What makes a great hospitality training program?  A checklist for GMs and operations leads

A great hospitality training program shouldn’t be a single event or a pile of dusty manuals handy to employees. It should be a strategic, living system that addresses your team's specific needs, aligns with your business goals, and fosters a culture of excellence. It should provide training that actually changes behaviour, not just tick a few boxes. It should be easy-to-use and configured to enable your deskless teams to complete during short shifts and on their mobiles. 

Investing in your employees' growth is a powerful way to benefit both your team and your entire organisation. When you provide excellent development opportunities, you're not only helping your current team, but you're also making your company more attractive to top talent. In fact, a significant number of employees, at least 50%, consider professional growth a key factor when deciding whether to accept a job. This commitment to development can also be a deciding factor in retaining your best people.

This comprehensive checklist is designed to help you move beyond reactive, one-size-fits-all training and instead build a training program that covers both hard and soft skills and is designed for the various roles within your team and the needs of your organisation.

The foundational pillars: needs and gap analysis

Before you invest money in training, it's important to understand why you need it and who you need it for. The most common mistake is to start with a solution (e.g., "we need a communication course") before fully understanding the problem. 

To create a successful hospitality training program, you should start by conducting a training needs analysis (TNA) to identify and quantify the skills gaps. Use these insights to develop role-specific, engaging content that covers both hard and soft skills, delivered through a mix of digital and on-the-job training. Finally, ensure the program's effectiveness by continuously measuring its impact on business outcomes and gathering feedback for ongoing improvement.

Identify your training needs 

This is the process of systematically identifying the knowledge, skills, and attitudes your team lacks. Don't rely on gut feelings. Conduct a TNA by using a mix of methods:

• Performance reviews: What consistent weaknesses and skills gaps have been noted across your team? 
• Customer feedback: Are guests frequently complaining about the same issue (e.g., slow service, rude staff)? What are the common themes in your customer feedback that could inform future scenario based training.
• Surveys and interviews: Ask your employees directly what skills they feel they need to do their jobs better. Involve the team in assessing what’s missing.
• Operational metrics: Track key data like average time to seat a table, wait times for food or number of complaints by category.

Training gap analysis

Once your TNA has identified a need, a gap analysis quantifies the difference between your team's current performance and your desired state. The TNA answers "what" you need to train for, while the gap analysis answers "how big" the problem is.

For example, your TNA reveals that a key business objective is to increase upselling. Your gap analysis shows that only 10% of your staff are regularly upselling, while your target is 80%. This quantifies a significant gap that your training program must close. It moves the conversation from a vague "we need to upsell more" to a specific, measurable goal.

Role-specific training needs analysis

One-size-fits-all training is a recipe for disengagement. A front-of-house server needs a different skillset than a back-of-house sous chef. A great program recognises this and tailors content to specific roles and career stages.

Before you can assess your training, you must have a clear "blueprint" of what success looks like for every role in your venue - including the new hires. Go through each position, from new hire to manager and map out the specific skills and knowledge required for excellence. 

• New hires & onboarding: Is there a structured onboarding program for new hires that covers all necessary basics on industry standards and regulations? Does it cover the vision and mission of the organisation?
• Frontline staff: Training should focus on soft skills (communication, de-escalation), product knowledge, and technical skills (POS systems, service standards). Are there clear training pathways that show employees how they can progress from an entry-level position to a leadership role?
• Supervisors & team leads: Their training should bridge the gap between technical skills and leadership competencies, covering conflict resolution, effective delegation, and giving feedback. They also need clear training pathways for their career development.
• Managers: Training must cover strategic thinking, financial management, talent development, and leadership skills.

By providing relevant, role-specific content, you show employees that you value their specific contribution and are invested in their unique professional journey.

Skills and competencies

Does training cover the most essential technical skills and the important soft skills?

• Soft skills: Are there modules on verbal and non-verbal communication, empathy and emotional intelligence, teamwork and adaptability, conflict resolution and problem-solving? Soft skills development should be embedded in training across all roles.
• Customer experience: Is there training on active listening, de-escalation, and building rapport?
• Role-specific hard skills: Does a new bartender receive training on inventory management, and does a new chef receive training on cost control?
• Leadership skills: Is there sufficient training for managers and leaders on mentorship, coaching and building strong effective teams?
• Compliance: Do we have up-to-date courses on food safety, responsible service of alcohol (RSA), and workplace health and safety (WHS)?

Timing and frequency

Determine whether your hospitality training program will be delivered at the right time.

• Pre-shift huddles: Are pre-shift huddles used to deliver quick, focused training on a single topic? If there is peer conflict or a service slip, providing coaching in the moment can help staff to reflect.
• On-demand: Can employees access short, on-demand modules to refresh their skills just before a busy shift?
• Continuous learning: Is training an ongoing process, not just a one-off event during induction?
• Immediate feedback: Is there a process for providing immediate, real-time feedback and coaching on the job?

A great hospitality training program is also proactive. It anticipates future needs and builds skills before a problem arises, rather than serving as a last-minute scramble to fix a recurring issue. 

Your TNA and gap analysis should inform a long-term plan that is tied directly to your business goals. For example, if your brand is expanding into a new market, your training should be designed to prepare your team for the unique cultural and operational nuances of that region well in advance.

Assess your current training quality

With your gaps identified, you can now check your existing training content. Go through each training module and ask:

• Training breadth and depth: Is it too general? For example, is a single "customer service" course covering what a front desk agent and a barista both need, or is it tailored to each?
• Up-to-date methods: Are we using outdated learning methods? 
• Digital and mobile-friendly: Is the training content accessible on smartphones and tablets?
• Microlearning: Are complex topics broken down into short, digestible modules (3–5 minutes)? This prevents information overload and allows for easy retention.
• Interactive content: Does the training include best practice techniques, such as active learning with elements like quizzes, drag-and-drop activities? Does training include scenario-based learning where employees can apply their knowledge in a risk-free environment?
• Video-centric: Are there high-quality, short videos that demonstrate key skills in the training?  A video on how to pour a perfect pint or set a table is far more effective than a written description.

Does it include on-the-job mentorship?

Digital training is powerful, but it's only half the equation. A great hospitality training program uses digital content as a foundation, which is then reinforced with on-the-job coaching and mentorship. A manager should be empowered to spend dedicated time with new hires, guiding them through real-world scenarios and providing immediate, constructive feedback. This bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, solidifying the employee's skills and fostering a crucial manager-employee relationship.

Is it measurable?

A great training program can prove its worth. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.

• Learning metrics: Track key data points like course completion rates, quiz scores, and the time taken to complete modules. This helps you identify where employees are struggling and can inform future learning pathways for them.  
• Performance metrics: Link training to tangible business outcomes. Did that upselling course result in a higher average check size? Did the de-escalation training reduce the number of customer complaints? The most powerful ROI is a direct improvement in your business's performance.

Implementation and continuous learning

A great training program is never "finished". The most successful businesses treat it as a continuous, ever-evolving system. Ensure you have a roadmap to assess training quality and effectiveness and a plan for regular updates.

• Start with a pilot: Don't roll out a massive new program all at once. Start with a single team or a specific training module. Gather feedback from employees and make adjustments before scaling up.
• Ask for feedback: Regularly survey your team about the training. Do they find it useful? What topics are missing? This empowers them and provides you with invaluable insights.
• Adjust and update: As your business evolves, so should your training. Keep content fresh and relevant to reflect changes in your menu, services, or brand standards.

For GMs and Ops Leads, an effective training program is not an expense but a strategic investment. By moving beyond reactive solutions and embracing a data-driven, systematic approach to training, you will be able to build a more capable, engaged, and loyal team. A great hospitality training program is your competitive advantage, ensuring you have the right people with the right skills at the right time to deliver a truly exceptional experience. This checklist should guide you in creating an effective training programme that is tied to your organisational goals and the needs of your team.

View Allara Global’s learning platform built for hospitality, an LMS where you can access Allara Global’s comprehensive hospitality course library covering compliance, technical skills and soft skills.