While the hospitality industry is THANKFULLY starting to make strides toward recovery, the past year has been a challenging one. Unemployment has been disproportionately high compared to other industries, and there are incredibly knowledgeable people looking for work. At Hutchinson Consulting, we believe there are exciting opportunities for wellness and hospitality pros in the senior living space.
Senior living is vertical that is in a prime position for a paradigm shift and one that could greatly benefit from a hospitality and wellness pivot. “Repositioning senior centers to wellness centers in design, programming, and hospitality service is the wave of the future,” says Hutchinson Consulting partner Michael Tompkins. “Not only does this new model assure innovation from the current ones, but it is also an attractive attribute for employee recruitment.”
Employment Opportunities in Senior Living
Speaking of employees, Hutchinson’s experienced recruiters believe there is treasure trove of talent that could make a huge impact in senior living.
- “Hospitality employees are highly trained in human service—we call it customer service, but it’s really about making people feel valued, heard, and making incredible memories,” says executive recruiter Julie Ambrosini. “These lessons and training sessions carry over to any position, but most definitely in healthcare. Hospitality employees have the innate talent, nature, and patience to care for people. They understand long hours, emergencies, and organized chaos. In fact, those are the characteristics they thrive on—two days are never the same. Hospitality employees love being around people and making them smile and feel loved. I would always recommend a hospitality employee for any position that focuses on people and connecting. It’s in their blood and where they feel most successful.”
- “The standards for senior living communities have been elevated with the Baby Boomer generation,” says executive recruiter Jean Kolb. “This demographic is used to high quality standards, as many have been consumers within the luxury hospitality sector. The standards adhered to by hospitality professionals are similar in senior living. At the end of the day, the experience must be memorable and positive. It must exceed one’s expectations in order to keep the guest, or in the case of senior living, the resident, wanting to return again and again or to continue to live within the senior community.”
- “Food service is a vitally important component at senior living communities,” says executive recruiter Peter Henry. “Seniors have high expectations and are very exacting about food quality and variety, as well as attentive, friendly service. It is an ideal work environment for Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, Food & Beverage Directors, and Restaurant Managers.”
Wellness Programming in Senior Living
We at Hutchinson Consulting are thrilled to be tapping into the senior living space, both for potential employees and wellness programming. “It is becoming clearer than ever that wellness programming, particularly focused on lifestyle and mental health, is vitally important in helping seniors enhance immunity and wellbeing,” says Hutchinson Consulting partner Kristine Huffman. “Hutchinson has been focusing on developing plug-n-play programs that senior communities can easily and affordably implement in their facilities.”
Are you a hospitality employee who is interested in transitioning to senior living? Visit our job board to discover open opportunities and to submit your resume to our database.
Do you run a senior living facility that is ready to bring a hospitality and wellness approach to your business? Contact Kristine at kristine@hutchinsonconsulting.com for a free consultation. If you are ready for us to help you find the perfect hospitality pros to join your team, contact Michael at michael@hutchinsonconsulting.com.
After all, according to Michael, “More than ever, the stereotypical model of senior living needs to change to one of total wellbeing.” We are here to help make that transition happen!
