7 Hospitality Hiring Trends to Help You Plan Your 2023 Job Search
Your job search is likely to give you so many options. Candidates in the Hospitality space have more power today than ever before. You have a wider selection of job opportunities to choose from in a skill-short marketplace.
Job postings in the UK are currently 42% above pre-pandemic levels, meaning talented professionals have no shortage of options to choose from. Additionally, even in a time of economic uncertainty and recessions, 72% of employers are expecting to hire new staff, with only 13% saying they’re planning on making team members redundant any time soon.
While a this is excellent news for you it’s not without its challenges. It’s important to get a clear idea of what you really want from a business.
Understanding which hiring trends are likely to influence your job search. Your eventual decision of who to work with will be crucial going into 2023.
Here are some of the top critical hiring trends to be aware of in 2023.
1 Working With a Hospitality Recruiter To Support Your Job Search
A professional hospitality recruitment company could be the most important help you access. Recruiting specialists understand the job market in your industry. They also work with you to gain a deeper understanding of your values, priorities, skills, and expectations. This means they can help you to pursue the right roles for your unique needs.
Recruitment companies can assist you in finding suitable roles according to your ethics, skills, and characteristics. What’s more, they can also give you guidance when you’re dealing with multiple job offers from a host of different business leaders.
A specialist recruitment team will be able to listen and understand which parts of different job offers are likely to be deal breakers for you.
They can also improve your chances of job offers from companies you’ve already assessed and felt a connection to.
They can place you in the talent pipelines of leading brands, to ensure you’re always the first person a company calls when a position becomes available.
If you haven’t considered working with a recruitment partner up until now, this could be the perfect time to change your strategy. Your recruitment partner will give you all the guidance you need to seek out the roles most likely to drive high levels of job satisfaction.
2. Flexible Working Opportunities Will Continue to Evolve
Since the pandemic many hospitality candidates have found themselves looking for more flexible working opportunities in recent years. Thus as hospitality businesses struggle to find the talent they need, they’re focusing on offering more flexible working strategies.
You may think it isn’t possible in hospitality but there are options. We have seen businesses offer more flexibility around your commitments such as being able to pick your children up from school.
If flexible working opportunities are high on your list of employment demands, making sure you’re ready to negotiate your options will be essential.
3. Salaries and Benefits Are Transforming The Job Search Landcape
One particularly good piece of news for hospitality candidates is higher salaries. As a result of the cost-of-living crisis and an impending recession, many business owners know they need to offer this.
Over the last 12 months, professionals in tight labour markets have been increasingly accessing substantial wage gains. However, it’s worth remembering that it’s unlikely many employers will be able to continue offering wage hikes forever.
Rather than focusing entirely on the salary you can access from your intended employer, it may be worth looking at the benefits they provide too. A great benefits package can make a lower-paying job more appealing, by providing access to greater work/life balance and well-being.
For instance, many business leaders are beginning to focus on benefits that support employees in feeling more supported at work. After all, 90% of employees now believe how they feel at work is important to their overall quality of life.
Look for perks that demonstrate a commitment to employee well-being and happiness. Benefits such as increased paid time off, healthcare support, and access to mental health support. Some business owners in the hospitality landscape can also help with things like childcare, so you can worry less about fitting your work life around your personal routine.
If your employer is willing to work with you to avoid burnout, improve your overall wellness, and make your life easier, the chances are they’ll deliver a higher level of job satisfaction.
4 Upskilling and Reskilling Workers
There’s lots of talk within hospitality about how to close the skills gap. One of the areas being explored is offering training and apprenticeships to those already in hospitality.
Findings from HIT Training called See V reveal that less than half of businesses (46.3%) offer apprenticeships, despite three-quarters of people saying they would take a job if it came with the prospect of developing their skills via an apprenticeship.
Working with a hospitality business that can see your potential and is prepared to train you could be the step you need to elevate your hospitality career. Look for employers offering a higher level of on-the-job training. Many business owners are recognising the need to upskill and reskill.
When doing your job search, focus your attention on finding employers willing to invest in your future. Once again, your recruitment partner will be able to assist with this process, providing insights into which employers offer the best training opportunities on the job.
Just remember, you will need to commit to consistently seeking out and completing educational opportunities whenever they’re available, so you can show your value to your employer.
5. Employers Become More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive
While focus on DEI initiatives began to drop slightly during 2022, most experts agree that employers will reignite their focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2023. After all, today’s hospitality business want to attract the next generation of talent. For Gen Z and younger workers, DEI initiatives are an important factor in determining where to work.
74% of today’s employees say corporate investment in equity, inclusion, and diversity is either very or somewhat important in their decision of where to work. As employers become more aware of this fact, they will continue to invest in ways of making every team member feel “included”.
Already, many leading employers are turning to recruitment partners like us for help building a more inclusive recruitment process. They know that businesses with ethically and gender-diverse teams can outperform their peers by up to 36%, and they’re ready to evolve.
For candidates, focusing on finding an employer with a strong DEI strategy can ensure you access the right company culture. You’ll be able to share ideas with a wide range of people, and engage with different perspectives when looking for ways to thrive in your role.
Ensure the specialist recruiter you work with understands the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts shown by the clients they work with before you progress with your application.
6. Employer Brands will Influence Your Job Search Decisions
As a hospitality recruitment partner, part of our role is promoting our clients to candidates. Ensuring we highlight their unique brand and culture. The chances are the employer branding connected to each company will have a huge impact on who you decide to work with.
Around 83% of employers now say employer branding makes a significant difference to their ability to attract and retain talent. As such, you’re likely to see a higher number of companies focusing on finding ways to highlight their unique brand.
Look out for evidence of strong branding on job descriptions, websites, and content produced by internal employees from the team you’re thinking of working with. Focus on finding employers with a brand which concentrates heavily on employee wellbeing and support.
During an age of “quiet quitting” and growing burnout, employees will thrive best in environments where their leadership teams take their wellbeing seriously. If your potential employer frequently invests in supporting their team members, overcoming issues of burnout, and protecting their team’s physical and mental health, this is a good sign.
As mentioned previously, we’re in a skill-short market. This means you have a range of options available to you when choosing the right environment to work in. Look for an employer who can invest in your ability to thrive and survive.
7. The Importance of Candidate Care in Your Job Search
Part of finding an empathetic, caring, and supportive employer in 2023, is looking at each company’s approach to candidate care. Today’s business owners are rapidly learning they need a strong strategy for building relationships with candidates.
Increasingly, candidates are going into interviews asking more questions. Questions around what you can expect in terms of culture, work/life balance and inclusion are all good. Be ready to interview each hiring manager to ensure you’re choosing the roles that work for you.
As you progress through the hiring journey, pay attention to how your hospitality employer focuses on candidate care. Do they offer a range of flexible interviewing options to suit you, including online and virtual interviews? Are they committed to keeping you informed every step of the way with transparent communication?
How does your potential employer assist you in visualising a future with their company? Are they committed to helping you progress through promotions and training?
It may also be worth re-considering some of the previous employers you’ve worked with in the past. Their commitment to improve their candidate care and recruitment strategies may have changed. Many hospitality staff members today are “boomerang” candidates. They leave a role in search of something better, then find themselves returning to the same employer.
Making sure you leave jobs on a positive note means you have the possibility to return if needed.
Summary
The job search landscape for hospitality employees may be challenging, but it’s also brimming with opportunities. As companies continue to invest in growth and talent acquisition, you’re sure to have plenty of options.
2023 will see a continuation of an unpredictable recruitment landscape. Skill shortages will reign, and employers need to work harder to find the talent they need.
Specialist hospitality and catering recruiters will offer valuable assistance to candidates who need help sorting through their options, and achieving their professional targets.
It’s an interesting time for all of us. Make sure you’re prepared.
Good Luck!
