Do the best you can

Amid the mayhem that that the coronavirus outbreak is wreaking on hospitality, and all the distress it is causing around the world, it has been heartening to see individuals and companies doing the best they can under the circumstances – being honest, being realistic and being responsible.

Former Manchester United stars Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs have rightly received plaudits for giving over their two Manchester hotels for use by NHS workers, and for keeping all their staff on while doing so.

But it’s much easier to do that when you have just two properties, and are extremely well off yourself. What about the bigger players? An indication of what is happening across hospitality can be seen at Marriott, where a furlough program which could see tens of thousands of staff being laid off without pay has begun – although the majority will continue to receive healthcare benefits.

In a statement, Marriott said: “As travel restrictions and social distancing efforts around the world become more widespread, we are experiencing significant drops in demand at properties globally with an uncertain duration. We are adjusting global operations accordingly which has meant either reduction in hours or a temporary leave for many of our associates at our properties.”

In our sector, Staycity is one of the companies having to take action. CEO Tom Walsh said: “It is with acute personal regret that these measures are necessary and that we are left with no choice but to temporarily lay off members of our valued team until bookings recover. We are confident that sharp and immediate business protection measures taken now will enable the company to bounce back when the coronavirus crisis passes and business returns to more normal levels.”

What makes Staycity stand out is that the company is actively trying to help those it has had to let go temporarily to find alternative employment in the interim. I noticed a post on the Staycity Twitter feed this morning which said: “Call to employers! Experienced, highly-skilled workers available for full-time temporary contracts for approximately a three-month period – housekeepers, receptionists, admin workers, call centre staff.”

Walsh added: “We have established a task force to seek out alternative temporary employment for our colleagues and we sincerely hope that once the recovery starts they will return to work alongside us to continue to build on what we have already achieved together.”

Whether this initiative manages to place one person in a job or 100, it will have been worthwhile. It shows the company cares about its staff and is doing the best it can. We should all strive to do the best we can in the months ahead.