Do you need a USP for staff?

Across the UK workforce one in five people change jobs every year. For the hospitality industry it is one in two.

This attrition is costing our industry, at the most conservative estimate, £430m every year. With some effort and investment, hospitality businesses could significantly cut this cost. How? Keep talented people working in your business for longer.

If you asked me to put together a plan for attracting and retaining talent, I would start by saying: "Become the ‘place to be'."

Our research shows that top of the list for employee needs is communication. Some industries do it really well. Food retailing (one of our biggest competitors for labour) has some innovative ideas that really work. Asda, for example, has just 2% labour turnover.

Asda instructs its directors to hold "listening groups" and then to act on them. Tesco offers all senior managers personal development at centres of excellence such as Harvard and Cranfield. It also recognises the critical importance of "the person people report to" and has a wide-ranging programme of leadership support to ensure that leaders at all levels are "the best in the business".

Once companies are working towards "place to be" status, they need to shout about what they have created. Today's jobseekers are looking for opportunities that excite them enough to bring them into hospitality and/or keep them here. So why do so many recruitment ads still consist of a dull list of the attitudes, skills and knowledge the company requires of the candidate?

I would imagine that practically every business spends time honing its customer USPs (unique selling propositions) and most spend money ensuring the market remains aware of them. Some enlightened companies are beginning to do the same to attract employees, by clarifying and publicising their "recruitment USPs".

Is it more exciting to see: "We want hard-working, dedicated people" or "We don't work nights; we wear jeans; we party; we have great teams" (Pret A Manger); or "You will be energetic and self-motivated" versus "Innovation is more than a catchword, it's a way of life… we take on challenges others pass by without a second glance… we experience any failure as a learning tool… " (Yo! Sushi); or even "You will be very flexible and able to deliver the highest levels of guest satisfaction" against "We believe the most successful managers need a balance in their working lives, we can offer you a four-day working week… " (Metropolitan Restaurant Group). I know which of these I'd be applying for.

All employers need to work at becoming the place to be and shout about their USPs (making sure their messages are consistent, of course) - before it's just too late.

Jane Sunley is managing director of Learnpurple - the UK's first people-retention business for hospitality