A path to quality and quantity candidates

Matthew de la Hey?

For as long as I can recall, the hospitality industry has faced challenges when it comes to hiring. Post-Brexit and COVID this situation intensified dramatically, and is persisting.? Recently a number of news outlets have highlighting the staffing shortages still felt by the industry. “87% of hospitality firms are experiencing recruitment challenges”; “the hospitality industry is facing a 10% vacancy rate for the second consecutive summer”; “hospitality vacancies now around 50% higher than pre-pandemic levels” - it underlines a persistent and concerning picture about the availability of people to work in this vibrant sector.

Hospitality is dynamic and ever-evolving, impacted by the economic tides, by changing consumer demands, and technological advancements. But it’s also one that is highly susceptible to global events and uncertainties. We’re still ricocheting from external shocks like Brexit, the global pandemic, and the recent energy crisis: leading us into a high inflationary, high interest rate (and therefore very tricky!) economic environment.?

Difficulty finding staff - in an historically competitive labour market - only adds to the sector's woes.?

But it doesn’t have to! The right candidates are out there - but relying on the thinking of the past -? the way things have always been done - is not going to cut the mustard. Those who take proactive measures to adapt their strategy and lean into new thinking and technologies to navigate a new world are those who will get ahead.?

inploi’s team of analysts have just completed a research assignment auditing the talent attraction strategies (and the subsequent candidate experiences) of 40 major UK hospitality organisations to produce a snapshot of how many organisations are embracing the challenge.?

Here’s a summary of our findings:?

Only 18% were using social media channels to advertise their vacancies.?

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are being underutilised, despite presenting excellent opportunities for building brand identity and attracting diverse talent - particularly amongst passive job seekers. These platforms are especially valuable for organisations looking to attract a Gen Z audience - a whopping 63% of Gen Z have discovered job opportunities via social media. There’s a significant opportunity here.??

Only 3% have careers sites and application processes that are accessible to the differently abled

With neurodivergent individuals representing 15% of the UK population, companies need to ensure a more inclusive and user-friendly experience for visitors with disabilities and learning difficulties. By doing so, they’ll ensure that all potential candidates can access and engage with the opportunities available.?

15% include interactive career page elements, such as chatbots or gamification, and 23% offer dynamic search results or an interactive map search feature?

Enhancing the careers site with a user-friendly and interactive UI chatbot, along with an 'Interactive Job View Map,' can significantly boost application conversion rates by engaging candidates with the option to explore roles near their home location and providing a personalised candidate experience. And in a competitive market, the candidate experience is more important than ever before.?

73% still require candidates to submit a CV in the application process.?

Removing a CV submission as a compulsory requirement - where they’re often not necessary -? and offering a simplified application flow can have a huge impact on candidate conversion rates. Replacing form-based applications with a dynamic application journey that captures only the data you need maximises application completion.?

Chatbot apply functionality provides a? modern, simple and intuitive experience for applicants, with filter questions that remove irrelevant candidates to save hiring managers time.??

It’s clear that there has been a significant shift in the way candidates want to find and apply for jobs. Those businesses who adapt and innovate will get ahead, with hospitality and the broader economy. If only more would do so, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for the sector.?