From casual to committed: Building training pathways that retain staff

The hospitality industry has long grappled with staff retention and a high staff turnover. The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) states that accommodation and food services has the highest turnover rate at 15.5% compared to the annual turnover rate of 8-9.5%. This revolving door of new hires and departures isn't just a logistical headache, it's a significant drain on resources, morale, and ultimately, your hospitality venue's bottom line. 

High turnover will also erode your team’s morale. It also places undue stress on the remaining staff, and can directly impact customer experience as consistency falters. In an era where customer interactions define a venue's reputation, losing experienced, customer-facing staff is particularly damaging.

But what if there was a way to transform casual employees into committed team members and to foster loyalty that lasts? 

The answer to improving staff retention in hospitality lies in providing well-structured, engaging training pathways, particularly those that embrace a digital-first approach.

In this article we explore why traditional training leads to high turnover and how to implement an effective training program that makes employees feel engaged, motivated and committed to their careers and the business goals.

Why traditional staff training fails at retention

Many hospitality venues offer basic, compliance-focused training. This may just be a quick tour, a few policy documents, and perhaps an hour or two with a manager. While essential for initial setup, this approach often falls short of fostering long-term engagement. The reason this doesn't support staff retention in hospitality is because:

• It's not engaging: New hires are faced with information overload, often delivered with slides or in a classroom. It doesn’t inspire or motivate. It’s also not optimised for digital or mobile usage. 
• It’s not relevant: Learning is outdated, or doesn’t reflect current challenges and trends and doesn’t keep pace with the actual skills-gaps. 
• It lacks progression: Employees don't see a clear path for growth in their training. This can lead to a "dead-end job" perception. Their learning may also not be connected to actual career development. It may also lack aspects like mentoring, which help embed online learning and inspire staff to progress.
• It lacks soft skills: Skills directly tied to delivering excellent customer service like communication, non-verbal cues, emotional intelligence and empathy are missing. 
• It's inconsistent: Quality of training can vary wildly between managers or locations.
• It’s not prioritised by venue managers: Systemic challenges mean that managers don’t feel they can give space for training. In the LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report, only 15% said that their managers were supportive of their career plan and development. 

“Employees are saying, ‘I expect you as an employer to help me keep up, and if not, I’m going to go somewhere else.’  
_{Josh Bersin, global HR industry analyst.}

Learning pathways can help overcome these issues. 

What are learning pathways?

A learning pathway is a curated training plan within a Learning Management System (LMS) that helps employees gain new knowledge or skills. Unlike a random collection of courses, a pathway is a structured sequence that's strategically organised for better information retention. It keeps learners on track with built-in notifications and reminders and remains incomplete until every course in the sequence is finished. Learning pathways are a flexible tool, perfect for training new hires or teaching your current team new skills or systems.

Unlike traditional training that can be unstructured and inefficient, learning pathways offer a deliberate, organised approach to skill development. These pathways are designed to steer a learner from their starting point to a specific level of mastery. 

Learning pathways come in three main types: sequenced, learner's choice, and level. Each is designed for a different training objective.

• Sequenced: Courses are arranged in a specific, required order, much like following a step-by-step recipe. This is good for front and back of house teams where specific compliance and technical skills are required. It can also be used to help people progress to the next level.
• Learner's Choice: Employees can choose their own order from a recommended list of courses, allowing them to focus on what they need most. Example: a bartender might select electives to deepen expertise in a specific beverage category (e.g. agave spirits or low-/no-alcohol cocktails)
• Level: This approach offers the most flexibility, allowing staff to take any course in any order without a predefined sequence. Useful for self-directed learners across roles to target gaps or explore new skills. 

Which one is best? The most effective learning path depends on your specific training goals. By first identifying what you need to achieve, you can choose the pathway that will be most efficient and successful for your team.

Related article: What Are Learning Pathways and Their Benefits?

How training pathways can create committed employees

Having a structured training pathway for each role will demonstrate that your organisation is invested in your employee's future. It signals that they are valued members of the team with opportunities for growth. When employees understand their role, feel competent, and see opportunities to develop new skills, their job satisfaction soars. 

Structured pathways clearly outline the journey from basic skills to advanced competencies, often linking directly to promotion opportunities. This visibility transforms a "job" into a "career." Digital platforms can track progress, issue certifications, and even suggest next steps, making the career path much more tangible, realistic and achievable. It can give your employees a clear vision of their future career and build commitment. 

What are the key elements to building your training pathway?

To build effective development pathways that support your staff retention strategy, hospitality operators should consider these key elements:

• Micro-learning: Break down learning into small, digestible self-paced modules that can be completed in short bursts. This is especially important for workers on micro-shifts, where time is limited.  
• Tailored training: Offer tailored training that meets the needs of the business and the individual. 
• Mobile: Provide mobile-first content that can be accessed anywhere at any time allowing training to fit into short shifts. 
• Video-centric: Visual learning is highly effective. Think short, engaging videos demonstrating tasks and soft skills.
• Provide benchmarks of success: Utilise certificates or progression charts to show employees how they are working towards their goals. Keep employees motivated with gamification tools to drive completion rates.
• Manager involvement: Managers should champion training, provide in-person reinforcement, and discuss progress in one-on-ones.

Build in real-world hospitality training scenarios

According to the Global Evaluation of the Drinks Hospitality Industry report, one of the fixable gaps for staff retention in hospitality is in providing more comprehensive programs that offer “hands-on, real-world training that is directly applicable to day-to-day responsibilities.” 

However, where real-world training can’t be offered, you could provide video learning with Instructor-Led Training (ILT) or custom eLearning solutions that are aligned to your business.

Custom course design can draw on specific challenges your venue faces, or case studies that can add depth to your training. 

Allow flex in your training pathways

It's important to note that a training pathway shouldn’t be static. Rather it should be agile, and responsive to the dynamic needs of the business and the individual employee. That means adding in micro-modules to cover topical issues. 

From turnover to tenacity

By shifting away from passive, one-size-fits-all training, hospitality venues can create a culture of continuous learning and genuine career progression. Learning pathways, combined with an effective Learning Management System (LMS), provide a clear and engaging roadmap for employees. Training pathways show employees how to transform their temporary job into a long-term commitment.

By building flexible, digital-first pathways that incorporate micro-learning, video-centric content, and real-world scenarios, businesses can empower their staff to feel valued and competent. 

When employees see that their growth is a priority, they are far more likely to stay, grow with the business, and contribute to its long-term success. Investing in a structured training program will help create a loyal, skilled, and motivated team that is ready to deliver an exceptional customer experience and genuinely committed to the success of the business. 

Transform your hospitality training and boost staff retention with Allara Global. Discover how our courses can help you build a high-performing team.