Post-pandemic, a battle is underway to attract, manage, and retain talent within the hospitality industry. The global reach of the COVID-19 pandemic had consequences for the hospitality sector, leading to the loss of jobs for thousands of individuals employed in the industry. Many faced both professional and personal crises. The workforce migrated to their hometowns, and a significant portion chose not to return. Instead, they sought out alternative employment opportunities.
Also, the pandemic exerted an influence on the career aspirations of Generation Z towards the hospitality sector. This can be correlated with a decline in admissions for hospitality and hotel management courses in India. Notably, there exists a vacancy rate of over 50% in hospitality institutions, a trend that has persisted for the last three years. Due to a limited number of hospitality students graduating annually, a shortage of skilled, knowledgeable, and talented young professionals has emerged.
One trend that has emerged post-pandemic is joining the retail sector. Luxury retail is recruiting young hospitality graduates for various roles and responsibilities. These graduates are being offered attractive packages with regulated working hours. The hospitality industry is experiencing a loss of trained talent to other sectors as hospitality graduates are well-trained to understand and handle the needs of customers, which is very vital in today’s business. Also, the employment opportunities for trained hospitality professionals are global in scope. Every country requires a workforce, and Indians, by culture, are hospitality-oriented and readily embraced.
Generation Z, born around the year 2000, the newest generation entering the workforce, is the most technologically advanced generation. They are raised with smart devices and technology, as they were born in the era of the internet. The unique feature of this generation is that they cannot recall a time before the internet. Most members of Gen Z come from nuclear families and are primarily the offspring of Generation X. In addition to encouraging them to pursue hobbies and other interests, their parents and other family members have worked hard to provide them with the best education available.
Compared to past generations, their career aspirations are markedly different. Indian middle-class and upper-middle-class parents, with both parents mostly working, have created a corpus for their children’s education and future lifestyle needs. Additionally, they are willing to invest in their children’s higher education both in India and abroad through self-funding and educational loans. Canada is the most popular destination for higher education in hospitality. The other sought-after countries are Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the USA. In India, many aspire to pursue an MBA and Masters in Hospitality Management. Also, Generation Z aspires to pursue their entrepreneurship aspirations and a few of them join their family business.
Generation Z expectations
Generation Z is a unique cohort, and with one or two children in families, they are the most pampered kids. Their parents and family members have given them things even before they aspired to have them. This generation finds it very difficult to accept “No” or phrases like “Not Possible.” They seek instant gratification and expect everyone around them to treat them with care and dignity.
Moreover, this generation is very sensitive and conducts plenty of research before making decisions about anything that matters to them, whether it’s buying a smartphone, choosing a course, or selecting a company to work for. They expect their individual values to align with the organisational values and respect organizations that care for the environment, sustainability, and planet Earth. Also, they seek work-life balance and advocate the Gig Economy. They seek time for themselves to pursue their hobbies and other pursuits.
The Need of the Hour
It’s time for the hospitality industry to understand the needs and aspirations of Generation Z, as they are the workforce that has begun entering the industry. They are handled by Generation X and Millennials. The hospitality industry, collectively, should brand and market hospitality as a great profession and motivate the young generation to pursue a long-term career within the industry.
Also, the industry needs to work closely with hospitality institutes and support academics in various ways. Be it a guest lecture or deputing examiners, reviewing the curriculum, or training students to face the campus interviews. More innovative ways need to be explored to foster better collaboration with the industry and academia. The hospitality industry needs to sensitize its managers and teams about Generation Z and the ways to handle them.
Their working hours need to be regulated with provision for their regular weekly offs and leaves. The compensation offered should be attractive, with opportunities for training, growth, and advancement. Employee engagement activities are important ways to enhance their morale. Strict zero tolerance towards sexual harassment and the use of inappropriate language in the workplace should be implemented.
Most of the reputed hospitality brands have taken positive initiatives and have implemented them. However, there is a vast scope for improvement and change, as it will take some time for the entire industry to transform. The future presents challenges as the industry is rapidly growing post-pandemic, accompanied by high attrition. Attracting and retaining talent has become increasingly difficult. Urgent and substantial changes are necessary for the sustainability of both the hospitality industry and academia, as strategies that were effective in the past may not suffice for the future.
