Image: VOLKER Weihbold
As in previous years, the gastronomy and tourism industry is an outlier – “i.e. the one in which people complain the loudest about the need for skilled workers,” according to the employee representatives. In hardly any other industry are the working conditions as bad as in the hospitality and accommodation sector.
“Nowhere are the employees as dissatisfied as in the inns and hotels. And that is exactly the reason why four out of ten employees want to leave the industry and take up another job,” criticizes the AK Upper Austria. The strong connection with social integration in the company is striking, and working hours and career prospects are also decisive factors.
“Poor working conditions drive people away”
The conclusion of the Chamber of Labor from its working climate index presented today: “Poor working conditions and high stress are driving people away from gastronomy and tourism.” Especially in the first year of Corona, the willingness to change had increased significantly. The fact that the industry is calling for more staff from countries outside the EU is not the solution. The chamber of commerce wants the red-white-red card “so that even more employees from distant countries” work under poor working conditions, according to AK-OÖ President Andreas Stangl. At the same time, he emphasized: Of course, there are also companies that work correctly and that make an effort.”
Nevertheless, one has to say: “In the gastronomy in particular, satisfaction with income or working hours is low,” says Stangl. It is important “to differentiate between a shortage of skilled workers and a shortage of personnel. “While a shortage of skilled workers refers to the actual lack of new employees with the appropriate qualifications, the lack of personnel means the difficulty of individual companies or sectors in not being able to find or retain workers despite sufficient supply – “, because the working conditions are simply too unattractive,” said Stangl.
Only 44 percent satisfied with income
Only 44 percent of employees in guest houses and hotels are satisfied with their income – 15 percentage points less than the average for all sectors. Only 38 percent get along well with the income, shows the regular survey of around 4,000 people by the AK Upper Austria.
In Germany, 12 percent of employees felt underqualified and 15 percent overqualified. Both groups are under above-average workloads and dissatisfied. Employees with a migration background, especially people from Eastern Europe, are most frequently not employed in accordance with their qualifications. In terms of sectors, tourism also stands out here.
Source: Nachrichten
