Working away from home can be a daunting prospect but it can be exciting, fun and provide you with skills for life. What better way to give you an idea on why it’s a great idea to work away from home than seeing what someone who currently does this has to say…
A Day in the life of Hospitality Worker George
Lauren, our Leisure and Tourism Accounts Manager recently spoke to one of our workers George on why he loves his job and working away from home at one of the UK’s most popular holiday resorts.
Lauren: Tell me a little more about your role what’s involved?
George: I have a dual role where I work as a guest catering assistant for part of my day and an accommodation cleaner for the other part. In the guest catering role, I make sure the guests are happy and clear away their plates and clean down the areas. We don’t take orders as it is a buffet style restaurant.
The cleaning role varies depending on the day. If guests are staying in a room, I will go in and change the sheets, towels, wipe down the surfaces, vacuum and generally make sure its cleaned. However, on change over days, which happen about twice a week, we need to do a deep clean which takes longer. On these days I tend to finish later, maybe 6/7pm. We also work in twos on deep cleans which can be more fun and the time goes a bit quicker.
Lauren: I guess that makes it a little more interesting having two roles as opposed to always doing the same thing. What happens day to day, talk me through a typical day in George’s shoes?
George: I wake up in the morning and get ready and go to work in the restaurant. I see all of the team that I’m working with before we officially start. We have a little giggle and a chat, then basically get to work.
Work is easy and its fun being with the team and the guests. I usually walk about the restaurant speaking to guests and making sure they are ok and having a good time on their holiday. It’s all about keeping a smile on your face and being nice, friendly and approachable.
I also collect plates when guests have finished, put them on my little trolley and clean them off. Then you take them out the back. It’s easy work and decent money for what you’re doing.
I will work maybe 3-4 hours in the restaurant then go home. Depending on when I’m needed in accommodation, I might chill out for a bit and watch tv, listen to music, catch up with other workers I’ve made friends with, have a bit of lunch etc. If I’m needed quite quickly in accommodation, I’ll have a quick bite to eat, get changed and go on to my cleaning job.
The cleaning job goes quick too because, you are working in two’s an it can be a real laugh. We sometimes put the radio on and listen to music.
After this I’ll come home and make my dinner and then I might go out. Last night I went out to the local town with friends from here. It was like any night out with mates back home. I love it.
Lauren: So, some days are more full-on than others, I guess? And what do you do to unwind, do you find it hard to unwind?
George: Some days are harder than others to unwind. If I’ve had a longer day, it may take me longer to unwind but there are so many things to do to unwind or on your days off. I love the fact the beach is on your doorstep. I can also sometimes use the facilities on site if they are free such as the swimming pool, gym or go to the shows.
Do you feel it’s a positive thing working away from home and staying on site?
George: Really positive yea. I love the fact you can wake up for work 15 minutes before you start. That’s just because I take 15 minutes to ready, others may take longer but it’s just convenient. It’s good because you’re basically working and living alongside people that you work with. You all get to know each other and its like one big family. People make you feel really welcome.
Lauren: That sounds fab, it makes me think of working as holiday reps abroad. Do you think it’s any different from what you’ve done previously?
George: Well, I’ve always worked in hospitality roles such as bartending, waiting and cleaning. The role itself isn’t any different but I guess the environment is. Your life and work are incorporated instead of having a work life and home life but I like that. Everyone gets along too.
Lauren: OK, even though you’ve worked in hospitality before, do you think you’ve gained extra skills from this role than others?
George: I wouldn’t say any extra skills but it has helped improve my mental health. COVID shut our industry down and I didn’t have work for a while. This caused me to lose confidence in myself. I’m normally a really sociable person who is happy to chat to anyone, workers, guests etc. Not being able to do this, really affected my mental health. Working here has really helped get me back to my normal self. That means that if I go on to work somewhere else I know I’ll have the confidence to do this now. #
Lauren: Yes, I can imagine that was challenging when you are so used to a social job. I’m glad you feel this job has supported you. Talking about challenges, do you feel there have been any challenges working in your current role?
George: I think that was the biggest challenge. Having not worked for a while, I became anxious about starting work there and thought it would take me a while to get my confidence back and settle in. However, I was pleasantly surprised and because everyone is so welcoming and friendly, it only took me the first week to feel like I’d been there ages.
Lauren: Good to know, you were made to feel at ease. What do you think has been your ultimate highlight so far?
George: The people I work with are the highlight of working here. I’ve met some great people that I work with that I know I will be friends with for a lifetime now.
Lauren: That’s lovely. Final question from me, what would you say to someone considering working away from home at a holiday resort like this?
George: Take the job, it’ll be the best choice you make. You’ll make loads of friends, have fun and its easy work and good money. It’s an initial 6-month contract so if you don’t like it, you don’t have to stay. You are also likely to be offered a permanent job there too if you work hard and get on with your job.
Thank you to Lauren and George for their time to give us an understanding of working away from home at a UK holiday resort.
Hopefully that has given you an insight into what working on a UK holiday resort involves and how fun working away from home can be.
KSB Hospitality Recruitment Agency are always recruiting for people to join the holiday resort team. If you think this would be a job and lifestyle you’d like to take up, contact Lauren for a chat on 0121 314 9365.
Check out our Catering Staff Recruitment Agency jobs here.
