The Beauty of Hospitality Work and the Power of Kindness - Steven Hesketh

Josiah: You have a new children's book coming out in September. What is the backstory of this? Why write a children's book?

Steven: I guess first, what is the book and why did you write it? Okay, so the book which is being launched this next month is all around introducing youngsters to the array of job opportunities in hospitality. A plethora of characters: the accountant, the receptionist, the chef, the gardener, the waiting staff, the housekeeping staff. It gives a real full plethora around certainly hotels. And that's my background. My background is I'm a hotelier first and foremost. So it really frames the different job roles in any hotel globally, in essence. Look, I'm a father of three children and all three of my children are now growing up. My youngest is 19 and I have twin girls that are 23, and they're all in my business or all in our family business. And we often talk around the dinner table about what else would you be doing or what would you be doing if dad wasn't in hospitality and mom wasn't in hospitality. And we talk in depth about the education system, and actually the education system nowadays. I talk about when I was in school, I used to go home with a cake that I baked for my mom or I made a fruit bowl out of wood that I'd made. And they don't do any of that now in schools. All health and safety has taken over and it's all not done. And the kids all say, "Yeah, actually, if we had people coming into school and inspiring us, I think that would have helped us direct our direction of travel in relation to what we wanted to do, because actually we've been inspired by what you and mom do, dad. And hence why I think we love hospitality and we do hospitality and we don't think of other opportunities as such." So that's where the book came from. And I have a good friend in Liverpool who did a similar book actually for science. There was a new science building that opened that had medicine and a bit of outer space stuff and all this type of stuff. And they had a collective board that would talk about what goes on in that building. And they came up with, "Why don't we do a kid's book to inspire getting the next generation of scientists?" And it was a terrific book and I loved it. And that was probably the final bit of the pie that made me go, "Let's do a book for hospitality."

Josiah: I love it. What have you observed in the world that led to writing this? I hear so many conversations about we need to recruit more people into hospitality. Sometimes those are university students, sometimes it's people early in their careers. You're going way back and saying, "Hey, this is a thing that we need to make sure that we are communicating: all the diverse range of career opportunities in hospitality." What have you seen in your perspective that made you say, "Hey, we got to go way back and start this early"?

Steven: I think for me now, I hate talking about it, but I think there have been such essential learnings from COVID. And I think COVID has done nothing for any industry, but I think it really did hurt hospitality. It made people look at other avenues. I think it made people reflect on how much they go out, what they do, work from home. I mean, you look at the business in relation to corporate business into hotels now, it's dramatically different to what it was pre-COVID. It's a massively changed demographic now in our hotels. And then once again, all my family and friends, I've actually had children young. So all my children are five to ten years older than my friends' children. So I look at my friends and family now, we've all got kids between the age of three and early teens. And you really begin to realize, actually, I talk about something called the connector virus. And I think we're losing connection with this next generation coming through. Their head is stuck in an iPad. Their head isn't really involved in what's going on around them. And I think hospitality, I have over the last 30 years in hospitality seen so many introverted, shy people on day one in a few weeks time after working in our venues be the most hospitable, friendly, outgoing people you've ever seen. And I think when you surround yourself with people similar to that and you get a kick out of it... 95% of people are ever so thankful to be in your venues or ever so thankful that you've taken the time to serve them, to look after them, to talk to them, just to connect with them. And we're human beings, we're pack animals, we actually enjoy each other's company. And as much as sometimes we're all guilty of, "Oh God, I work in hospitality, I just need a weekend on my own." And actually the minute I'm on my own, I'm like, "Oh, where are people, where are people?" So I think we underestimate how much we need people around us. And I think COVID sadly has really knocked people's belief in that. And we need to change that. I always say hospitality can save the world because I do generally feel that the connections are sadly dissipating and we need to get on top of that.

Josiah: If you look at the world now, I think whether it's the UK, the US, or some other country, it feels that there is a lack of connection. Relationships feel more challenging. There's a whole host of reasons for that. What is it about hospitality that you believe is an answer to that? Of all the ways that you can build connection, build relationships, make people feel more interconnected with those around them, what's unique and special about hospitality?

Steven: See, hospitality, you may as well change that word hospitality to kindness. Because that's what we do. What is good hospitality? It's kindness. It's smiling at somebody when they walk into your front door. It's saying hello. "How was your day?" Actually taking an interest in what they're doing, why they've come here, where they've been, where they're going. Actually, do they need any help finding a way to get to their next destination, whether that destination just be a restaurant that night or an attraction the next day? Life is so complicated nowadays that actually hospitality is kindness, and kindness costs you nothing. It doesn't matter whether you've got 50 pounds or $50 in your wallet or $500 in your wallet. Kindness is free. And I think hospitality, good hospitality people, good hospitality venues give kindness in buckets. And I think that's ultimately what the end user wants as well. Every customer that walks in the door just wants to be treated with kindness, just wants that respect, just wants you to understand their boundaries. And I think when you work in hospitality for as long as I have, and the good peers that I know really well... I grew up being a receptionist. That was my first role and probably my favorite role still to this day. And you can judge the minute somebody comes up to your front desk: Are they tired? Are they stressed? Have they got three kids screaming around them? Have they been on a long drive? Have they struggled to find parking? Are they just overwhelmed to be here because it's the start of their holiday or it's the start of their hen or stag party or something like that? You can read a customer. We can read each other so well through body language. I think that's a human gift. But I think in hospitality, when you've done it for so long, you really understand people. And I think that's such a talent. And part of being kind is understanding somebody as well. So if you're a business guy, you're in a rush and you're late to your dinner reservation, I'm not going to hold you up, mate. "Here's your key. Enjoy yourself. Bye, bye, bye." He doesn't want me saying, "Oh, what are you here for?" Kindness comes in so many different ways, but for me, good hospitality people and good hospitality workers have grown to learn that skill and it pays dividends.

Josiah: We're recording this in 2025. We are in an environment of quickly changing technology that feels like it is shaping our culture, shaping how we connect with one another. You said something in an interview a while back where you said you're fiercely embracing and advocating for traditional values in a world obsessed with tech. I'm curious about why that is. I mean, I think you alluded to this a little bit. I guess if I rephrase the question, how do you see what you just described play out against a backdrop that feels like it's evolving quickly? Is it evergreen? Does it become more important, less important? Where do you see the trend line going?

Steven: I mean, again, not to harp on that word, but kindness, AI will never achieve for a better word because kindness is a face-to-face human transaction. And I think what AI, what technology can do for this industry is heighten that. It can help with the surprise and delight. I'm working on a system with some guys that actually as they drive into their car park, it can register your number plate and then it can tell the receptionist that Mr. Jones has just come into the car park. So in two, three minutes time, Mr. Jones will be checking in. And actually what a great level of heightened customer service: "Welcome Mr. Jones. How you doing?" before, as he's walking to the desk. I mean, so I think technology and AI can 110% be used in hospitality to really heighten service and experience. But I really do believe, and this is why we've got to inspire this next generation, if you want to travel the world globally, if you want a job that never goes out of fashion, if you want to be in an industry that really is everlasting, what better than hospitality? Because kindness isn't going away. In fact, we need more of it.