Hotels and other hospitality businesses have been reopening at a steady pace since the COVID-19 restrictions began lifting around Europe. This gradual awakening of the tourism and hospitality industry has left many businesses hurting for revenue and talent. The shortage of well-trained staff and the continuing crisis in skills will only slow down the recovery even more.
Having skilled workers is the backbone of hotels and hospitality. Employees are a big component of the service being sold, an integral part of the experience and the brand. So, not having the right people to fill those jobs paints a difficult landscape for the future.
Why is there a shortage of skills in hotels and hospitality?
The pandemic we are all recovering from is the main reason for the skills’ crisis. As it pushes a lot of talented workers to other industries when the restrictions first hit, and it’s been hard to get them back. Why is it so difficult to get that skilled staff back in hotels and hospitality work?
- Wages. For the hotel and hospitality industry staff is the biggest cost, and with a skills’ shortage competition for good employees has made wages a hard game to win. A few places can afford to outbid the rest, while some owners are out of touch with the living cost their workers have to face. An honest, fair salary can get you very far in attracting the type of talent you need.
- Working conditions. The industry is known for long work hours and demanding responsibilities. Standardizing the level of service and keeping regulation is key to retaining talent and skills.
- Employee turnover. Hotels and hospitality have one of the largest turnover rates at 73% in the US alone. The less an employee stays, the harder it is to make sure you have the skill sets you need to provide good service.
- Technology. This comes at the industry in two ways, not enough training to handle new technology used at work and the increasing popularity of remote work vs on-site labor. Training, career opportunities, and benefits are the way to go to face this issue.
How does this affect hotel staff?
Hotel staff are facing a tough skill-shortage battle, while also taking on the challenge of getting back to normal. A shortage of talent in hotel staff means guest experience declining, negative reviews, and a drop in bookings. The lack of good employees is an issue that can impact bottom lines in all hotels. However, there are certain steps hotels can take to combat this problem.
What can you do to overcome the skills shortage in your hotel?
Not all is lost, as with other obstacles, you will find there are solutions. However, they require time, investment, and commitment. These can be highly successful in guaranteeing you have the skilled staff you need to make your hotel work in perfect conditions, satisfy guests and make a profit.
Go after new graduates
Approaching new hotel and hospitality career graduates can be a great way to combat skills shortages. If you can offer a good entry-level position, with a clear career path, the chance to learn and grow. Then, new workers can bring their skills and commitment to be trained to form a great staff addition for your hotel.
Offer training
The best way to combat lack or loss of skills is training, and the best way to train is digitally. Great new hotel staff training tools like hosstinn have the capability of increasing your staff’s skills and giving them the freedom to complete the course on their own.
Keep worker skills updates, get experts from around the world to train your staff, and do it all comfortably with just an internet connection.
Empower employee retention
Another key component in fighting the skills shortage is employee retention. Keeping the staff you have already trained and invested in will save you money and guarantee skills. Employee retention comes down to recognizing staff value and rewarding it. Good employees need to be acknowledged, offered compensation, and motivated to keep growing.
