MILES WALKED, OR HOURS WORKED?

I did some work in March to support a 15-week old public house to transform its business model and marketing to become a food takeaway business within a week of lockdown, supported by relevant online systems. In very late June we backtracked ready for reopening, though with a twist - since 4th July it is a socially-distanced, ultra-clean, reduced volume, pre-bookable, table-serviced pub, which of course required all new online capability to support its customer tracking, table ordering and payments.

As a consequence I am familiar with the Government’s 43-page guidelines for hospitality businesses, which has led to my keen observance of ‘goings-on’ in the few establishments I have visited since 1st August. But a conversation with a couple of exhausted bar staff last night suggested an interesting challenge that might apply in other sectors...

Might some businesses need to reconsider how their employee achievement/service excellence is recognised in a post-COVID world?

As an example, my ‘local’ invested significantly during lockdown to extend and furnish their usable outside space. As a consequence, the waiting staff now have far further to walk over more uneven terrain to deliver a Sunday Roast. Once plates are served, they likely get to repeat the journey between bar and table, if sauces are required, and yet again if someone forgets to ask for Horseradish on the first outing. 

Doubtless it won’t be much longer before there’s a request for more drinks; then used tableware must be cleared; dessert orders taken and delivered; more drinks served...and back and forward until the bill is settled. At this point the table can be fully cleared and thoroughly disinfected, and then the whole routine can begin again - yesterday in temperatures up to 35 degrees!

I could easily empathise when our server joked that he might be better off paid by miles walked than by hours worked.

I can’t help but wonder how many other sectors might need to consider how their employee experience has been altered to deliver services in a new-world - and whether their reward and recognition measures might need to be redefined accordingly.