The tourism industry should be looking at older workers and those returning from maternity leave to work flexible hours rather than relying on seasonal staff.
Workforce charity, People 1st has suggested ways in which employers could improve staff retention as a new report shows a productivity slump from workers in the hospitality and tourism sector.
It has launched a campaign to tackle the high levels of staff turnover which have led to the industry being 58% less productive than the likes of manufacturing according to its report.
It says per employee, the hospitality and tourism workforce contributes only £21,600 to the industry.
This is compared to £35,000 in construction and £52,000 per head in manufacturing.
People 1st calculates that 993,000 new staff are needed by 2022, with over two-thirds of restaurants and hotels (68%) not having a full complement of staff currently.
Simon Tarr, managing director, People 1st said: "We believe diversifying recruitment to include older workers and maternity returners as well as putting in place strategies to reduce turnover with a greater focus on career progression, will have a positive impact on productivity.
"However, we want to tackle this challenge in collaboration with the industry, and are keen to share the best practice of those who know the industry best. That’s why we are launching a consultation today to gather the views of employers to reveal how to tackle this together, head on."
The People 1st report, The Skills and Productivity Problem, urges employers to improve their staff retention by:
· Offering more development opportunities for staff
· Employing apprentices
· Recruiting more maternity returners and older workers into the sector which are two key groups needing flexible jobs rather than relying on seasonally available employees.
To contribute to the consultation, click here.
