Hospitality NZ – A voice for hospo and accommodation providers
According to Google, Hospitality means “The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.”
It’s been a tough time for our local hospitality industry, with lockdowns, covid restrictions, and a lack of overseas customers and local staff.
This week we chatted with a bright and bubbly Zinnia, who is the Top of the South Regional Manager of Hospitality NZ and discovered what’s happening on the local scene.
“I grew up in Picton, and I love being in the Hospo industry. I’ve been in it since I was at high school and have enjoyed working with a team to deliver great service. It’s been a great ride where I was managing venues like The Styx and Urban. Making sure everyone has a good time is a real passion of mine. Now I get to do this on a regional level, and I love it!”
“Hospitality NZ advocates for Hospitality service providers NZ-wide on a local and central government level. We serve over 2500 members, on the frontline of the Hospitality and accommodation industry.”
“Hospitality NZ is a member-based organisation where we advocate and support our members to help them succeed. We have a free legal service for all things employment related. A messy staff dismissal can lead to expensive legal fees and potentially unwanted media attention. It’s free of charge with your membership. So why would you want to go on this journey alone?” says Zinnia.
“We have 7 regional managers around the country who manage 17 branches. Each region has a representative who helps leads the way and it’s great to get the community involved and key relationships are formed.”
Some of the most common challenges that face Hospitality in Nelson today are:
- Finding passionate vocals who are keen and are available to learn.
- Clientele is growing, thanks to new border restrictions, but finding staff is still a major struggle.
- Immigration settings. Some venues require a full-time or part-time chef. The paperwork and application process is heavily limiting employment options.
- Many venues are opting to close for a few days a week, to rest their staff. This has implications and is not ideal.
One aspect they are very proud of is TYPSY. It’s an online training portal where managers can allocate key staff access to training. It’s a video module-based series of courses where staff can learn more about the responsible service of alcohol and gain industry-accredited qualifications.
It’s ideal for owners who have staff who want to extend themselves and lift their game. Sometimes this is all the motivation that’s needed for a staff member to take on extra responsibility and lead a team.
Our local Branch, headed by President Ian Williams, is active – regularly hosting informative events with key industry partners, and a social do here and there too.
If you are a local venue that offers hospitality or accommodation, reach out to Zinnia and have a chat about how Hospitality NZ can partner with you.
www.facebook.com/HospitalityNZ
www.instagram.com/hospitalitynz
www.linkedin.com/company/hospitalitynz
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