FRONT OF HOUSE
SERVICE AS A PROFESSION
Why pursue a career in front of house, asks Hanna Barrett, Director of Operations at Portico, as she discusses the huge opportunities it offers and the great career paths you can take within the industry.
The hospitality industry took one of the biggest hits during the pandemic. As we were ordered to stay away from each other, hospitality and socialisation opportunities were cut which was both an unfamiliar and unnatural way of being. Working in the hospitality industry became difficult, many people opted to leave front of house roles due to health concerns and the industry suffered a large volume of redundancies. Now, the world has reopened fully, front of house is more central than ever before.
A fulfilling career path From the outset, a career in hospitality is full of opportunity. There is so much involved within it and much to discover. From front of house teams on the ground to senior management, every single person is essential to the smooth running and delivery of the service being offered. Now is an exciting time to join the industry as it evolves.
New roles have been created to serve people better. There is now a greater demand for community managers, employee experience managers and floor captains; the front of house roles that are responsible for delivering an unrivalled service experience for employees.
Over the last 18 months, front of house teams were responsible for giving a warm welcome to everyone returning to in-person work, to make them feel appreciated, and looked after. As hybrid working becomes the norm for many workplaces, front of house personnel can often be the only constant in a building.
The pandemic highlighted that interacting with other people is critical for our mental health. For me, it is a privilege that at Portico we can work with so many people from all walks of life and provide a service that brightens their day. Even now, as director of operations, I still feel as if I am providing the same service as I was when I was part of a front of house team, just now more to my colleagues and clients. Every position within the industry has a level of service inscribed into it; are you doing all you can to make someone else’s life easier?
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My journey started when I had my first Saturday job at a hairdresser. I knew quickly that hands on work was more appealing to me than academic pursuits. After I left school, I trained full-time as a hairdresser. I loved that I got to talk to people all day and help them feel good about themselves.
I got talking to a client one day and they recommended working in an airport because of my attitude towards helping others. I got a job at the check-in desks and loved it. I was there for around eight months before I took a job as cabin crew.
I saw a recruitment advert for Portico in the back of an airline magazine and thought it sounded interesting. I started as a receptionist and quickly progressed to supervisor, assistant manager, client services manager, up to director of operations.
Anything is possible There is certainly a myriad career opportunity in the service industry. Undertaking roles at every level helps me be a better manager. I know how things operate, what good should look and feel like, I’ve worked through challenges and found solutions. I can apply all of this to my director role now.
My advice to anyone looking to start a career in the service industry would be to take the leap. It is so worthwhile knowing you can make a difference to other people – that feeling can’t be beaten. Life and employment experiences, whatever they are, help to build your knowledge and interpersonal skill set. The more you can build on this, the more confident you will feel in the service industry. Combine this with a cheery disposition and willingness to help and the sky is your limit. Consider what you want your service pathway to look like and stick it out – this is how you can reach even greater opportunities. Attitude is everything in this industry.
https://portico.co.uk twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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