Mature-age recruits step in to alleviate WA's worst hospitality skills shortage

Helen Shiosaki has re-entered the hospitality industry to pitch in during labour shortages. (ABC South West WA: Georgia Loney)

Pubs and restaurants in regional Western Australia say mature-age workers are answering the call to fill dire staff shortages this season.

But they say more could be done to entice older workers, retirees, pensioners or anyone in between to help alleviate what has been described as the industry's worst labour crisis, largely a result of continued border closures.

Peter Gordon said he had turned to mature-age recruits to help alleviate a worker shortage at his restaurant in Busselton.

"Hospitality, as we know, is traditionally a young person's game," he said.

"But with the skills shortage, we've opened up a new field of employees that we've got which I guess we'd never really thought about before."

The worker shortage is impacting customers. (ABC South West WA: Georgia Loney)

Mr Gordon said there were a number of advantages to employing more mature workers. 

More incentives needed

Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods said the industry was looking at all staffing options, including those wanting to return to work. 

Mr Woods said he wanted the federal government to make it easier for older Australians to work more. 

Bradley Woods wants more incentives for older workers. (ABC News: Kathryn Diss)

"There's ways of incentivising mature and older-age Australians through the tax system, particularly paying respect to the fact that some of them are pensioners and not penalising them because of additional earnings," he said.

"We've made representations to the Australian government about increasing the availability of mature-age workers but also pensioners, and we're hopeful that those approaches and that engagement will receive due and proper serious consideration." 

A spokeswoman for Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said with the income-free test and work bonus, people receiving the age pension could receive $480 a fortnight before their benefits were affected. 

Crisis provides opportunities

The worker crisis has also helped people who might be under the pension age but wanting new opportunities. 

Busselton women Helen Taylor, 59, and Helen Shiosaki, 55, have just started work at the Busselton restaurant after seeing help-wanted signs in the window.

Both said their new roles had provided not only opportunities but joy. 

Ms Taylor had been out of the paid workforce for 10 years because of chronic pain caused by fibromyalgia.

Helen Shiosaki and Helen Taylor are new workers at the Equinox Restaurant in Busselton. (ABC South West WA: Georgia Loney)

After being rostered on for four-hour shifts, she found she loved the work.

"It suits my personality, I love people, I need to be around people so it's like my ultimate job.

"These particular circumstances we're in now, they've provided opportunities for people like me."

For Ms Shiosaki, the new job has provided a welcome respite after the loss of her daughter this year.

She said she had been looking for a change and a distraction.

Peter Gordon says there are advantages to employing mature workers. (ABC South West WA: Georgia Loney)

Hopeful future

For Mr Gordon, he said the shortage had prompted him to look differently at how to recruit and employ workers.

"COVID's taught us all a lot of things and we've all had to be a little bit smarter in business," he said.

"I guess employing more senior people is one of those."

The federal government has been contacted for comment.