Sustainable Labor Practices? Hotel Human Resource Managers Views on Turnover and Skill Shortages

Abstract

Through this research, the authors investigate the recruiting practices and causative factors of labor turnover and skill shortages in four- and five-star hotels in Australia using a web-based questionnaire survey. Their findings in this study confirmed that labor shortages are a major industry concern. In selecting new employees, personal presentation, interpersonal and customer skills are paramount. The key findings present an industry that currently does not plan for sustainable labor practices and employee retention with casualization being the dominant strategy to cope with changing demand for labor. Hotels need to look beyond cost reduction and adopt a more strategic approach to Human Resource Management.

KEYWORDS:

• Labor turnover
• skills
• four- and five-star hotels
• Australia