Hello 2018!

Written on 31-Jan-2018

A Royal Wedding, a Royal baby, the Football World Cup, and the UK’s final year in the EU before we Brexit. 2018 certainly isn’t going to be a quiet one, so what’s in store for CJUK and our industry as a whole?

Here are 5 hot topics we think are going to be game-changers in 2018, and something that we’ll be looking at in greater detail on our blog throughout the year;

1. Brexit

Without doubt Brexit is going to dominate headlines throughout 2018. But what are the potential implications for our sector?

EU Nationals make up 14% of the hospitality work force, and there are already signs that EU workers are returning home and leaving the industry. There is uncertainty about who is going to fill these roles, and what the potential knock on effect is. Recruitment is going to become increasingly challenging and effective recruitment will become essential as businesses struggle to find the talent they need.

2. Attracting new talent 

The hospitality sector is already experiencing a chronic skills shortage, so the potential impact of exiting the EU is fairly significant.

With 1.3 million hospitality staff needed by 2024, it’s make or break for our industry. We must support catering students and workers at entry level, to ensure that they get the right training and experience to equip them for work. Employers are also going to have to work harder and think of innovative ways to attract talent when recruiting.

3. Retaining existing talent

Something that we at CJUK are extremely passionate about is finding #ABetterWay of working in the hospitality industry.

The hospitality industry is tough; the hours are often long and unsocial. With an average industry turnover rate of 70%, clearly something isn’t working. As an industry we need to be doing everything we can to nurture and retain talent, ensuring that the chef experience and overall journey, is a positive one. A positive work experience can lead to a more motivated workforce, a more productive workforce and greater levels of staff retention.

For more information, see our recent blog: 5 ways to improve the chef experience

4. Flexible working

As we continue to see the effects of a chronic chef shortage across the country, the approach to work should have
a greater focus on a positive work/life balance.

A report from caterer.com highlighted that 40% of hotel employers say the number of people requesting the right to work flexibly has gone up in the last three years.

Continuing on our theme to champion #ABetterWay and a positive chef experience, do we (as an industry) need to do more to adapt and change to a new way of working in order to retain talent?

5. Health & Well Being

Giving a focus to the chef experience and creating a positive work environment all links in to improving the physical and mental health and wellbeing of chefs. This is something that we believe is crucial in stopping talented professionals from leaving the industry.

In 2016 Hospitality Action spent £668,621 supporting 2,037 people in need, which meant over 100,000 employees from 135 companies were able to access expert help, support and assistance 24/7 365 days a year.

At CJUK we do everything we can to support our chefs and provide access to Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme to provide specialist, independent and confidential advice, support and assistance.

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