17 Stewarding Supervisor Interview Questions and Answers

Stewarding supervisors play a critical role in the hospitality industry, ensuring that the food and beverage service areas in hotels, resorts, and casinos are always clean and fully stocked. They also manage the inventory of supplies and work with the culinary team to create menus and order food and beverage items.

If you’re looking to become a stewarding supervisor, you’ll likely need to go through a job interview. To help you prepare, we’ve put together a list of common stewarding supervisor interview questions and answers.

Are you comfortable giving negative feedback to your employees?

As a supervisor, you may need to give employees negative feedback from time to time. Employers ask this question to make sure that you are comfortable doing so and can do it in a constructive way. In your answer, explain how you would approach giving someone negative feedback while still maintaining their dignity and respect.

Example: “I am definitely willing to give my team members negative feedback when needed. I find that the best way to approach this is by making sure they know that I value them as a person and want to help them improve. For example, if an employee was late for work too often, I would first talk with them about why tardiness is unacceptable at this company. Then, I would discuss what steps we could take to ensure that they arrive on time more consistently.”

What are some strategies you use to motivate your team?

A hiring manager may ask this question to learn more about your leadership skills. They want to know how you can help the team members under you perform their best and achieve goals. In your answer, explain a few ways you motivate others. Share some specific strategies that have worked for you in the past.

Example: “I find that one of the most effective ways to motivate my team is by giving them recognition when they do something well. I try to give praise whenever someone does something helpful or completes a task on time. Another strategy I use is setting clear expectations. When I make sure everyone knows what’s expected of them, it helps them feel confident in their roles and motivated to succeed.”

How would you handle an employee who is not meeting company standards?

This question can help an interviewer determine how you handle conflict and whether you are willing to hold your employees accountable for their actions. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a specific situation where you held someone accountable in the past and what steps you took to ensure they met company standards.

Example: “In my previous role as a steward, I had an employee who was consistently late to work. After talking with them about the issue multiple times, we decided that they would need to take some time off without pay until they could meet our attendance standards. This helped them realize the importance of being on time and allowed them to reflect on their behavior.”

What is your experience with training new employees?

This question can help the interviewer understand your experience with training employees and how you might train new stewards. Use examples from previous jobs to explain what you did to ensure that new employees were prepared for their job responsibilities.

Example: “In my last position, I was responsible for training new employees on our security procedures and emergency response plans. I created a training schedule that included both classroom instruction and hands-on practice. During the training period, I also observed each employee’s performance and provided feedback as needed. This helped me identify any areas where an employee may need additional support or training.”

Provide an example of a time you successfully resolved a conflict between two employees.

When answering this question, it can be helpful to provide specific details about the conflict and how you resolved it. This can help interviewers understand your problem-solving skills and ability to resolve conflicts in a professional manner.

Example: “In my previous role as a stewarding supervisor, I had two employees who were constantly arguing with each other. They would often get into heated discussions while on duty, which distracted them from their work and made it difficult for them to complete tasks. After talking to both employees separately, I learned that they disagreed over how to handle a situation involving an unruly guest.

I decided to have both employees work together to create a new policy regarding how to handle similar situations in the future. By working together, they were able to come up with a solution that satisfied both of their needs.”

If one of your employees called out sick, how would you fill their shift?

This question can help an interviewer understand how you would manage your team and the responsibilities of a stewarding supervisor. Use examples from past experience to highlight your leadership skills, problem-solving abilities and ability to work with others.

Example: “If one of my employees called out sick, I would first try to find another employee who could cover their shift. If no one was available, I would contact other venues in our area to see if they had any extra staff members we could hire for the evening. If that didn’t work, I would call in some of our part-time employees to fill in for the night.”

What would you do if you noticed two of your employees were not getting along?

This question can help interviewers understand how you handle interpersonal conflicts. In your answer, try to explain what steps you would take to resolve the conflict and ensure that it doesn’t happen again in the future.

Example: “I have worked with two employees who didn’t get along for a while. I noticed they were both trying to do their jobs but weren’t communicating well. I scheduled a meeting with them where we discussed the issue. They realized they had different ideas about how to perform their job duties and resolved the situation by working together to find a solution.”

How well do you understand our company’s policies and procedures?

The interviewer may ask this question to assess your knowledge of the company’s policies and procedures. This can be an important factor in determining whether you are a good fit for the position, as it shows that you have taken the time to learn about the organization. In your answer, try to show that you have done research on the company and its policies and procedures.

Example: “I did some research on your company before coming here today, and I found out that you have several different policies and procedures in place. For example, there is a policy regarding how we handle lost items at events, which includes who should report any lost items and what steps they should take. There is also a procedure in place for reporting incidents or accidents during events. These policies and procedures help ensure that all staff members know their roles and responsibilities.”

Do you have any experience managing a budget?

The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your financial management skills. This can be an important skill for a stewarding supervisor, as you may need to manage the budget of the entire department. In your answer, try to explain how you managed a budget in the past and what steps you took to ensure it was balanced.

Example: “In my previous role as a stewarding supervisor, I had to create a budget each month that included all expenses for the department. I would meet with other members of the team to discuss any changes they wanted to make to their budgets. Then, I would use these requests to create a new budget that we could all agree on. After creating the budget, I would monitor our spending throughout the month to ensure we were staying within the limits.”

When is the best time to give positive feedback to your employees?

This question can help the interviewer determine your leadership style and how you motivate employees. Your answer should show that you know when to praise your team members for their hard work and when to give constructive criticism.

Example: “I believe it’s important to give positive feedback regularly, but I save my most meaningful praise for times when an employee has gone above and beyond or achieved something significant. For example, if someone is consistently doing a good job, I’ll let them know by giving them a verbal compliment. If they do something exceptional, like helping a guest in need, I’ll make sure to tell them specifically what I appreciate about their actions.”

We want to improve our employee retention rate. What would you do to achieve this?

This question is an opportunity to show your leadership skills and how you can help the company achieve its goals. When answering this question, think about what steps you would take to improve employee retention rates. You may also want to mention any specific strategies that helped you retain employees in previous roles.

Example: “I believe one of the best ways to improve our employee retention rate is by improving communication between management and staff members. I would hold monthly meetings with all staff members to discuss their concerns and ideas for improvement. This way, we can address issues before they become major problems. I have found that regular check-ins are a great way to build trust and rapport with my team.”

Describe your process for conducting a performance review.

A hiring manager may ask this question to learn more about your leadership style and how you approach employee evaluations. When answering, it can be helpful to describe a specific process you use for conducting reviews with employees and the steps involved in that process.

Example: “I conduct performance reviews twice per year with my team members. During these meetings, I first go over their goals from our last meeting and discuss any changes they’ve made since then. Then, I review each employee’s progress on their goals and objectives and provide feedback on what they’re doing well and areas where they could improve. Afterward, we set new goals for the next six months.”

What makes you an ideal stewarding supervisor?

This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer your qualifications and how you can be a great stewarding supervisor. When answering this question, it can be helpful to highlight some of your skills or experiences that make you qualified for the position.

Example: “I am passionate about working in security because I enjoy helping others feel safe. In my previous role as a security guard, I was able to help people feel more confident when they were alone at night. I also have experience managing a team of security guards, so I know what it takes to lead a group of employees who are all working toward the same goal.”

Which industries have you worked in previously?

This question can help an interviewer learn more about your experience and how it may relate to the industry they work in. You can use this opportunity to explain any transferable skills you have that could benefit their organization.

Example: “I’ve worked in a variety of industries, including construction, retail and entertainment. In each position I held, I was responsible for managing large crowds and ensuring everyone had a positive experience. This helped me develop my communication and problem-solving skills, which are important when working with a diverse group of people.”

What do you think is the most important skill for a stewarding supervisor to possess?

This question is an opportunity to show the interviewer that you possess the skills and abilities needed for this role. You can answer by identifying a skill from the job description, such as conflict resolution or customer service, and explaining how you use it in your current position.

Example: “I think one of the most important skills for a stewarding supervisor to have is communication. I’ve found that being able to clearly communicate expectations and instructions to my team members helps them perform their jobs more efficiently. It also allows me to understand what they need from me so I can provide support when necessary.”

How often do you perform audits?

Audits are a common practice in the security industry. Auditing is when you check to see if your staff followed all of the company’s policies and procedures during their shift. Auditing helps ensure that employees are following protocol, which can help reduce liability for the company.

Example: “I perform audits at least once per month. I find this frequency allows me to catch any issues before they become major problems. If an employee has been performing poorly or not following protocol, I will meet with them to discuss how they can improve. If they fail to improve after multiple meetings, I may terminate their employment.”

There is a new policy that directly conflicts with one of your employee’s responsibilities. How do you handle it?

The interviewer may ask this question to assess your leadership skills and how you would handle a conflict between policies. This is an important skill because it shows that you can work with others to find solutions to problems. In your answer, explain the steps you would take to resolve the conflict and ensure everyone’s responsibilities are met.

Example: “If there was a conflict between my employee’s responsibilities and a new policy, I would first meet with them privately to discuss their duties and what they need to do to perform them. Then, I would meet with the person who created the conflicting policy to understand why it exists and if there is anything we can do to make sure both policies are fulfilled. If not, I would create a plan for my employee to complete their responsibilities while also following the new policy.”