While the hospitality industry enjoyed an early summer uplift with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations getting the tills ringing, recruitment within the sector remains a problem.
To address this, a leading industry body has appointed a new champion to help implement a strategy that allows for an industry fully resourced with people with the right skills, and clear and established progression routes to the next level.
How will it address skills shortage?
UKHospitality has announced the appointment of Skills Director, Sandra Kelly, to deliver on this strategy in a role designed to champion the recently launched UK’s hospitality workforce strategy: Fixing the Crisis, which looks to address labour shortages.
Kelly has had nearly 30 years of operational and strategic experience across the hospitality sector and her main focus will be skills in secondary, further and higher education – with a renewed focus on apprenticeships and other in-work training.
More broadly, Fixing the Crisis includes looking at:
Recruitment and the relationship between businesses and jobseekers, including those who are hard to reach.
- Developing existing skills and training like vocational and academic.
- Making sure people’s lives are not disrupted and sensible hours can be achieved
- Polishing the image of the sector and dispelling negative misconceptions and ensuring a commitment to good jobs and careers.
- Looking at infrastructure and how people can be helped with the availability of housing and transport so people can live within reasonable distances from their workplace.
Dealing with shortages is still an immediate problem, but employers can think creatively to attract staff by:
Offering incentives
Juicy incentives like discounts on products, free meals and a share of the tips pool will make the job much more attractive, despite potentially awkward hours. Tip sharing could be through a tronc, which is a special payment arrangement that lets businesses in the hospitality and leisure sector fairly share staff tips, gratuities and service charges given by customers.
Delivering a pleasant working environment
A relaxed, but professional environment can lead to a happy group of workers, who know they have the support of management in an inclusive culture. This encourages staff to stay and pass on the m message to other potential recruits.
Exploring new recruitment methods
Recruitment websites and social media will allow you to get vacancies out there much quicker than traditional methods. Ask your current staff where they would if in the market for jobs again.
Need advice? Contact our team today.
