Post Shift Shot #64 - 5 Things Hospitality People Should be Doing
Last week, I chatted about what operators should be doing right now. I thought this week I would do a list outlying what industry people should be doing during the pandemic.
I recently wrote about what operators should be doing during the pandemic, how they should be reacting and hopefully to keep their businesses alive. I decided to do a similar advice list in the perspective for the staff. Therefore, this is my list of 5 things that all the staff should be doing during the pandemic. It’s a difficult time for everyone in the industry right now, mass layoffs, restaurants closed or closing and limited money and resources coming in. Here are my 5 tips that I hope will help you get through this crazy time.
Government Money
Fortunately, the Government has some measures to support workers who have been laid off. Among these measures are unemployment subsidies and rent subsidies, apply for all of it. You can get your EI, CERB or whatever you are entitled to in your country, any subsidies like rent relief, just apply for it all. There are several associations and industry charities that are also fundraising and dispersing funds to industry people in need.
All the money you get at this point needs to be budget more aggressively than it was before. Try reducing your expenses as much as possible and limiting your bills to only what is essential: food, rent, medicine, household bills. Take out, luxury items and anything that is not an essential necessity should be cut out of your life right now.
Last thing, that I already said to the operators, but I say it again: do not settle deferring payments, because that means you’ll have to pay everything later. You don’t want to have huge bills to pay in 6 months, so try to organize your finances, so you won´t have debts. If possible, try to save some money in the bank, because you don't know when you are going back to work.
Education
Everyone has laid off; restaurants are shut down or focusing on takeout and delivery with a skeleton staff. Of course, some of them will reopen in a few months, and the bosses will be able to hire the same employees again. But what if it doesn't happen?
Employees will have to re-apply for jobs and if things get worse, only the best employees will have a job. You have two choices; you can wait to see if you get your job back or you can improve your skills while at, your home.
Try not to wallow and be motivated to learn more. There is a lot of free online courses (www.barsmarts.com/home and www.ananasacademy.com to name a couple) and believe me: everyone has the same opportunity to get ahead. One of the most important things right now is to improve your resume, to come out of this better than we went into it. When everything goes back to normal, the job pool is going to be big and deep, standing out from everyone is going to be paramount. You are most likely stuck at home, trying to find things to do, you have no excuse for not reinventing yourself. Believe me, there will be a lot of competition out there, so you must be proactive and do something to stand out, because only the best staff are going to have jobs.
Interaction
The hospitality industry, by nature, is full of people who crave human interaction. We like to talk and relate to people, both customers and other staff. Be aware that social distance doesn’t mean social isolation, you don't have to be a loner. Take advantage of this leisure time to reconnect with friends and to create new relationships because if you don't talk to someone, you will feel more isolated than needed. Utilize Zoom, Skype, House party and the like to connect with friends, new and old; your mental health is paramount important currently.
Self-Care
Self-care means mental health and physical health; I’ve given you some advice on mental health. But you can't forget your physical exercise, some people adapted to this quickly, some not so much. Getting enough exercise daily is as important as having a balanced meal and watching the amount of alcohol that you consume. Mental health issues, physical exercise and substance misuse is rampant in our industry at the best of times, let alone moments of stress like now. Talk to your friends about it, be open and look after yourself.
Passion Projects and Side Hustles
I have talked about side hustles in depth in the past, now is the time to explore to its extent right now. Do you like to photograph or draw? You can sell your photos or illustrations online, there are several stock sites that will pay for your work. If you’re a musician, record a song and post it on SoundCloud. This is the right time to find your passion and make it a side hustle that will both scratch your creativity bone but also may turn a little cash.
Another idea that can be done by all of us is to collect all the junk and unwanted “stuff” you have at home and sell it on Facebook Marketplace, that will give you a little side money. Everyone is looking for a deal right now, flipping things that you don’t use or need anymore. Being creative with everything in your daily life right now will make the lock down a little easier.
These are my top five tips for not getting left behind and standing out in this period (and in the coming months). Don't stand still, learn something, take care of yourself, and you'll see that in a few months everything will be fine.