Hospitality industry campaign to end recruitment crisis for good
18/02/2022
The hospitality industry has taken the bull by the horns to tackle the problem of staff shortages within its sector and end them forever.
Already battered by the pandemic and the imminent rise in VAT to 20 per cent, one recent study has suggested there are still a huge 400,000 vacancies across the sector.
The figures in the report from trade body UKHospitality, show a further 100,000 staff absences, meaning that day-to-day the industry is missing half a million workers – more than 20 per cent of the workforce.
But now the grass-roots campaign Hospitality Rising has won official support from the Hospitality & Tourism Sector Skills Board (HTSB) to be the strategic face of the industry’s biggest ever recruitment campaign.
The report says the HTSB will work into the joint Government and industry initiative, the newly-created Hospitality Sector Council
Hospitality Rising is a group of businesses working together to attract new talent to the sector. It says it has assembled a world-class creative team to execute the campaign and is appealing to raise the funds that will make it happen and end the hospitality recruitment crisis forever.
It is the first time the industry has pulled together to drive a national campaign of this nature. It means that Hospitality Rising has won the backing of representatives of the whole spectrum of hospitality businesses, including UKHospitality, the BII and the British Beer and Pub Association.
The report adds that the official recognition of Hospitality Rising effectively fires the starting gun on a concerted industry-wide fundraising effort for the campaign, launched by ex-Pret A Manger marketer Mark McCulloch in 2021.
Organisers plan to raise up to £5 million and are encouraging employers across the industry to invest in the campaign, pledging just £10 per employee.
Kate Nicholls, CEO, UKHospitality, said: “The campaign cannot come soon enough. Our latest research shows the issues of recruitment and skills are absolutely mission-critical to the hospitality and tourism sectors.
“Many of our members are struggling with a significant level of vacancies; this campaign will enable hospitality to stage a vital intervention, and turn on a generation to the rich and varied roles and career pathways that our vibrant industry offers.”
Hospitality Rising has already secured north of £350,000 in pre-launch seed funding and intends to now raise a multi-million fund of up to £5m to create and launch the campaign.
WMT Troncmaster Services Ltd are proud to be supporting Hospitality Rising as a supplier sponsor.
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