Job seekers put off hospitality as a career with a majority claiming they believe there is a stigma attached to working in the hospitality industry Placed App survey reveals

As we unlock, experts claim British workers should fall back in love with hospitality jobs to get the economy back on track.

LONDON, May 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey by recruitment app, Placed, shows that nearly 60% of job hunters believe that there is a stigma attached to working in hospitality and only 33.4% of the people surveyed said they would be very attracted to working in the hospitality sector full time.

When asked what would put you off working in hospitality:

• 48.1% quoted pay as an issue
• 42.2% claimed hours are a problem
• 38.2% quoted career prospects

As restrictions are lifted today and it is hoped that the hospitality sector will help to reboot the economy, experts are calling for Brits to fall back in love with the sector.

Jennifer Johansson, Founder and CEO of Placed App says, 

"The hospitality sector should be the cornerstone of the UK's economic recovery, but attitudes towards the sector need to change. To echo the sentiment of our survey respondents, the industry has a huge marketing problem. There are great career prospects and opportunities despite the apparent stigma towards these jobs in the UK. It does not suffer the same bias in other countries as it does here in the UK. We need to rebrand the sector, stop relying on foreign workers and get Brits into these jobs."

"We feel that the government has to make more of an effort to encourage formal education around the hospitality trade. A more holistic approach is required to encourage long term change. Job seekers need the skills and confidence to excel in their roles. There are plenty of applicants out there, but when they apply for a job they are told they need experience. Government has to invest in this area and the need for innovation to drive employment has never been as important as it is now."

Many employers say they are struggling to recruit enough staff in the hospitality sector. With large numbers of foreign workers returning to Europe due to COVID-19 lockdown and not returning because of Brexit. There are a lot of vacancies.

But, as the Placed App survey shows, UK adults don't regard hospitality as a career due to what they perceive as low pay, long/unstable hours and a lack of career prospects.

Quotes from responses (approved to use):

"Generally, I believe people who have not experienced employment in hospitality under appreciate the skills & stamina required to make that cocktail taste outstanding, to ensure that meal has the freshest of ingredients, to guarantee your orders and bookings remain on time, to ensure a venue is staffed and trained to the highest levels and so much more… only when someone is immersed in that environment can they understand what it truly means to be a skilled hospitality professional!" - James P

"Some cultures regard working for a hotel or restaurant as inferior, whereas actually it can be glamorous, prosperous and enriching. Hospitality has a huge marketing problem: Employment opportunities in the industry aren't being presented in the best possible ways." - Qualsuma B

Survey carried out between 05/05/21 and 14/05/21 with Placed-App users, 752 responses.
Full survey is available upon request.

Interviews with Jennifer Johansson + case studies on request

https://placed-app.com/  
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Contact: Siobhan Lipnick, slipnicki@buzzleadmedia.com, +44 7748 634489; Nick Purnell, npurnell@buzzleadmedia.com, +44 7711 448882