The importance of teamwork in hospitality.

This essay reflects on the importance of teamwork in hospitality industry as well as the effectiveness of team leaders. It will start by explaining what hospitality and catering industry is for and then the role of team leaders.

Hospitality and catering is an industry that prepares and provides cooked food for people in different settings such as cafes, hotels, hospitals, restaurants and schools. It is very important for the food to be cooked to the standard required not just by the person eating it but by the government’s food standard agency (FSA). If food is not cooked properly people might get ill hence the importance of teamwork in the industry.

The term 'teamwork' is used loosely to describe many different groupings and a variety of people working together. In hospitality industry the term means contributing effectively as a team member for the benefit of the organisation and safety of clients. The main objective for teamwork is for the organisation to realise its full potential despite any possible differences individuals might have. In hospitality and catering industry the aim is to provide the best food, safe food and good customer service for the clients (City Guild). The team should be able to work together in a professional manner that impresses the client.

An effective team has no barriers, it is built on trust for each other, good communication and creating a more customer focused culture. Teamwork is not just about people who do the same job but spreads throughout the entire organisation such as managers, catering and clerical staff, maintenance and housekeepers for the benefit of the clients, hence the importance of good communication among the staff (Camio and Di Petro 2012).

In hospitality industry the influence of team leaders is different from the traditional supervisory and control methods. It is more about leading from the front with up to date training, ability to perform task and providing support to others when needed. In addition team leaders should be able to co-ordinate, analyse and evaluate operations in order to improve production as well as making sure of the safety of the public.

To conclude in hospitality and catering industry it is not about organisation profits but about the good service provided. Teamwork and strong leadership is important as this will minimise any possible food poisoning.

References:

AQA City & Guild: Effective teamwork for the hospitality industry [on-line] www.diplomainfo.org.uk

Camio A and Di Petro P (2012): The importance of managerial communication for hospitality organizational settings in the era of high- tech evolution.

Food Standard Agency: Safer food for the nation [on-line] www.food.gov.uk