The hotel and hospitality industries have been getting a second wind in many countries since the rollout of vaccines against Covid-19. However a recent survey by Medallia Zingle shows this uptick has done little to change the problematic staffing situation in many establishments.

Its survey of employees' experience in the industry found around 60% of European companies are now working with fewer staff than before the pandemic, and almost half of the survey participants state that their employer's handling of the increase in customers is "just OK".  

"All industries have been affected by the Covid 19 crisis, but the travel and hospitality sector has suffered particularly," says Gerhard Raffling from Medallia. Another cause for concern is that globally, nearly two-fifths of hospitality workers plan to leave their jobs by the end of 2021. 

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, work in hospitality has also become more difficult and less fulfilling, according to around 60% of respondents. Raffling sums it up: "It is alarming that a significant number of male and female workers are planning to leave their jobs before the end of the year."

This is likely to exacerbarate ongoing recruitment difficulties in the hospitality industry, with more than half of those surveyed, saying it is an issue for their organisation. The main reason for this is a lack of qualified applicants, but also a lack of resources to offer competitive wages or benefits, as well as a lack of flexibility or remote work options.

And it may be hard to attract back the people who left or were forced to leave the industry during the pandemic ­– one-third of hospitality workers who lost their jobs during Covid do not want to return to their previous jobs.

In percentage terms

• 67% report their establishment has seen an increase in customers since vaccines against Covid-19 became widely available.
• 48% say their establishment's handling of that increase has been "just okay".
• 24% say the employee experience has worsened, and that they feel less committed in particular.
• 61% report having to do more with less.
• 59% say their companies have fewer employees than before the pandemic.
• 52% say that hiring new staff is becoming a problem for their company.
• 33% of workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic do not want to return to work.

About the survey

As part of the digital survey, Medallia polled more than 1,250 travel and hospitality employees in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany between 10 and 14 September 2021. Medallia is a customer and employee experience management company.