Hospitality Industry: Dealing with the Aging Worforce Crisis

Brecca Loh and John R. Hendrie, writing in Hospitality.net, suggest that the biggest challenge facing the hospitality industry in the next five years is not "designing the Guest Room of the Future, building the most extraordinary mixed-use resort facility, identifying the dining trends of the rich and famous or creating the next terrifying yet exhilarating theme park ride." Rather, just like in health care, the industry will be stuck, "all competing for that rare commodity--reliable labor."

There will be "“Wars for Talent"”, and you must adapt your philosophies to retain older workers and attract new talent. Those who win the battles will be those wrested in progressive workforce development strategies. You do not have to be a huge corporation to make ready, but you will need to target your workforce and maximize your human capital. We know this argument is unpleasant for many in a labor intensive business, but this is the reality. Choose or close!

They suggest that employers must change direction, philosophy, and operation to deal with this. Among other things, they need to be more competitive in attracting and retraining new employees, create performance incentives, and build management-employee relationships.

Source: Hospitality Net "A Crisis So Immediate And Obvious, You May Have Already Missed It" (September 27, 2006)