72% say higher pay would boost hospitality industry’s appeal

Employees flagged pay, mental health and burnout as key worries in the global report, with one consultant saying more “middle management training” is the solution.

72% of hospitality staff claim that higher pay would make the industry more appealing, according to a new survey highlighting the realities of working in the sector.

The report surveyed 1,000 employees and was conducted by three parties: global drinks industry community Celebrate Her; hospitality training platform Allara Global; and consumer intelligence firm CGA by NIQ.

An earlier piece of research cited lack of mental health support in the workplace as a key worry. And the new body of work suggests that four in ten respondents feel uncomfortable raising mental health worries at work, with almost half believing they wouldn’t be listened to or taken seriously. 

What’s more, half (49%) of employees are not currently satisfied with their work-life balance.

And the majority of respondents (72%) claimed higher pay would make the industry more appealing.

More middle management training needed

Anna Sebastian, founder of consultancy agency Anna Sebastian Hospitality, chaired a series of roundtables where industry leaders discussed the results.

Speaking to the drinks business, she said: “A lot of decisions have been made purely on emotion, but now we’ve got this data, you can really hone in on where the funding and focus should be. From the survey, it feels like the biggest problems are pay, stress, burnout and mental health.”

“One of the things that came up was that there needs to be an educational piece. That involves putting in place processes that not every company has, like zero-tolerance policies, and training middle management on how to deal with issues when they arise.

“But also, mental health resources came up really high as a big priority. Reaching people starts with knowing how to report things. For instance, what happens if there’s a sexual assault or harassment in the workplace, and do people know what the legal definitions are?”

Burnout barriers

Career retention also remains a pressing issue, with more than half (57%) of respondents citing stress and burnout as a barrier to progression, and 42% citing a lack of senior roles.

78% of people who’d considered hospitality a temporary role have now positively shifted this position, revealing that many do see the sector as a place to build a career.

Eleni Cheetham, assistant manager at Tapping the Admiral, Camden, is one of them.

After graduating from Manchester University with a maths degree in 2021, Cheetham opted out of the corporate world and decided to pursue her dream of running a pub.

Speaking to db, the 25-year-old said: “What excites me about hospitality is how different it can look. I’ve always wanted it rather than a traditional career because I’m running around a pub where people are having a nice time, as opposed to an office looking at a computer.”

But since becoming assistant manager, she’s found the level of stress has risen more than she expected it to.

She said:  “I imagine that’s similar in a lot of careers when you get more responsibility, but when it’s combined with the late nights, and when you are super stressed, having to go in, be social and speak to people – that worries me.

“And when you’re a manager, quite a lot of it is being this ‘personality’. Doing that when you’re shattered or burnt out is difficult.”

Unclear promotion criteria

The survey found that access to more training and development is needed to equip employees with the tools to progress professionally. 

Furthermore, over half (57%) felt promotion criteria was unclear, with 51% citing unconscious bias as a barrier to career progression. 

Cheetham believed the problem stemmed from many people “falling into” a hospitality career. “There’s not many people who come in at ground level being like ‘this is where I want to go,’” she said. 

As a result, she said, clear pathways for career progression,  particularly in independent venues, were often lacking.

Notably, three in 10 female employees felt they had been prevented from career progression due to discrimination or bias in the workplace. 

Training concerns

What’s more, 42% of staff considering quitting the sector felt they didn’t have adequate training for their next roles.

The survey found that training should go beyond the basics to focus on career development and progression, as well as deepening expertise. 

And while more women are entering the industry, this comes with issues concerning discrimination, parental leave and personal safety.

While two-thirds of staff (66%) felt there were fair opportunities for employees, and 65% felt supported by management, men had a notably more positive view of equality in the workplace than women.

Reporting harassment

Female employees are more likely to experience sexual harassment in the workplace than men, and over a quarter (27%) did not report issues to their employer. As db previously reported, a third of women working in the whisky sector have been inappropriately touched, and 87% feel they experience more challenges in the workplace than their male counterparts.

The latest findings suggest that there is still work to be done when it comes to opportunities for parents, especially mothers, with 76% of parents turning down work opportunities due to parenting or family commitments.

To become more inclusive for parents, Sebastian suggested businesses could permit children at events, have childcare, or let people bring babies if going to an industry panel. She said: “It’s not just assuming people will know, but actively asking people, ‘would you like to bring your child?’”

While 82% of respondents said diversity was important in the workplace, 42% felt those with disabilities were not represented at all.

Improving diversity

Age and gender are the most diverse characteristics, but the representation of religious people and the LGBTQ+ community could also be improved.

Regarding safety, 83% of employees rated the physical safety in their workplace as excellent or good, but 35% of workers felt unsafe going home at night.

Most employees also thought that being taken seriously by the government would help the sector attract and retain staff.

UKHospitality chair Kate Nicholls told db: “As a sector, we have worked diligently to create and foster environments that empower women, and it’s heartening to see the survey’s finding that 78% of employees perceive hospitality as an industry that can lead to a long and successful career.

“Our teams are the heart of hospitality, and businesses take their well-being very seriously. Hospitality is one of the most flexible sectors of the economy and venues are embracing that to ensure employees can balance work, family and other commitments. 

“For those that do need further support, there are fantastic hospitality-specific charities available, such as the Licensed Trade Charity and Hospitality Action.”

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