Personnel shortage in the hospitality industry

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The hospitality industry is facing a huge staff shortage. This is due to the lockdowns to contain the coronavirus. In particular, the last lockdown, which lasted from mid-October to the end of April, was a hard blow to the hospitality industry. How is this currently being resolved?

More stability in other jobs

Many hospitality entrepreneurs have had to lay off employees in the past year because they could not pay them during the lockdowns. So these people were forced to look for other jobs; in industries where there was plenty of work to be found, even during corona. Think of supermarkets, package deliverers and, of course, healthcare. In this they now experience stability, which they missed in the hospitality industry. As a result, they often do not return to the hospitality industry.

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Huge backlog

There is still a huge backlog to be made up. The demand from guests is not disappearing; in fact, they are now eager for a beer. While hospitality entrepreneurs are eager for new staff. Currently, however, there are plenty of opportunities for hospitality workers: there may be more demand from new employees, and the job offerings are diverse.

A significant portion of the previous employees, as mentioned above, left for other sectors; you don't get them back easily. The work-to-work policy - which offers employees arrangements and facilities for guidance to other work when an organization is about to change - has had a negative impact on the hospitality industry.

Staff from abroad

Many hospitality entrepreneurs are now, by necessity, seeking staff from Spain, Portugal or Greece, especially when it comes to cooks. QR code systems and tablets are also increasingly being used to deal with the shortage of wait staff. And if the entrepreneurs in question have experience themselves in service or the kitchen, they often jump in to help out. The influx of hospitality professional training is minimal, sitting at about 30% of capacity (source: NOS). This is just not a permanent solution, because housing for these people is also a problem.

If a solution to the staff shortage in the hospitality industry is not found soon, the terrace may just stay empty (again). Now not because of corona, but because of lack of people serving.