“If you care about sustainability, your best people will stay.”
That sentiment echoed loud and clear at our last Midlands Hospitality Network session. When there’s a purpose behind your business, people feel it. Guests notice it. Teams thrive in it. And the culture? It transforms.
Purpose is powerful. It speaks to something deep inside us and makes us feel we are working for something greater than profits. It creates identity. It builds an emotional connection. It’s one of the most effective ways to attract and retain talent in hospitality.
Although we have started this piece looking at purpose through the lens of sustainability, more broadly, purpose can mean many things: creating opportunities for young people, supporting local producers, designing a genuinely inclusive workplace, or simply choosing to do business in a way that leaves things better than you found them.
And that kind of thinking is becoming one of the biggest drivers in hospitality recruitment.
The post-pandemic talent crisis forced our industry to rethink not just how we work, but why we work. Flexibility, fair pay, and better work-life balance all entered the spotlight, but alongside those practical needs came a deeper question: what’s the point?
For Gen Z in particular, this question isn’t optional. Purpose isn’t a buzzword for them. It’s a dealbreaker. They’re not just looking for a job. They want to work for businesses that reflect their values. Somewhere they can feel proud of. Somewhere with a sense of meaning.
And this is backed up by research. A recent study by Nutritics and CGA by NIQ found that 76% of hospitality workers, and 88% of those in management roles, are more likely to stay with an employer that’s positively impacting the environment. While that study focused on environmental sustainability, the implications are broader. When people believe in the purpose of a business, whether it’s social, ethical or environmental, they engage more deeply. They go the extra mile. They stick around.
A 2023 Harvard Business Review article, A Strong Purpose Can Make Your Company a Magnet for Talent, highlighted how businesses with clearly defined values and meaningful missions are outperforming their competitors in recruitment and retention. Purpose builds loyalty. Not just from guests, but from staff.
Why? Because purpose creates alignment. It gives people a reason to care.
Hospitality is bloody hard graft. Long hours, late nights, and high-pressure environments are par for the course. So why do people stay? Increasingly, the answer lies in purpose. When people feel like their work means something, when they know their actions contribute to something good, they’re more resilient. More committed. More fulfilled.
We see this in businesses that prioritise mental health. Venues that give back to their communities. Restaurants that pay above the living wage, source from ethical suppliers, or support team members through training and development. These aren’t just policies. They’re proof of purpose, and people notice.
The energy is different in a purpose-driven workplace. There’s a shared sense of pride. A collective commitment to doing things well. And that filters through to the guest experience too. Customers feel the difference. They come for the food or the rooms, yes, but they stay for the story, the values, the vibe.
That’s the real power of purpose. It’s not a gimmick. It’s not a passing trend. It’s the future of great hospitality.
Purpose can be embedded in countless ways. From the language in your job ads to the experience of onboarding. From the way you talk about your suppliers to how you treat your team during tough shifts. It’s not always about shouting the loudest. It’s about being consistent and authentic.
Take independent businesses that invest in their communities. Hosting school visits to teach children about food. Offering cooking classes to those with barriers to employment. Or large hospitality groups that publicly commit to reducing food waste, provide mental health first aid training, or create spaces for underrepresented voices to thrive. These actions say, “We care.” And that message travels far.
Gen Z, in particular, is a generation raised on transparency and digital storytelling. They’re quick to research, to scrutinise (quite rightly), and to share. They know when a message is performative and when it’s real. If your purpose is aligned with action, they’ll find it. And if it’s not? They’ll notice that too.
It’s worth considering that purpose also supports your employer brand in the long term. Recruitment is no longer just about filling vacancies. It’s about building a reputation that makes people want to work for you. When your purpose is clear and consistently communicated, it becomes part of your identity. It’s a differentiator in a crowded market.
And crucially, purpose helps you weather the tough times. Hospitality is unpredictable. External shocks, seasonal fluctuations, and staffing challenges will always exist. But a shared sense of purpose keeps people anchored. It offers clarity. It becomes a source of strength when the pressure is on.
At Tonic Talent, our purpose has always gone beyond simply being “people finders.” Yes, we help hospitality businesses recruit exceptional talent. But just as importantly, we support the industry as a whole. Whether it’s championing causes like Hospitality Action and Walk for Wellbeing, raising funds for Birmingham Women and Children’s Hospital, or providing opportunities for connection and support through the not-for-profit Midlands Hospitality Network (MHN), our goal is to leave the sector stronger than we found it.
We also work closely with local charity SIFA Fireside. We recently joined forces to cook and serve Christmas lunch to their clients – an experience that reminded us how powerful hospitality can be in creating joy and connection. Supporting the next generation is just as important to us, so we work year-round with University College Birmingham (UCB). We help students prepare for life after education by offering real-world interview coaching, career advice, and industry insight.
MHN was created to give hospitality professionals the tools they need to thrive at work, to connect with peers, and to share honest, solution-driven conversations about the challenges we face. Crucially, it’s a supplier-free environment. Attendees are protected from sales pitches and can focus on learning, laughing, and lifting each other. That’s what purpose looks like in action.
So if you’re struggling to recruit, if your team morale is low, or if you’re watching great people walk out the door, ask yourself:
What do we stand for? What are we proud of? And how are we showing that to the world?
Because when you lead with purpose, you don’t just attract talent. You build a team that believes in your journey. And that’s when the real magic happens.
