The answer to hospitality’s stable future lies in reframing recruitment

The hospitality industry has experienced tremendous challenges over the past few years due to Brexit, the pandemic, the current cost of living crisis and rocketing fuel bills. Not only is there a massive skills gap to contend with, but as an industry that relies heavily on workers from across Europe, there is also a shortfall of staff as we enter a post-Brexit bureaucracy. 

To ensure hospitality remains the vibrant and bustling sector we know and love, organisations need to be sourcing local talent that is diverse enough to fill the variety of job roles available. Diversity in terms of age, experience, background, culture and from talent pools they might not have previously considered. Businesses must make it their number one priority to attract and retain talent, with a particular focus on attracting young people who will become future industry leaders.

Hospitality suits practical, creative, intuitive, and hardworking people with a strong desire to learn. Fast-moving and entrepreneurial, hospitality is built on not only chefs and service expertise, but also experts in technology, finance, IT, HR, and marketing. The opportunities to train, develop and have a long and fulfilling career in hospitality are huge. To highlight this and secure a stable future for the industry, we must reframe recruitment. 

Tackling the stigma 

Unfortunately, when thinking about a job in the hospitality sector, many negative stigmas arise. These are often the result of a host of hospitality-related TV shows, and while these programmes are popular, they paint the picture of a stressful, difficult, and unrewarding industry. This image is dated and not a true reflection of today’s industry, which nurtures talent and can provide opportunities for long and fulfilling careers. 

Over the years, hospitality has also suffered from perceptions of poor pay and poor working hours, and often little is known about the opportunities a career in hospitality can provide. To aid the industry’s recovery, we must look at how we can attract a more diverse workforce, ensuring we provide shift patterns that work around people’s lifestyles.

There also needs to be more education about the types of roles available within hospitality, which goes beyond the obvious chef and waitstaff positions. From event planners to hotel concierges, there are a variety of exciting and rewarding jobs available, all of which do not get the profile they deserve. We need to raise awareness of these, especially as we look to pave the road ahead after the pandemic.

Engaging young regional UK talent 

Now more than ever, with the ramifications of the pandemic and Brexit, it is vital for the hospitality industry to find and retain new talent that will contribute to the resurgence of our sector. Businesses must start making it their number one priority to train and source diverse employees, as this will enable our customers to enjoy authentic experiences from different cultures. This is even more important for business leaders who run organisations outside the big cities and thus need to engage with their regional talent pool.

When we talk about recovery, there is a tendency to be London-centric, but for a recovery to be truly effective, it needs to happen on a nationwide scale. There is so much talent out there, and I believe the hospitality sector will return stronger. However, this will only happen if there are great people in its realm, trained with the right skills. By inspiring and tapping into a pipeline of local talent, we are securing the future of the hospitality industry and equipping the next generation. 

In this country and many countries, there needs to be more focus on education around hospitality as a career, starting at a young age. There is a need for hospitality professionals to be brought into schools, not to teach children about food or wine or how to serve a steak or chicken, but to help them understand that hospitality is a rewarding profession that needs to be diversified. Hospitality has transferable skills that can be taken from a restaurant to a hotel, an office, and anywhere. Hospitality is not just a job that you do to earn a bit of money on the side. Young people need to understand that they can become a general manager of a hotel, the owner of a restaurant, or the manager of a different business. The opportunities are endless and are there for the taking.

Increased focus on upskilling

I believe there is also a need to enhance workplace flexibility, providing training and a clear career development path, providing staff perks, such as meals on shift and discounts at sister sites, as well as taking the time to work both back and front of house to support and nurture all of the sections of their team at the busiest times. 

Times have changed, and roles are slightly different now with technology advancements. However, their presence needs to be felt by all team members. A newly trained team requires constant nurturing and guidance from managers and supervisors to improve their skills and gain confidence. Additionally, guests like to see management on the floor. This way of working also ensures teams work together, working collaboratively and ultimately improving staff retention rates. This will be crucial as we continue to recover after the pandemic and will help the hospitality industry over the coming years.