Last Wednesday, during my online class, one of my students—who works at a hotel front desk while completing her hospitality studies—looked pale and exhausted.
“How are you, Nolwenn? You look tired.”
“Javier, I don’t know if I can stay in this industry…”
Hearing those words was tough. As someone deeply passionate about hospitality, it struck a chord.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Clients can be so rude sometimes. It’s just so unfair…”
Her frustration is not unique. The hospitality industry faces a persistent challenge: talent retention. Unbearably high turnover rates plague many companies. While we invest heavily in training our staff to deliver exceptional service—teaching them to anticipate needs, exceed expectations, and create memorable experiences—we often overlook an essential skill: coping with unfair criticism.
Guests’ dissatisfaction is inevitable, but what happens when their frustration turns personal? When online reviews become harsh, anonymous, and even damaging? Many employees feel unprepared to handle such negativity, and the emotional toll drives them away.
This issue is bigger than most realize. A study by Bradley, Sparks, and Weber (2015) in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management highlighted a direct link between negative online reviews and high levels of job abandonment and absenteeism. My own experience confirms this reality.
So, what can we do? We must strengthen our efforts—not just in training employees to serve, but in equipping them with resilience. We need to reassure new talent that their passion for hospitality matters.