CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF EMERGING THEMES AND TRENDS
FRONT DESK 08
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Air quality: Why good ventilation will be a vital tool in battling the pandemic
David Olusoga, speaker at the IWFM Conference, talks of a required 'shift of consciousness'
Newsmakers: Key stories from Facilitate online in the months of July and August
IWFM policy pipeline: How the profession can bridge the climate ambition gap
WORK P L ACE S K IL L S
Facing skills shortages in food services by Herpreet Kaur Grewal
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here has recently been much discussion about staff shortages in catering, hospitality and food services in the coming year as the consequences of a global pandemic and Brexit hit the sectors. Data analysed by catering analyst Taf Consultancy indicates that nine in 10 contract caterers are facing shortages this year. The data also shows that 51 per cent of businesses anticipate further shortages across all roles (with 39 per cent concerned only about back-of-house roles). What this scenario has also exposed is an ongoing lack of adequate training in these sectors. Research by the City & Guilds Group has even suggested that older workers, undertrained in general by businesses, could now be used to plug some of these skills gaps. The Office for National Statistics added weight to this argument recently when analysis of data showed that allowing older people to adapt to new patterns of working such as remote working prolongs their presence in the workforce. Adele Oxberry, CEO of Umbrella Training, told Facilitate that this longrunning problem precedes the pandemic. “It [the lack of investment in training] had started before the pandemic but,
as a consequence of new government priorities since the pandemic, has accelerated,” explains Oxberry, adding that “Government initiatives to support a world post-pandemic, such as the Plan for Jobs and Lifetime Skills Guarantee, do not recognise the hospitality skills challenge as a priority. Hospitality and catering as a sector, continues Oxberry, “has been pushed further back in the queue for any investment by the government”. Demand plays a huge part in this, Oxberry adds. “The sector has a historically poor reputation in parts and demand for jobs isn’t always high. “Kitchens in colleges and universities such as University of West London were all being closed due to a lack of demand for their culinary courses. Mergers in colleges have also weakened opportunity for the sector, with fewer courses on offer. Colleges and education providers are required to also position themselves with local and regional priorities, so the focus has been redirected to suit those needs.” Influencing factors, many of which have always blighted the sector, include “poor leadership, negative and highly demotivating environments, lack of
Labour shortages and price inflation are unwelcome challenges as consumer demand continues to increase
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representation from various diverse communities, or overall poor reputation”.
Supply chains The issue of staff shortages is also occurring further back in supply chain. The CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index recently detailed how food and drink supply markets have seen widespread distribution problems and a spike in demand following the return of out-of-home eating and drinking. The report shows how June saw particular supply issues in the south of England after the return of restaurants, pubs, bars and other venues to normal operation, amplified by warm weather. Problems were compounded by “a shortage of labour, particularly HGV drivers, as well as insufficient manufactured stocks and Brexit-related challenges with imported goods”. As June progressed, many suppliers put mitigation strategies in place, including a refusal to take some orders in order to cap demand as well as improvements to wages and conditions to attract new employees. The situation stabilised in July, but demand is predicted to peak again in early September when schools and businesses increase order levels. The report reveals that food inflation stood at 1.6 per cent in June, having levelled off at a time of year when it typically falls. Non-alcoholic beverage
FAC I L I TAT E S EP T EM B ER- O C TO B ER 2021
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