AI provided me with something I have never had before in my 35-year history in hospitality training: a non-judgmental, incredibly smart, positive, supportive, articulate, and developmentally critical partner in crime. Let me tell you how two CHART conference breakouts led me down the AI path and inspired me to embark on this unexpected adventure!

Integrating AI at work has been nothing short of a game-changer for me, transforming my approach to writing and content creation. But I have also found myself using AI in my personal life for everything from counseling to vacation planning. The major takeaway I want to convey is that AI is not going away, and if you've been hesitant to dive in, I encourage you not to wait wait any longer! Now is the time to get in there and see how it can work with you, energize you, and stretch your already considerable talents.

Not only are rainbows commonly associated with the LGBTQ+ community, but they are also symbols of hope, love, happiness, and acceptance. When you come right down to it, these ideals represent what we are trying to achieve in training. This pride month, lead with these qualities in mind.

Frequent job changes no longer indicate poor performance or ethics; they represent a cultural shift in beliefs about advancement and career self-determination. Newer generations see their careers less like ladders and more like lattices that weave together experiences from different companies and roles to gain new skills, take on additional responsibilities, and earn higher pay. It is time to rewrite some old assumptions about career trajectories and job hopping and embrace, rather than dismiss, applicants who have made frequent career moves in the past.

Restaurant and hotel managers seem to be leaving their positions sooner than ever, and it's time to acknowledge that "the way we've always done things" is at least partially responsible. We need to evolve the way we train managers and assign responsibilities, and take a closer look at how we can help meet the needs of today's leadership. Here are three suggestions for addressing the manager shelf-life issue, so we can begin our training evolution.

The data uncovered in the recent Hospitality Training 360 Report unmistakably points towards a rising tide of tech integration featuring artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and gamification. With this in mind, now is the time for trainers to lay the groundwork to ensure that their team is ready to welcome these integrations. Here are 6 strategies you can implement now to prepare for a tech-driven future.

The hospitality industry, characterized by fast-paced environments, long hours, and high-pressure situations, faces unique challenges when it comes to supporting the mental health of employees. Here are five strategies that hospitality leaders can implement to advocate for mental wellness and support hospitality workers, ultimately creating healthier, more resilient workplaces.

In this hyper-competitive labor market, employee satisfaction and retention are a focal point for employers. The newly released Hospitality Training 360 Report by CHART and Opus Training shows that continuous learning and development opportunities are now considered key drivers of employee engagement and satisfaction. Here are some of the key findings and trends uncovered by the research.

My key takeaway from Kelly McCutcheon's breakout at the Charlotte conference, "Living Fully: 5 Mini Lessons for a Fresh Approach," was the concept of incremental change, which I immediately connected with my specialty, On-the-Job Training. Embracing incremental change in OJT is an investment in your employees that will pay off with better retention, greater understanding, and more satisfied employees and guests. Here are 7 strategies to consider adding to your program.

People who develop others play a crucial role in shaping the growth and potential of those under their guidance. However, it is equally important for these developers to invest time and effort into their own personal and professional development. By doing so, they not only have the opportunity to cultivate and refine their own skills, but also foster a culture of continuous learning and growth.

As we began analyzing the data and looking at the trends of the newly released Hospitality Training 360 Report by Opus Training and CHART, we couldn’t help but envision how these trends will shape the future of training within the hospitality industry. Here are three scenarios that could happen in the near future.