Hospitality businesses are under pressure, with senior industry leaders and employers questioning their future as a result of the government’s recent Mini Budget – which many believe did not contain sufficient ongoing financial support to strengthen the sector through a tough winter as a result of the unprecedented rise in energy costs.
Many teams are already feeling stretched due to ongoing staffing issues and are now aware that their employer may be concerned about the business’ financial future. But there is an opportunity for hospitality businesses to build more agile, skilled teams, while simultaneously offering career progression to their ambitious employees.
Insight from a new toolkit developed by HIT Training called See V, reveals that less than half of businesses (46.3%) currently offer training through the apprenticeship avenue at all career levels, despite more than three-quarters of people saying they would take a job if it came with the prospect of developing their skills via an apprenticeship.
And in terms of retaining existing team members, more than 80% of employees believe there’s less emphasis on training as they progress through their careers, even though there is an abundance of apprenticeship standards aimed at upskilling individuals from entry level to senior leadership.
“With the future success of so many sector businesses under a microscope following the government’s Mini Budget, it’s essential that hospitality employers show their workforce continued support by offering them a clear pathway to career progression via apprenticeships,” says Jill Whittaker OBE, Managing Director of HIT Training.
“Not only do most employees think that this type of training is not suited to their career stage, which is simply untrue, but employers often overlook the benefits that apprenticeships can bring an entire workforce, not just new starters – such as improved wellbeing because of better career progression. An upskilled workforce makes for a more loyal team less likely to seek better opportunities elsewhere.
“I urge all hospitality and catering operators who are interested in getting the most from their teams and want to transform the ambition many employees harbour into useful skillsets to download our new See V toolkit. It’s brimming with insight from leading HR professionals who can help guide the way to a workforce that feels valued by its employer.”
To discover a simple way to access lifelong career progression for your hospitality team, download the toolkit today.
