How ‘Be My Guest’ Supports the Dutch Hospitality Pact
The hospitality industry in the Netherlands is battling with a labour shortage. Since the 2020 covid-19 pandemic, there has been a decline in the workforce and the attitude that hospitality is more of a temporary job than a permanent career has become more common.
With the goal of changing that perception and attracting talent into the industry, the Hospitality Pact was created by the Hospitality Economy Collaboration Taskforce and supported by many major brands – including Heineken, Holton Hotels and Coca-Cola, to name a few.
Since the launch of the pact, the industry has come together to bring both education and opportunities to the Dutch public with the creation of the ‘Be My Guest’ platform, a unique site dedicated to the cause. With educational material, job vacancies and created with user accessibility at the forefront, the platform aims to show people why it’s a worthwhile career and the many opportunities available to make the most of.
To hear more about the Dutch Hospitality Pact and how the Be My Guest platform was created, ACE agency Born05’s creative director Michael Kouwenhoven speaks to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani.
LBB> The hospitality industry in the Netherlands is currently facing a labour shortage. When did big hospitality organisations and stakeholders decide to join forces?
Michael> The Hospitality Pact started under the direction of the Hospitality Economy Collaboration Taskforce and is supported by the employers' organisations Royal Horeca Netherlands, ANVR, HISWA-RECRON, CLC-VECTA, Veneca, the MBO Council and the HBO, employees' organisation FNV Horecabond, a collective of nationally operating companies and supported by the Ministries of Economic Affairs. The goal of this pact is to collaborate on sustainable solutions for today's and tomorrow's labour market challenges. This collaboration at scale means they’re able to make a bigger impact together with the nationwide campaign ‘Be My Guest’: www.bemyguest.nu
The initiators of the ‘Be My Guest platform’ are HMSHost, Heineken, Bidfood, Sligro, Restaurant Company Europe, KHN, Bram Ladage, Postillion Hotels, Febo, ISS, Stayokay, Albron, Stichting House of Hospitality, NH Hotels, Hutten Catering, Vitam Catering, Temper, Hilton Hotels, McDonald’s, De Beren and Coca-Cola.
LBB> How is the Hospitality Pact engaging people?
Michael> In the Netherlands, working in the hospitality sector is perceived as a temporary job rather than a serious career opportunity. The Hospitality Pact wants to flip that script. The sector, in fact, offers numerous opportunities for personal development. There are promising and challenging careers for all hospitality talent. With the collaborative Be My Guest campaign, the pact has taken the first steps into communicating this and inspiring young professionals and students.
LBB> What were some of the benefits of having big brands as collaborators? What unique insights were they able to bring to the project?
Michael> Since it’s a new movement, we need the power and reach of big brands to make an impact. The Hospitality Pact has great ambitions, and this is its first milestone. Definitely one to celebrate while we continue to build new plans together.
LBB> When you saw the brief, what were some of the initial thoughts that went through your mind about the platform you wanted to create?
Michael> We recognised that hospitality had lost some of its appeal, and the impact of covid-19 has definitely left its mark. Consequently, we needed a unique concept that could present hospitality in the most appealing way. That's why we created James: our embodiment of a great host. He guides visitors through the wonderful world of hospitality and all that it offers. We even took it a step further by not just inspiring visitors, but also giving them the tools to dig in and pursue a career in hospitality via vacancies.
LBB> This campaign features a unique digital platform combining education and job vacancies. Can you tell us a little bit about the research that led you to combine the two in this way?
Michael> The digital Be My Guest experience pulls you into the wonderful world of hospitality. It's fun to watch and has several interactions that make the platform even more engaging. Once you're hooked by the experience, we deliver the right tools and information to take the next step - from mapping out the potential educational programs to finding schools that provide a hospitality-focused education.
LBB> Can you share a little bit about the demographic you wanted to attract to the site and how the platform tied into this?
Michael> Hospitality faces numerous challenges, such as a significant labour shortage. Many of the platform's founding partners currently have over 100 job openings! The Be My Guest platform has two primary objectives. In the short term, we aim to inspire visitors to apply for jobs in hospitality by showcasing the sector’s potential. In the long term, our goal is to enhance the value perception of hospitality. We want youngsters to pursue careers in hospitality rather than considering it merely as a part-time job.
LBB> The platform itself is very user-friendly to navigate and aesthetically cohesive. How did you achieve the seamless UX and navigation? How long did it take and what were some of the challenges?
Michael> This is where our team deserves the credit. They really took the idea and ran with it. We doubled down on a great experience and user friendly platform to make it durable and accessible. Navigation and a seamless digital experience were our primary focus. From there visitors can make the choice to dig deeper into the content that the platform offers - ranging from interviews to open vacancies.
LBB> Talk to us a little bit about the site branding and colour palette. What were some of the decisions you made surrounding the look?
Michael> The intention was to present the hospitality sector in the best way possible in terms of look and feel. We paid special attention to detail when it came to colours and outfits for the different worlds. In terms of colours, we explored several routes, but premium green velvet was definitely an early favourite. To add some freshness to the pallet, we’ve matched it with lime green.
LBB> How did sustainability play a part in this project?
Michael> Hospitality is everywhere around us, and with Be My Guest, we aimed to showcase the scale and offerings of this rich world. We made the sustainable choice of setting up a virtual production by building the world in 3D and projecting it onto a giant HD screen in the studio. Thanks to this technique, we could control many elements without having to organise a multi-day shoot.
LBB> So far, how has the audience reacted to the campaign and what are the biggest takeaways?
Michael> The responses to the campaign are great so far! The collaborative pact of companies was blown away by the execution. Personally, I’m excited to see most of the initial pitch ideas come to life. It can be a challenge not to compromise too much in the creative process.
LBB> What’s next for the project? Are there any other additions or activations we should keep an eye out for?
Michael> Where to start? Be My Guest is far from done. We’re working on the social strategy and forging plans for various activities to connect with the target audience. We believe in the value of a digital platform as a foundation. From there we can expand in richness with different layers, to eventually shift people’s perception on what the hospitality industry has to offer.
