Friendly Isn’t Enough (and Neither Is a Training Badge)

Published 16.05.2025 - Michael A. Di Palma

We’re still short about 84,000 people in hospitality. That’s not a minor gap. That’s a full-blown, bring-your-own-apron, “who’s working the floor tonight?” crisis.

So yes, I’ll take any help we can get—including the newly launched, government-backed Work Academy Programmes. The idea is to train jobseekers and hand them a shiny “Hospitality Skills Passport” to help get a foot in the door.

On paper, it all sounds quite tidy: classroom sessions, on-the-job training, guaranteed interviews, and a digital badge that says, “I’ve been trained.”

But here’s the thing—if we’re still not talking about who we’re training, we’re missing the point.

Because friendly isn’t enough.

Training Is Great—If You’re Training the Right People

A recent dinner reminded me why this matters. Every team member we encountered was friendly—genuinely so. But when you're spending £150 a head, I don’t want just friendly.

I want competent. I want attentive. I want someone who doesn’t put my steak in front of my vegetarian friend and leave my glass dry for half the meal.

And I want to see a floor manager managing—not pacing the room like they’ve lost their car keys.

Friendliness is the baseline. But hospitality? That’s a skill. It’s instinct. It’s attitude. You can train it—but only if there’s something already there to build on. If not, we’re just churning through people who’ll leave in three months.

Which, by the way, 42% of new hires already do.

What’s the Real Problem?

Let’s look at the numbers:

37.6% of hospitality workers leave within a year
42% of new hires leave within 90 days
Many leave because they’re dissatisfied, poorly managed, or can’t see a future in it

This isn’t just a recruitment problem. It’s a retention problem. And it starts with hiring the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

You can’t patch that with a government badge and a three-week crash course. If someone doesn’t like people, doesn’t want to serve, or thinks a full section means five tables and a ring light for TikTok tips—it’s not going to work.

Is the Government Doing Enough?

They’re trying. But no—not yet.

✅ The training is practical. A few safety modules, customer service basics, some on-site time.

❌ But where’s the reality check?

Are we setting expectations?

Are we telling people that hospitality is fast, emotional, relentless, and (when done well) incredibly rewarding?

Are we preparing them for late finishes, high pressure, and guests who want it right the first time?

There are still plenty of old-school operators out there (I see you, clipboard warriors). Hospitality needs to evolve—but the expectations haven’t disappeared. We’ve got to teach the why of service, not just the how.

If we’re selling hospitality as a soft landing or a stopgap, we’re doing both the candidates—and the industry—a disservice.

What Actually Works?

Hire the right kind of people
Not just anyone who needs a job. Look for warmth, curiosity, and the want to serve. Friendly is the floor—not the ceiling.
Real training, not just certificates
A badge is fine. But nothing replaces learning from someone who knows how to own a floor, read a room, and stay calm in chaos.
Don’t stop once they’re hired
Keep investing. Ongoing training, mentorship, and a real path forward—that’s how people stick around.
Make the job worth staying for
Decent hours. Capable managers. The occasional thank you. It’s not rocket science. But it is leadership.

Final Thought

I’m glad the government is trying—I really am. But unless we start by asking who we’re training and why, this will be just another well-meaning project that misses the heart of the matter.

Because hospitality isn’t just a job. It’s a calling. Or at least it should be.

So yes, train them. But let’s also mentor them. Let’s lead. And please—let’s stop confusing “friendly” with “finished.”

Otherwise, we’ll still be 84,000 short in 18 months—still wondering why nobody wants to stay.

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