Hospitality Headcounts

Hospitality staffing numbers are nearing pre-pandemic levels, but a series of factors, such as increasing pay rates, high staff turnover, and the changing makeup of the workforce, are piling pressure on employers.

The latest data from Fourth, the leading industry provider of inventory and workforce management solutions, show more people working in hospitality than at any time over the last two years.

The overall staffing headcount in pubs, bars, hotels, restaurants and quick service restaurants (QSR) is up 21.7% compared to June 2021. However, the industry still has to replace the 6% of the labour force who leave every month. And with rates of pay rising sharply - up 8.5% for pub workers and 6% for restaurant employees - operators will be keen to ensure they attract and retain top talent.

The data pulled from a database of more than 700 companies across the restaurant, pub, bar and hotel sectors reveals that the hospitality headcount in 2022 has grown by double-digit percentage points versus every month in 2021.

The growth rate in staff numbers in pubs has slowed compared to other sectors: for example, it was up by just 1.9% in June. This contrasts with hotels (27.3%), QSR (25.8%) and restaurants (25.7%). Hospitality continues to have a high rate of staff turnover - 5.7% of the entire workforce left in June 2022. This reflects the rate throughout 2022, with a high of 6.4% and a low of 5.4%. Collective hours worked continue to show healthy signs of growth. Across the sector, hours worked in June 2022 were up 17.3% versus June 2021 and 449.2% against June 2020, when hospitality was largely closed in the UK.