UKHospitality has launched its workforce strategy, designed to try and fix the sector’s staffing crisis through collaboration action.
The strategy examines all aspects of the sector’s labour needs, from recruitment, skills and training to hospitality’s image as a sector in which to work.
It is based on a partnership approach; addressing the challenges alongside industry bodies, training and employment stakeholders and government.
The new strategy is underpinned by the core ambition of upskilling the hospitality workforce across the whole of the UK and focuses on five different areas: recruitment, skills and training, working lives, image of the sector and infrastructure.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive, UKHospitality, said: “I am excited to present this hospitality workforce strategy – at this most critical of times as we recover from a pandemic and face a chronic staff shortage, skyrocketing costs and a dip in consumer confidence.
“This strategy sets out a vision to ensure we are fully resourced with people with the right skills, a clear talent pipeline with established routes of progression and high levels of employee wellbeing.”
Nicholls said the strategy aligned with government and wider societal objectives, and that at its core was a desire to upskill the workforce, create high-quality, high-skilled roles, and promote social mobility.
“Levelling up the hospitality workforce will help to level up the nation.”
One of the ways in which immediate recruitment challenges could be improved is by enhancing relationships with JobCentrePlus and other job agencies. Businesses should be maximising their engagement with these agencies in order to make sure jobseekers are aware of the opportunities in hospitality.
In addition, working more closely with further and high educational institutions is a key opportunity to boost short-term recruitment by tapping in those students looking for part-time work during term-time or full-time work during the holidays.
Other actions include the sharing of recruitment best practice, expanding recruitment strategies to include the whole population, including vulnerable groups, and the approval of a government authorised exchange placement scheme for hospitality students.
