Study of the Week: Who Knew Banks and Bistros Had So Much in Common? (Besides My Credit Card Bill)

Ever thought about what a high-flying banker and a hardworking hotelier have in common? Beyond the obvious fact that they both probably deal with a lot of spreadsheets, it turns out their industries face a surprisingly similar threat: the "insider." And no, I’m not talking about a secret guest who knows where the best pool towels are hidden. I’m talking about a genuine, human-shaped risk from within their own organizations.

Now, when you hear "insider threat," your mind probably conjures images of suave, double-crossing spies in expensive suits, perhaps dramatically downloading classified documents while sipping a martini (shaken, not stirred, naturally). And in the banking world, where fortunes are made and lost faster than you can say "subprime mortgage," that image isn't entirely off. Bankers, bless their pinstriped socks, deal with numbers so big they’d make your head spin, and with that comes a rather weighty responsibility. A single disgruntled individual with access to the right (or wrong!) systems could, well, let's just say they could make a lot of people’s investment portfolios look like a deflated soufflé.

But here’s the kicker: the very same human frailties that can lead a banker astray also exist in the seemingly sunnier, more apron-and-chef-hat-filled world of hospitality. Yes, your favorite boutique hotel, that cozy B&B, or even the bustling chain restaurant down the street, could be facing its own version of an insider threat.

Think about it. While bankers might be eyeing million-dollar transactions, hotel staff have access to a veritable treasure trove of personal data: your name, address, credit card details, even your bizarre pillow preferences. A less-than-ethical front desk clerk could, theoretically, become a data dolt, putting your privacy at risk faster than a hot potato in a game of pass-the-parcel. And a mischievous chef? Well, they might not be stealing trade secrets about a new monetary policy, but they could certainly leak grandma’s secret apple pie recipe – and that, my friends, is a culinary crime!

So, what can the hospitality industry learn from the buttoned-up world of finance? Quite a lot, actually.

From Vaults to Vacations: Borrowing Best Practices

1. It's About People (Not Just Potatoes!): Both industries need to understand why someone might go rogue. Is it financial pressure? A feeling of being undervalued, like a side dish no one ever orders? Or perhaps a misguided sense of entitlement, like that one guest who always demands an extra pillow (and then steals it)? Understanding these human factors is the first step to preventing a "sour grape" situation.
2. Recipes for Security: Just like a good recipe ensures a delicious outcome, clear information security policies are crucial. In a bank, it might be about not leaving your super-secret financial algorithms lying around. In a hotel, it's about safeguarding guest data, not sharing internal systems passwords (even if it's "just for a minute"), and knowing how to spot something fishy. Regular training is like a good culinary school – it teaches everyone the right techniques for handling sensitive ingredients (i.e., data!).
3. Tech That Tattles (Nicely, Of Course): Banks use fancy tech to spot unusual transactions. Similarly, hotels can use software to flag odd behavior on their systems. Is a receptionist suddenly accessing guest records from three years ago? Is a kitchen staff member logging into the booking system at 3 AM? These aren't necessarily signs of malicious intent, but they're worth a polite "Is everything gravy?" check-in. It's about spotting when someone is straying from the usual "mise en place" of their digital duties.
4. A Well-Run Kitchen (or Bank!): A happy employee is less likely to become a problem employee. When staff feel valued, heard, and fairly treated, they’re less likely to become a "bad apple" in the bunch. This means fostering a positive work environment, much like a well-organized kitchen where everyone knows their role and feels respected.

While bankers might fret over interest rates and market fluctuations, and hoteliers might obsess over thread counts and room service, the core challenge of managing human risk remains remarkably similar. So, the next time you check into a hotel or visit your bank, remember: beneath the polished surfaces, there’s a shared commitment to keeping things safe and secure, one sensible precaution at a time. And hopefully, no one's credit card details (or secret apple pie recipes) are going rogue!

References:

Whitelaw, F., Riley, J. and Elmrabit, N. (2024) 'A Review of the Insider Threat, a Practitioner Perspective Within the U.K. Financial Services', IEEE Access, 12, pp. 34752-34768. doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3373265.