Everyone is all too familiar with the staffing shortages that have plagued the industry. While we haven’t fully returned to the pre-pandemic days, hotels are filling up regardless of the employee count.
We have a fresh hiring landscape to navigate. It isn’t 2019 anymore. With an understanding that talent acquisition is permanently altered, we can better adapt hiring processes to attract the absolute best.
So, what does the future of hiring look like for hotels?
Properties need to have the “WOW” factor
A candidate-driven job market isn’t a trend anymore. This is reality. Every industry will have high and low points, but the hospitality industry is struggling to recover its workforce. Outside of hotels, we are still living out the “great resignation” where thousands have made the decision to drop out of the running.
So, while the tables are turned, take the time to compare your culture with your competitors. The most common complaint among candidates is that the hiring process is too long and unorganized.
You’re painting a picture of the brand, so make sure it’s a pretty one. From beginning to end, your hiring process should be intentional and organized. If an aspect of the process isn’t ramping up towards the end goal of a new hire, it isn’t nearly substantial enough.
Multifaceted career opportunities
Hoteliers wear many hats. This was evident during the height of furloughs when general managers were forced to take on the roles of multiple employees. Even with various departments back on the ground floor, employees are still not siloed off. The ambidextrous nature of hospitality can be seen as an intractable challenge and an amazing opportunity.
The key for many candidates is “growth”. Keeping employees stuck in a lane forces them back into the job market. On the other hand, you can leverage cross-training by offering top performers training opportunities in other departments, especially when it comes to service-level or part-time employees that may be looking to launch a new career.
If you invest in your employees, you will reap the returns. It requires time and money, but the payoff for managers and executives will be evident.
Technical advancements
Hospitality has been radically changed by digital technologies. With that, the jobs and opportunities are going to also change. As automation takes over, new jobs are going to be created to manage the digitization of properties.
Many, if not most, of the job titles that will manage these emerging technologies, don’t even exist yet. Based on customers’ booking behaviors, many executives will invest more in onboarding talent with technological backgrounds.