27 July 1995 Hotel Industry Needs To Take Longer Term View Of Employment Says Lincoln Lecturer

Hotel operators must pull themselves up from knee-jerk reactions to the "boom bust" economic cycle which affects the whole hospitality industry, says Lincoln University's Senior Lecturer in Hotel Management, David Short.

Responding to reports about Christchurch's hotel boom raising staff-shortage fears, Mr Short said that in the past hotel operators had been very quick to lay off staff during periods of static or decreasing business and that in the rush to downsize and reduce costs to counter falling sales, staff and staff training had often been the first casualties.

"An economic 'boom-bust' cycle is likely to remain in the future as a significant factor affecting the hospitality industry and to counter it hotel operators are going to have to reassess how they compete in periods of poor profitability," he says.

"Staff shortages within the hospitality industry will force operators and managers to adopt a more long-term strategic perspective on employing staff.

"Tomorrow's winners will be the managers who recognise the value of good, well trained staff and the important contribution they make to providing the quality services hotel guests desire.

"They will take advantage of the present situation to develop creative employment and remuneration packages to help their businesses develop a competitive position in a time of expansion and growth.

"Hospitality education and training is being provided by a substantial number of public and private institutions throughout the country. At Lincoln University alone over 80 graduates from the B.Com.(Hotel & Institutional Management) and B.Com (Tourism) degree courses will be coming on to the employment market at the end of this year and seeking jobs in the lower and middle management levels."

Lincoln University introduced a Commerce degree specialising in Hotel and Institutional Management at the start of 1993 and the first cohort of students finish their studies later this year. Mr Short says they are a good group, enthusiastic, mobile and ready to fill vacancies in the industry.

He warns that the hospitality industry needs to actively pursue these graduates and convince them that there is a worthwhile career path within hotel management or else they will be recruited into other service sector industries.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.