Struggling pubs and restaurants are calling on thousands of Baby Boomers to get back to work and help solve a massive staffing crisis across the country. Huge numbers of workers moved out of hospitality during the pandemic and there are now more than 150,000 unfilled vacancies in the sector, pushing hundreds of businesses to the brink of bankruptcy.
According to a new study commissioned by hospitality recruitment platform Barcats, 72% of pub and restaurant bosses say bringing older workers out of retirement could be the answer. According to recent data, there has been a huge increase in economic inactivity for the over 50s since Covid. A third of people ages 59-59 chose to retire early and one in ten aged 50-55.
Jeff Williams, Barcats CEO, said: “There is a huge pool of fantastic, hard-working over-50s talent out there. It’s time for the Baby Boomers to get back out there and help save this country’s pubs and restaurants.”
The Barcats survey of a thousand hospitality managers responsible for hiring staff found that almost two thirds (64%) would consider hiring someone over 50, with half (49%) praising the reliability of older workers over young ones. Almost a third (32%) of bosses surveyed said their business was still experiencing problems trying to hire skilled labour including chefs, kitchen workers, bar staff and waiters.
The study found a third of businesses are still experiencing problems trying to hire people as chefs, kitchen workers, bar staff and waiters. According to the Barcats survey, managers think older people are put off from applying for vacant roles either because they think they are too old for the type of work the job would involve (59%) or because they think that employers don’t want them (36%).
Jeff added: “This research shows that the hospitality sector is actively encouraging older and retired people to come forward and apply for jobs in their local pubs, restaurants and cafes. 7 in 10 managers think having staff aged over 50 would give their business a boost and we’ve seen this work really well in other territories that Barcats already operates in.
“Globally the hospitality industry has suffered over recent years - but the UK has been hit even harder with the added pressure of Brexit. Barcats is a unique platform that connects venue operators and staff, and training programmes, free of charge to those wanting to learn and upskill.
“Our oldest Barcats UK member who has signed up for work in hospitality is a 73-year-old male from East London. Who has no doubt he’s got a lifetime of experiences, possibly even from historic experience in hospitality, and great stories to share and most importantly, know what good hospitality means.
“While older workers may not have to current drinks trends nailed, they could still be the most fabulous bartender or sommelier by undertaking our training programmes which are offered free to all, means they can refresh or upskill to ensure everyone is 2023- hospitality ready”.
