So I'm just curious. What do you guys think about most managers. Do you really think we have power or control. I am willing to be most be It retail, restaurant etc have just as much or little control as I do.
I have been in Management for 19 years got in during my 20s.
I have done food and beverage management, restaurant, bars, country club and hotels.
One stint doing housekeeping in a hospital. Never ever again.
Currently management in hotels.
During my career I realize I make about 50 percent more than most of my line level staff but I have almost 0 ability to affect change.
While I am in control of the budget and answer to it. I do not set our goals. Basically we are expected to reach 50 percent flow at the end of each month. Mis revenue than figure out how to cut to make 50 flex of profit.
So say I want to jump my housekeeping team to $20 an hour. Then that just means I have to cut more hours to reach that number and my self and my assistant manager will be cleaning rooms and they loose hours as line staff. Same for front desk, maintenance, breakfast etc.
We rarely see any bonuses no matter how much profit we make.
Here are things I can control.
I give everyone a $25 gift card for their birthday.
They also get a floating holiday for their birthday from the company.
Every month I also do things like today I have every team member full or PT a box of chocolate, card, and gum balls. I do thins for every event, vday, easter, etc.
I try my hardest to give them gifts when I can throughout the year as well.
I almost never turn down requested time off unless it leaves us incredibly short like multiple positions. If they request time off and it means I have to clean rooms, do breakfast or whatever I do it.
I work 50-60 hours a week. I try my best to balance everything but I also realize if I don't make enough profit or do what I can the company will get rid of me and my people will be worse off for it. Sometimes I feel like a failure and from the outside people think we the managers have so much power.
I mean we make the schedule, do the ordering, handle customer etc but we really have so little power. We just pretend we do to customers .