Not only is it more rewarding in the sense that you are operating within a role best suited to your skillset, but on a more personal level, it can help ensure a more fulfilling experience every day.

This is certainly the impression you would come away with after a conversation with Eoin Little, General Manager at the Lakeside Hotel and Leisure Centre in Ballina, Killaloe. The hotel is a participant of the Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Programme, and recently won Best Employer in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, with a team of around 100 staff.

One of the main goals of the Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Programme is to help make tourism and hospitality businesses more attractive places to work.

“The Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Programme has been a game changer for us. As part of this programme, our team took part in an extensive survey regarding their experience of working at the hotel. Our results not only highlighted some commendable aspects but more importantly pinpointed areas necessitating focus.

“It gave us a roadmap on what aspects we need to focus on such as communication and inclusivity with regard to managing and looking after our fantastic team. Its impact has been positive, significantly contributing to a better team morale,” Eoin says.

If the tourism and hospitality industry is to become a more attractive sector for people to work in, career progression will need to be at the heart of it. Eoin says the industry is well suited to providing a long term, career path for people.

“To have Outstanding Employer sitting on a plaque at the front door shows everybody that we take this seriously and we will look after and nurture your career progression. It displays a dedicated commitment to our entire team that their well-being and career progression are taken very seriously by the hotel.

“The whole team feels invested in our success and this is evident for our guests and respective teammates. Guests love to be looked after by a team of professionals they know are looked after themselves,” Eoin says.

“With the dynamic and expansive nature of this business, the scope for career growth is substantial. If you’re ambitious in any way and you’re in this sector, you can do really well.

“This is a fantastic sector to develop in and climb the ladder. We’ve set up training plans and encourage professional development.

“I think a lot of people learned that you can’t be asked to work long hours for low pay, so pay structures have increased,” Eoin says.

One of the things Eoin mentions is that quite a lot of the time, the tourism and hospitality industry can be portrayed in a negative light.

Changing that perception is also one of the objectives of the Fáilte Employer Excellence Programme, by helping businesses like The Lakeside Hotel see where improvements can be made.

“It was crucial to address these issues to ensure that we aligned ourselves with a more rewarding and fun environment.

“I believe that it can be a vocational career that is demanding, but its challenges are not unlike those encountered in other industries. If you have any passion for people, it’s the business to be in,” he says.

A career path tailored to you

Even if you join a company with the intention of climbing the ladder, you might find yourself wanting to progress in a different part of the team. One of the industry’s greatest strengths is in facilitating people who want to explore other areas of the company, and it doesn’t take Eoin long to think of good examples.

“A member of staff transitioned from the bar to reception to utilise her organisational skills. Her journey eventually spanned multiple hotels, culminating in her return to The Lakeside Hotel as a Rooms Division Manager, and now excelling as our Revenue Manager utilising a hybrid approach.

“We had a lady join us in the bar, then we moved her to duty management, and she did very well. I suggested she go into the front office, and she’s now front office manager after all these years.

“That’s the great thing about the industry; it’s so diverse that career transitions can pivot swiftly. You can progress a career in most areas, from analytics and revenue management to customer-facing roles in the front office or restaurants and bars,” he says.

As well as helping businesses identify what they can improve in terms of creating a career path, the Fáilte Employer Excellence Programme also helps make it happen. People management training is included in the programme, giving staff an invaluable resource in upskilling, and progressing their careers.

Eoin also says it’s important to strike a balance between people looking to climb the ranks and nurturing those who are most comfortable in their current roles. As mentioned previously, the aim is to find the right role for people based on their skills and interests.

“It is vitally important to show that there is a career path in the hotel and demonstrate that we take this very seriously. Our commitment to looking after our team on a holistic level is all-encompassing.

“Through structured conversations and annual appraisals, we try to identify latent talents and encourage participation in targeted training or workshops which we believe will foster individual growth," he says.

Given the ever-changing nature of people’s roles within the hotel, Eoin says the personality and overall attitude of new hires is as important as qualifications and experience. When it comes to hiring people to join the team, he emphasizes the pivotal role that a favourable first impression plays in interviews.

“We hire a smile; we hire personality and drive and then we train the technical aspects. If you have a passion for it, you’ll do well!”

Find out more about the Fáilte Ireland Employer Excellence Programme and register now here.

If you are considering a career in tourism and hospitality visit tourismcareers.ie.