UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls talks about the ‘magic’ of the industry, and inspiring the 25 per cent

It’s clear from this report that for customers, hospitality sprinkles a little bit of magic into the everyday. The sector exists to make people’s lives just that little bit better and it brings oft-needed relief from day-to-day concerns, conjuring a special moment that makes guests feel wonderful and brings people together.  

Because of this, the sector is full of incredible people. People who go the extra mile to deliver happiness everyday – and to keep doing that we need more of them. It was heartening to see in the report what a positive perception there is of our sector from those within it. People are rightly proud to work in this great sector and are focused on helping the businesses they work for perform better. This, interestingly, has a stronger influence on where they work rather than on how much they are paid. 

That 71 per cent of respondents would recommend hospitality is hugely positive and something that the industry must build on. Remarkable, too, that the figure remained steady throughout the pandemic, but we should look to improve it further, while seeking to address the report’s clear message concerning staff churn and movement – it’s about keeping not just recruiting staff.  

However, while 75 per cent of our workforce see themselves staying in the sector beyond this year – which is excellent – what can we do to persuade the other 25 per cent? There are certainly some discussions to be had around how the sector can implement simple but effective measures around flexibility, rotas in advance, and better planning of hours; while a Covid reset on terms and conditions is something many operators could and should consider. 

I was delighted to also see that people working in the industry have a positive perception of it, grading careers and jobs seven out of 10. However, their feeling that the general public view it less favourably, at just three out of 10, is a perception we have to change. Hospitality must translate employees’ pride in themselves and what they do into a much more positive perception among those on the outside looking in.