Hoteliers Take 'Piecemeal' Approach To Fill Persistent Labor Gaps
Industry Suffers from Reputational Damage Due to Mass Layoffs
While the labor shortages that plagued the hotel industry have eased in some small ways, overall employment in the industry remains down significantly from pre-pandemic levels, and hoteliers have had to take various measures to alleviate that pain.
NASHVILLE, Tennessee - While the labor shortages that plagued the hotel industry have eased in some small ways, overall employment in the industry remains down significantly from pre-pandemic levels, and hoteliers have had to take various measures to alleviate that pain.
Dan Paola, vice president of operations at hospitality development and management firm Raines Company, said the firm has had to adopt a "piecemeal" approach to staffing, including paying a premium for contract labor where there are shortages and increasing wages for housekeeping and front desk employees.
He said at this point retention is as big of an issue as recruitment.
"With housekeeping, you can get a high volume of applicants, but the issue is do they stay?" he said on a panel discussion titled "Short-staffed and Overworked" at the Hotel Data Conference.